wildlife. The trips are led by experienced packers, while trained horses and nimble mules carry riders and gear to nearby points of interest from June to September each year, depending on snowfall. ‘Trip of a lifetime’ Aspen Meadow Pack Station, with roots dating to 1929, is the mountainous base of operations and starting point for trail rides and back-country experiences that many guests describe as “a trip of a lifetime.” Louis Hughes, a business owner from Forestville, is a returning guest who now plans pack trips for family and friends. “It’s become the family destination for getting up into the wild, particularly a place we discovered a few years ago that we rea l ly l ike, Granite Lake, which we practically have to ourselves,” he said. Aspen Meadow co-owner Doug Morgan has worked at the pack station for 20 years, having grown up riding horses and packing. He said he enjoys sharing the wilderness experience with guests and added, “We see a lot of kids that have never seen a horse, let alone been on a horse. It’s a magical thing for them.”
The pack station, which has led guests to the Emigrant Wilderness area for 91 years, is co-owned by Seth Diemel, shown below leading a team of pack mules, and Doug Morgan, below right, doing leather work in the shop.
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July/August 2020
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