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2008 Rates: All inclusive rides, meals,
overnight in tents, from Bishop/Benton, CA.
3 or 4 riding days - rates are subject to tax and Wilderness fee
Itinerary Option 1
Benton Hot Springs -
Wild Mustangs
 Old
Benton Hot Springs
is an old ghost town built around hot springs that flow into the meadows
behind the old store. There are big redwood hot tubs next to our meadow
campsite. The trip starts with dinner at
historic Benton Hot Springs on Friday. We ride in the Benton Area
on Saturday and spend the afternoon soaking in hot tubs, exploring the
ghost town and sharing the hospitality of the Old House at Benton Hot
Springs. Sunday, we travel to Pizona over the Benton Range above Adobe
Valley. We explore Upper Pizona and River Springs the last two days. We
see wild horses and enjoy lots of riding.
***Additional charge of $26 for USFS/BLM outfitter-guide fee.
Itinerary
 DAY
1:
Check in time after 3 pm at
the Old House at Benton Hot Springs. We will have dinner at 6:30 pm and
plenty of time to explore the historic buildings and mining town of
Benton. (Guests that want to arrive Saturday are welcome to join the
trip Saturday morning)
NOTE: for the MULE DAYS trail Ride participants will have the options of attending Mule Days shows either
Friday or Saturday evening, if they desire to do so.
DAY 2:
Awaken to a great breakfast and jam session. Head out for a leisurely
ride to an overlook in the Benton Range. Gather inspiration for a song,
at lunch we will share our ideas. We will have of time to tour the ghost
town and cattle and buffalo ranch (more song ideas?). At our evening
gathering we will craft our song of the day and give everyone a chance
to perform!
DAY 3: After
our morning jam session, we will break camp and ride from Benton Hot
Springs over the Benton Range into Adobe Valley with spectacular views
of the White Mountains and Sierra Nevada. Good opportunity to see wild
horses that water at Black Lake. The vast open spaces surrounded by
magnificent peaks will give your musical imagination space to roam. We
will gather more ideas, and working together, create another song of the
day - uniquely our own.
DAY 4: Our
morning music session will precede our visit the Pizona high country. We
ride through the meadows past Upper Pizona Springs to McNamara Lake and
McBride Flats looking for fresh horse tracks. We’ll track horses and
look at the new foals in the herd. It will be a full day in the field;
we break the trip into groups to allow the more limited riders the
opportunity to head back to camp early.
Tonight will be our final campfire and song crafting session.
DAY 5: One
last morning jam session with breakfast, then we will ride back through
the hills overlooking Upper Adobe Valley and terminate at River Springs.
A van will take guests to Old Benton Hot Springs to your cars, about 3
P.M.
The Area
Track wild horses and relive the old west in the
seldom visited Pizona area of the lnyo National Forest. From a central
meadow camp, riders will track the mustangs in their natural pinyon forest
habitat. Observe and photograph present day herds and wildflowers. Enjoy
spectacular sunsets of the Sierra and White Mountains while the cook
prepares dinner over an open fire. Later, around the campfire, our
experienced trackerguides will, share their knowledge of the wild horses
and other wildlife. Learn about the social behavior of the horses and
their current struggle.
Important Information for the Benton Hot Springs & Mustang Trail
Ride:
- Those people wanting to spend the night in Bishop on May 20th need
to make reservations early, as Wednesday, May 21st is the start of the
Mule Days Celebration. You need to make reservations as soon as
possible.
- For information on Mule Days go to
www.muledays.org
- Although gear will be transported between camps by four-wheel drive,
we ask the guests to keep their dunnage under 40 lbs.
We bring ice along for people to use but don't provide alcoholic
beverages or sodas.
- For those bringing their own riding animals….We set up individual
pens for horses with panels. We set up camp on Friday night so that you
can drive from the LA area directly to the campsite. Hay is provided and
we offer alfalfa/grass mix and plenty of corn/barley grain. You should
bring your own water buckets and brushes.
We move the corrals to Pizona the day we ride from Old Benton.
Itinerary Option
2
Wild Mustangs . . . A Living Legacy
DAY 1: Check in time is at 7-00 a.m. in Bishop at public parking lot
behind Civic Center. We will have breakfast and then depart to River
Springs by van where you will meet your horse and ride into the Pizona
Springs camp. Seminars include map orientation and history of the wild
horse.
DAYS AT PIZONA: Full day in field, riding out to track and observe
horses on open range and watering sites. Periodic stops for viewing,
informal discussion and rest. Seminars include social structure and
behavior of wild horses, seasonal range ecology and current issues
affecting maintenance of free rooming wild horses.
LAST DAY: Take a ride to the western range with lunch before returning
to vans at River Springs Roadhead. Seminars today include obtaining,
training and using wild horses. The last meal served will be lunch. Expect
to arrive at your cars in Bishop by 4 p.m.
MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL
May 24-27, 2008 4 Days
Join us to ride in Pizona over the long weekend. We’ll help you find
camping and reasonable accommodations for the night before the trip.
Come early and spend a day at Mule Days.
MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS AND FRIENDS MUSTANG TRIP
May 28-31, 2008 4 Days
A special ride for trail riders who enjoy soaking in hot springs and a
relaxing trip. We recommend riders stay a day at Benton Hot Springs the
day before the trip. Trip meets at River Springs instead of Bishop Civic
Center.
ITINERARY Option 3
Mustangs in the Wild
DAY ONE
 Meet in Bishop, California at 8:00 a.m. After breakfast, we will travel
by van out to base camp operation near Mono Lake where you will meet
your horse and start out on a great adventure. Once in camp, that nights
slide presentation will center around the historical background and
political evolution of the wild horse populations
DAY TWO
After breakfast, you're on the trail again. We will head in a different
direction each day with that days field discussion centered around the
physical environment of the horse range. This includes climate, geology,
water and seasonal changes. That nights slide presentation will focus on
physiology, reproduction, behavior and nutrition of wild horses.
DAY THREE
This day we will look at the relationship between the wild horses
and other animals and plant life on the horse range. This will include
the relationship of the mountain lion and the wild horses in the area.
DAY FOUR
Seminar for this morning will be obtaining, training and making
usable saddle horses from wild horses. Ride out to the vans and return
to Bishop, arriving about 3:00 p.m.
GENERAL INFORMATION
All trips are full service and include three mountain gourmet meals a day,
horse and tack and camp gear, plus lots of tall stories and singing around
the camp fire. Personal gear and a sleeping bag is all that is needed.
Riders of all abilities, from beginner to expert, are welcome.
PERSONAL CHECKLIST FOR TRIPS
- Sleeping bag/
- foam pad or air mattress
- Flashlight/extra batteries
- Coffee mug
- Broad brimmed hat (must have string to keep from blowing off)
- Camera and film
- Rain pants or slicker
- Riding boots & camp shoes
- Insect repellent
- Sunglasses
- Bathing suit
- Hat protector
- Heavy jacket
- Personal hygiene kit
- Bring gear in nylon duffels - sleeping bag and pads separate
- Liquor should be labeled and checked in separately
NOTICE: Persons of any race, color, national origin, sex, age,
religion or with any handicapping condition are welcome to use and
enjoy all facilities, programs and services of USDA (Forest
Service).
Discrimination in any form is strictly against agency policy and
should be reported to Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
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