"So, why is there a pack station at Chantry Flat, anyway?"

     You can read about the pack station owners on our History Page, but this is the appropriate place to explain why it was allowed in the first place and why operation is still allowed today.
  The first thing to keep in mind is that the Forest Service of old was very different than that of today. They had the same goal of preserving the trees and flowers and animals and general wilderness for future generations, but they managed the forests with an emphasis on recreation; and that recreation included everything from lavish housekeeping resorts to modest overnight hostels to rustic hunting cabins.
     The skeptic might suggest that when the newly-formed Forest Service embraced the mountain construction, which had gone on for decades, it was just another example of Government regulation for its own sake, as well as a means of revenue collection. But by all accounts, wilderness accommodations were encouraged and enjoyed by all, even the Forest Service employees, and without interjection of excruciating environmentalist minutia. Besides, it was in the Service's best interest to have so many caretakers with personal and financial interests in the forest. The owners of resorts and cabins would, as they do today, prevent open fire, curb illegal activity and maintain trails.
     None of this recreation infrastructure, including that built by the Forest Service, could have been possible without the help of pack animals. Big Santa Anita was once home to 5 resorts and well over 200 cabins. Before the road to Chantry Flat was built, all the supplies and building materials were packed in from a trailhead in Sierra Madre (the Sturtevant & Grimes stable is seen at right). It was natural to approve a pack station closer in when the road was completed late in 1935.
    Archeologists recently employed by the Forest Service have reported that the historical value of BigSAC's 81 cabins, as well as Sturtevant's Camp, Adams' Pack Station, and the miles-long crank phone system linking the community, far outweighs their minimal environmental impact. It is generally expected that the 83 special use permits, all expiring in 2008, will be renewed for another twenty years. The official opinion of the Forest Service is that these quaint little abodes benefit us all by demonstrating a way of life gone by, and most employees of the Angeles are quite proud to have the pack station and the community it serves in their forest. Read The Role of Outfitters to know the place outfitters hold in the Forest Service mission.

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"How does the packing work?"

     The type of packing we do is called "dunnage" - that is, freight only, no passengers. We do not offer rides because of the rugged terrain, blind corners and heavy multi-use traffic. Only experienced riders ought to tackle the San Gabriel front country and even then it's quite dangerous.
     By far the majority of our packing customers are cabin owners and guests at Sturtevant's Camp (see our Canyon Facilities page for info on Sturtevant's). And of those customers' loads the majority is propane - mostly ten gallon tanks. We also carry food and drink, garbage, bedding, tools, roofing, concrete, furniture, generators, firewood, lumber....
     The process and techniques we use are the same as they've ever been. Packing services are charged by the pound, typically with a minimum price depending on the distance from the pack station (call for rates). Customers arrange for a delivery time and drop their materials in our loading dock. Everything is weighed, sorted for each animal, then split 50/50 to get a balanced load; an unbalanced load will cause the saddle to slide to the heavy side, inviting disaster. The average mule (roughly 14 hands) can carry 300lbs. A mammoth donkey will take up to 200lbs. and the standard donkey limit is 125lbs.
     There are two common types of pack saddle used. The Decker saddle has a built-in blanket filled with horizontal wooden slats "to protect the animal's ribs" and arches onto which the loads are tied. We use the sawbuck type with a pair of crosses, or x's, for load tying. Sawbucks are not only historically accurate for California, they are better for lumber and other awkward loads than the Decker. Western sawbucks are traditionally made of Oak with leather rigging, and we still have lots of them, but we are now using a stronger, lighter, adjustable model made with composite sidebars and billet aluminum crosses. Because mules and donkeys don't have tall enough withers to keep the saddle from sliding up around their necks, they need to be anchored in the rear. We use britchens (a strap around the rear flanks of the animal) rather than croupers (strap around the base of the tail); again the traditional method in these parts.
     In the old days, loads of groceries and sundries were often wrapped in canvas or wool blankets then tied to the animal. Professional packers would use boxes and crates (see top picture of a Bill Adams donkey). Today we still organize loads in boxes, usually cardboard potato and apple boxes, but we play it safe and place the boxes, two per side, in saddle bags, or "panniers" (at left). Form-fitting rigid panniers, or saddle boxes, are readily available but we prefer the compliance of the canvas bags, especially for the type of work we do. They wrap tightly around propane tanks, they can hang under loads of lumber to carry tools then be loaded with construction debris for the trip back; and the freight is easily rearranged to maintain balance on multiple-stop trips. Also, many of our customers are not present for the delivery so we leave disposable boxes behind rather than expensive saddle boxes that we would need to retrieve. Lumber and pipes etc. are tied directly to the saddle's crosses (see picture above right, taken on the old Sturtevant Trail) and should not exceed eight feet long.
     As you may have gathered by now, there is a lot more to this packing business than just tossing the load on a donkey and pulling the lead rope. There are also many intangible qualities that make a good packer. If one cares for and appreciates his stock (animals), they will trust him and respect his authority. One must also know the individual personalities of his stock; what they're afraid of, what doesn't bother them, any bad habits, how they get along with each other. In addition, there are many modern inconveniences to contend with on our trails, such as a hiking public that is unfamiliar with equine etiquette and speeding mountain bikers. All the hard work and worry is definitely rewarded by the appreciation of our customers and the excited faces on those who first discover our living piece of history.

