The following activities are scheduled.  Plan to make as many of them as you can to assist in chapter success.  Other chapters and potential members are invited to participate.  Call the Trail Boss shown for each event if you have questions or concerns.  We encourage you to have “D or E” (8 or 10 ply tires) on your equipment to avoid flat tires since all of the trips involve driving off of paved roads.  These represent the scheduled events.  If you choose to ride the back country at other times, please let other members know to give them a chance to ride with you!

4/9-Reservoir Creek Ride.  Kathy Allard is trail boss.  Meet at Safeway Parking Lot at 9:30 or at the Highway 278 interchange at 9:45.  The ride will start at the junction between the road to Grant from Bannack and the road up Reservoir Creek.

4/23-Frying Pan Hills Ride:  Mike and Joan Probst are Trail Bosses for a +3 hour ride.  The ride will begin at their house on Bond Road.  Additional information will be available at the April meeting.  We’ll roast some wieners and burgers when we get back to their home.  Bring something to share. Travel time from Dillon is about 10 minutes.  Shoes would be nice but not necessary.  Directions:  Follow the old Butte Highway (Hw 63) and turn left on Bond Road (opposite Anderson Lane).  Probst’s have the first house on the right on Bond Road.

5/3-Horse packing Demonstration:  Dave Mathson and Dan Pence will present a horse packing demonstration at the May 3 meeting, with time for members to have hands-on experience.  Other opportunities to participate in packing will occur at optional overnight rides listed below.

5/7-Gallagher/Henneberry Ride: Dan Pence is trail Boss.  Meet at Safeway at 9 or at Pipe Organ Fishing Access at 9:30.  Included is a visit to old tepee rings and an area of petrified wood.  Additional directions will be given at the May meeting.

5/21-Kids Day:  Joel, Kim and Dave are Trail Bosses.  They need help since almost 100 kids showed up last year!  This is a community service day at Beaverhead County Fair Grounds, and is a joint project co-sponsored with the UMW Equestrian Club.  Bring a tame horse you can lead while a child rides.  We furnish hot dogs and drinks, give horse packing and leave no trace demonstrations and everyone has a fun day Plan to start at 10 a.m. and finish about 2 p.m.

6/4-National Trail Day:  Gordon Ash is Trail Boss.  Meet at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Supervisors Office at 9 to consolidate rides or at the Highway 278 interchange at 9:15.  We will be relocating a trail at Brays Canyon for the Forest Service.

6/18-Rattlesnake-Kelly Reservoir Area Ride:  Mike Cox will be Trail Boss.  This is a fun ride through historic mining areas.  Lois Pence found an old oxen shoe on a ride in the area several years ago.  Bring fly spray.

7/9-Waukina Lake Ride:  (Need a) trail boss.  Ride from above Brown’s Lake to Waukina Lake and return.  Bring fly spray.

7/16-17-Bannack Days:  Dave Mathson is Trail Boss.  Taylors and Mike Probst have volunteered to help.   Members will give packing demonstrations during Bannack Days at Bannack State Park.

7/23-24-East Fork Blacktail Campground:  Dave Mathson is Trail Boss.  This is an optional work project for those interested, but will mostly be a fun ride.  We’ll clear the trails we ride while having a great ride with an optional overnight camp out.  A member certified to use a chain saw should attend the ride.  Plan to camp overnight if you have time and ride again on Sunday.  The drive from Dillon to the campground takes over an hour, all on gravel roads that probably are not in the smoothest condition.  Shoes would be good for the horses. The ride is all on good trails and scenic with a good opportunity to see elk and other wildlife.  Some major creek crossings are involved.  Bring fly Spray.

8/6-Pony-Tobacco Root Area Ride:   Jan Elpel is Trail Boss.  Interest was expressed by members living in the Bozeman to Silver Star Area to have a ride closer to their home.  The trail boss is yet to be assigned (any volunteers?) and we need more specifics on area.  Larry Jordan says he will serve as trail boss in the Rob-Leadford Area if other options do not develop..

8/20-21 or 8/27-28-Sand Lake Pack Trip:  Dave Mathson is Trail Boss.  We ride from the Steele Creek Trail Head east of Wisdom to Sand Lake.  We use cooking facilities at McNeill’s Diamond Hitch Outfitters camp and camp in an adjacent meadow. 

The ride to the lake takes about 3 hours on a good trail.  We’ll have the opportunity to ride other area trails if we want and some of them are a bit steep.  Fish the lake if you want.  Pack animals and assistance is available to carry your gear.  This date is flexible.  Diamond Hitch may pick up paying customers which will tie up facilities and pack animals on the date shown, requiring us to reschedule.  Your horses should be shod.

9/10- Blue Creek Ride: Shannon Keller is Trail Boss.  The ride begins at the Blue Creek Trailhead just below Grasshopper Campground and ties in to the trail to Halfway Meadows.

9/24-25-Middle Fork of Little Sheep Creek and National Public Lands Day:  Mike Probst is Trail Boss.  Camping out is optional since travel time is over an hour.  The ride starts at the trail head on the Middle Fork of Little Sheep Creek west of Lima and makes a loop through some very beautiful country.  Fall colors should be great with the opportunity to see wildlife.

10/8-Hidden Pasture Ride:  Dan Pence is Trail Boss.  The ride starts at the Hidden Pasture Trailhead on Big Sheep Creek and makes a loop through scenic country.  The area is rocky so be sure your mounts have shoes.  There may be some antelope hunters in the vicinity so wear something bright.

12/10-Annual Christmas Party:  Kathy Allard will be Trail Boss.  Too many members get tied up in their own “secret” hunting areas to plan events during the hunting season.  The Christmas Party is a Pot Luck evening event with gag gift exchange to finish up the year.

REMEMBER:  Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely at the Pearly Gates in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming—“Wow-What a ride!”   Ride safely and let’s have a fun and eventful year!!