Sometimes our adventures here at Apgar View Ranch are about the people we meet. We were fortunate to find a horse packing/camping gear business in the Flathead valley a few years ago. The business was owed by Andy Breland and his daughter Sydney. When you first meet Andy you’re definately not a stranger for long. His easy demeanor and gift of gab makes everyone feel comfortable and at ease. At this point of my horse packing skills I was pretty green. I had quite a few years of hunting the backcountry on horses and a couple of week long summer pack trips, so visiting with Andy was informational and motivating. You have to understand that it can be very intimidating to take multiple horses into the backcountry. Dealing with a flighty animal on treacherous trails with all kinds of obstacles and hazards is a recipe for disaster. Overcoming the intimidation factor is where Andy’s visits were awesome. REMEMBER! He used to say, it’s supposed to be fun! 

Andy gave up a career in the trucking industry to pursue his passion of horse/mule packing and enjoying life in the backcountry. He and his daughter opened their store to facilitate that passion. Andy packed for Forest Service support, Bob Marshall Wilderness Association, and sometimes private users. He and his packing partner Chuck logged 1000’s of miles in their packing career. Their names would be seen frequently posted as volunteer packers on excursions for the BMWA. I asked Andy why they devoted so much time volunteering for these organizations, cuz let’s face it mountain weather can quickly turn miserable. If you’re on the schedule to pack in a trail crew 16 miles to camp and it’s been raining for 3 days with no let-up in sight, you load all the gear on the stock and head out regardless. Conditions like that can be downright treacherous. Andy was the go-to-guy for many. A few years ago Connie and I were out for a drive on a rainy Saturday morning. As we passed the Bear creek trailhead there was Andy and Chuck loading stock and preparing to head up the trail. Decked out in their slickers in the pouring rain. I thought to myself “REMEMBER it’s supposed to be fun” Andy didn’t seem to mind. He was proud to get the job done.

Their business was called Trailhead Supply. I enjoyed stopping in to visit with Andy about wilderness areas, new trails, or just different issues that we encounter in the backcountry. There were very few areas he wasn’t familiar with and if he wasn’t he knew who to contact to find information needed. That was Andy’s way, willing to take the time to find answers to any question you might have. While many professional backcountry Packers will be somewhat annoyed seeing others on the trail or chastise that recreational packer for not having the proper hitch securing their loads, Andy would be one to comment “hey whatever works to get you safely down the trail”. He was exceptional at motivating and supporting all stock users to get out and enjoy this great country of ours.

Sadly Andy passed away this week following a battle with cancer. His passing will leave a tremendous void in the packing community. I always hoped for the chance to take a pack trip with this legend, but sometimes you wait to long for an opportunity to present itself. So for now Andy, we’ll see you down the trail.

After a very mild December and January, we are finally getting dumped on with snow and bitter cold temps. Living here at Apgar View we are used to a little harsher conditions, but we did get spoiled with the nice weather this winter. The horses are acclimated to life on the mtn and seldom wear blankets, but with the snowy/cold weather I felt they needed some pampering and so they got blanketed today.

As I was freezing my fingers off putting on blankets, I couldn’t help but recollect those contemptuous looks I receive from some of the kool-aid drinking hikers I encounter on the trail. When your passion is exploring the backcountry by horseback it is inevitable that over time you’ll run into the hiker that is quite indignant of your presence with stock. Most common comment I hear is that we’re doing it the easy way. They seem agitated and assume that as a stock user you must be a lazy SOB that can’t throw on a backpack and venture out on your own two feet. If they only knew! Owning stock suitable for backcountry trail riding requires an immense amount of time and work. Each and every day a stock owner is spending hours feeding and caring for their animals. While the latte drinking, Subaru driving yuppie is relaxed on the couch searching their iPad for next summers hiking trip, the stock owner is out preforming his everyday chores.

Using stock in the backcountry has privileges that some of the hiking public envy. We get to indulge in adult beverages, and usually have some exceptional meals because of the ability to pack. I’ve taken trips where we had to pack light and utilized the freeze dried meals. 😝 It’s food, but I can’t say it’s tasty. Maybe that’s why some of those backcountry hikers seem so irritable. 🤷🏻‍♂️

The reality is these backcountry users should be thankful for the horse riders they encounter. These are the people that carry tools for clearing trails along the way. While the forest service, backcountry horseman, and many volunteers do the majority of trail maintenance, those recreational riders are often cutting areas of downfall that has recently happened. (I have yet to meet a hiker with a large saw strapped on their pack)

I really shouldn’t be ragging on the backcountry hiker. The majority of those I meet on the trail are very nice folks. One night I arrived at a campsite just before dark and ended up sharing the area with a couple of guys who were out hiking a segment of the CDT. The following morning found me eating pancakes and bacon cooked on an open fire, while they were enjoying their mountain house prepped on a jet-boil. After visiting for awhile I learned they were going to be out for a week and one had forgotten his tent. They were concerned because the forecast was favorable for numerous rain events that week. I was heading back to the trailhead so I gave him my old tent to use. It was an old 2-person backpack type tent that had seen more than its share of use, so I told him not to worry about getting it back to me. He took down my address and a few weeks later his buddy was in the Columbia Falls area and dropped it off. They were very appreciative and I was glad to have helped them out on their trip.

Some of those young man-bun wearing contemptuous individuals that are out on the trail can be annoying though. I’ve even read articles about them stepping off the trail and hiding when encountering stock users. You can imagine the fiasco that happens when your horse senses something hiding in the bushes as you ride by. There’s not much you can do with these type of hikers, (you’ll get in trouble if you shoot them) so it’s best to just go about your business and bid them a good day. There will always be more trails to explore and more fish to catch!