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Wilderness Outfitting

     At this time we will take food and gear into the two campgrounds in Big Santa Anita Canyon, Hogee's and Spruce Grove (see our Canyon Facilities page for more info), but plans include trips into the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. This is the best trout fishing in Southern California. Currently the biggest hold-up is the trail from Sturtevant's Camp to Newcomb Pass. Once this is repaired, we can reach the campgrounds West Fork & Devore.
     Keep checking back here or give us a call.

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Pack trains can still help the Forest Service today

     Now, I can only speak to my experience, and I don't know how other National Forests function, but I can see that the Angeles is pitifully understaffed. We have the largest urban interface of any other Forest - which means we receive more than the occasional disrespectful visitor. I don't mean to scare off you good people, but stuff does happen here; and the local rangers have little time for damage repair. There are two basic ways we help the Forest Service and, consequently, the public. Directly and indirectly.
     The biggest problem this forest has is graffiti. Sometimes it takes the age-old form of picnic table carving. These wounds cause the tables to deteriorate quickly. Also, thanks to the popularity of the Leatherman-type tools, many tables are disassembled for firewood. Working as independent contractors, we can bring new tables to anywhere the trails allow. The same goes for outhouse doors, sign-posts, BBQ's etc.
     Many visitors leave behind grocery waste, cans & bottles, and other debris. Since we regularly pass through the campgrounds on our packing rounds, we will pick up and pack out this garbage. We do other things that the rangers can't get around to such as raking campsites, refilling toilet paper, and educating campers on safe fire habits.
     If a ranger rarely has time to clean a campground, he certainly doesn't get the time for trail work. What is done is almost exclusively performed by volunteers. The trails are our most important resource, next to the animals, and, in fact, were originally built by the old-time packers. If we don't maintain them we don't work; but everyone benefits from our labor.

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Pack trains as mail carriers

     Many an early packer was also an employee of the US Postal Service. In the old days, some of the mountain resorts, including Big Santa Anita Canyon's own Roberts' Camp, had an official Post Office. The animals brought visitors' post cards to town and kept the resort owners & cabin dwellers in touch with the outside world.
     Today, the town of Sierra Madre at the base of the mountains holds an annual, week-long event called Pioneer Days. One activity is to visit a different resort site each year. A temporary postmaster is appointed for the day, rubber stamps are made with the name of the camp, and the Boy Scouts apply official cancellations to letters and post cards. The mail is then brought out of the canyon, bound for the Sierra Madre Post Office by donkey as it was in the 1800's.

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