Kenny
Type: Standard Jack
Born: October 2004
Height: 11 Hands, 2"
Weight: 325 lbs.
Color: Dark Brown w/ white markings
Position: Packer Second Class
Kenny was concieved here at the pack station, but was not actually born here. His mother is former pack station donkey Lila (see In Memorium section) and the father is either Andy or Eeyore. Bonnie is his grandmother.
Lila was very young when she had Kenny, only two years old, and in the summer of 2004 it was obvious that Lila was pregnant, not simply growing and filling out. By September she was showing signs that she was close to giving birth, but it was then that things got complicated.
The Angeles National Forest was closed to the public on September 27 th, citing a high fire danger, but this time the Forest Supervisor made the unprecedented decision to evacuate all residents, including donkeys. So the pack station animals had to find somewhere else to stay for a while. Eric Woodyard of cabin #130 (now our Dutch oven chef) found a large equine facility in Rowland Heights that would take them in. The man in charge claimed to be doing Kim a favor, in light of her predicament, by only charging $80/month for each donkey, even though they had opportunity to graze freely on grassy hills. Although not a discount, this was probably a fair price, and he charged $120/month to stable each of the two horses we had at the time and the one mule. Fortunately, the herd only had to stay less than a month.
On October 19 th the fire closure order was lifted following a rain storm, a "Pineapple Express", that brought 13 inches of rain to Chantry. In the meantime, Lila had given birth down in Rowland Heights. When the station was open for business again, it had an added attraction.
Kenny started going along on packs with an empty saddle when Deb and Sue bought the station in April, 2006. He was then given the occasional blanket or package of toilet paper to carry, and by October 2007, at the requisite age of three years, he became a full-fledged packer. He is still young and a little too exuberant at times, especially on the first leg of a pack, down Roberts' Road, but he has gotten used to the routine and should settle down with age.
Kenny was named for the man who took in the herd during the fire closure, Ken Gates.