Planning your mule pack trip in the Eastern Sierra
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
On the all-inclusive trips, the mules carry up to 30 pounds per person.The outfitter provides horses, food, drinks, cooking equipment, dishes, lanterns, portable toilet.
You provide warm clothes, a tent, sleeping bag, day pack, sunscreen, toiletries, hat, hiking boots, camera, aspirin, fishing rod and tackle.
The rides run from one hour to seven days, but you can also hire a pack to drop you and your gear in the wilderness and pick you up several days later. Some outfits allow children as young as 6 with little or no riding experience. The multi-day rides can be as physically demanding as a long hike, so prepare for sore muscles.
The Eastern Sierra around Mammoth Lakes is home to about 16 pack outfits. Most travel in and out of different areas of the eastern Sierra, so your choice may depend on where you want to go.
Prices range from $160 to $275 per day. Go to www.easternsierrapackers.com for a list of pack outfits.
Sign up for The Wild
We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
