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Packin' salt on the high salt grounds

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leanin' H

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Western Utah Desert
We took salt and mineral blocks to the cattle today. We
unloaded at the homestead in the mouth of Ott's canyon
and loaded 6- 50lbs blocks on each pack horse. Then we
started up the trail to the top of the mountain. Here's my
cousin Phil with his horse "doc" and "scotty" the packhorse.
DSCF0026.jpg

The trail up Ott's is a little western in places. We crossed
the creek 12 times and the bottom is choked with willows
and quakies. But it's the only place to get a horse as the sides
of the canyon are cliffs and shale slides. On we go!
DSCF0028-2.jpg

It's about 9 miles up the canyon to the first saddle that we salt.
We put it up on natural saddles and ridge tops to get the cattle
up out of the bottom and away from water. Droppin' the first
blocks.
DSCF0030-1.jpg

Then we take the old mustang trail across the tops of the draws
and ridges to each salt ground. We learned these spots from
Grandparents and Aunts & Uncles. Been salting cows up here
for generations. Here we are heading for the comb of the
mountain and west to spring canyon.
DSCF0033.jpg

At the ridge between spring and Joe's canyons, i left Phil
to go to spring and i headed west to Joe's. The old trail follows
the top of the mountain as we mosey. The peak on the right is
Dutch peak named for my Dutch ancestors who migrated here
in the 1840's. It's the highest point on the Sheeprock range.
DSCF0034.jpg

As i head west, Phil heads south to a saddle on the spring
canyon ridge. Can ya see him?
DSCF0035-1.jpg

Can ya see him now? A little zoomage and there he be! 100 lbs
each left to drop.
DSCF0037-2.jpg

Ridin' the old horse trail. The mustangs have been gone for
decades, but the wildlife and cattle still follow in their hoof
prints. Almost 9000 feet here.
DSCF0039.jpg

Before i dropped down off the top into Joe's canyon, i found
a flat rock for a tripod and took a self portrait. Horses look
great but i gotta suck in my gut better. I look like a really
calvy, really ugly yearling bull with issues on my registered
papers! Pretend i'm dashing and skinnier! :shock:
I wouldn't make a pimple on soapweeds hired hands perfectly
chisled hind end! :?
DSCF0043.jpg

The last block is on the ground! Yippeee! Reba still has to pack
me but Ranch is empty. Nows it's 12 miles to the truck. Total
mileage today..... about 24 or 25. Where's the cold Pepsi?
DSCF0046-1.jpg

Drivin' back to Vernon, the old sun was surely settin' pretty!!
DSCF0014.jpg
 
You look good!!! Maybe I'll be skipping the self portrait deal. My camera don't do them (I'm sure)!! Was wondering about the elevation of Dutch Peak? I like your ponies. Reba sets me in mind of a Doc JJ horse I used to ride till he got too old.
 
great pic's of beutiful country
i have packed alot of salt in my shoret life but onl'y once di i get to do it in the same manner as you are in those pic's
i was up near steamboat springs colorado one summer and we put the salt up on the ridges and trails like you are doing and man it worked great
this place i'm on now has roads all over it and is deeded ground so we just use the pickup
i miss packing salt on my young horses alot
thanks for taking us along for the trip
until later
jerry
 
Shortgrass said:
You look good!!! Maybe I'll be skipping the self portrait deal. My camera don't do them (I'm sure)!! Was wondering about the elevation of Dutch Peak? I like your ponies. Reba sets me in mind of a Doc JJ horse I used to ride till he got too old.

The elevation of Dutch peak is 8964 feet. Good ol' high desert country. Thanks for the kind words about my self and it's many faults!!! :wink: And many thanks for complimentin' the horses.
 
I always liked to pack salt on young horses because it teaches them to walk around the brush and rocks. It makes them be a lot easier on your legs in the rough.
 
I really like your pictures, leanin' H. You put out salt in much more glamorous fashion than we do. :wink: The horses look great, and your packing method works very well. Thanks for taking us along on the trip.
 
Vell, vell, vell, anudder Dutchman! I guess I didn't realize the Dutch went so far west so early in the history of the country. I bet they were in for some serious culture shock as far as geography is concerned. Those folks were some really tough cookies! Apparently your ancestors stayed in that area. Some of my ancestors went to Alamosa, CO, but were starved out or were misled by the land guys at that time and then came back to Iowa where there was more moisture. Interesting. Great pictures and narration of your "chores". I really like the self portrait picture. I take a lot of photos as well, but you would never know it as I am not in a one of them!
 
Wow, what neat country. That takes a lot of talent to take a good photograph of yourself and horses... Reba really posed nice for that shot :D . Thanks for taking us on your salt journey :D .
 
Sundancer said:
Vell, vell, vell, anudder Dutchman! I guess I didn't realize the Dutch went so far west so early in the history of the country. I bet they were in for some serious culture shock as far as geography is concerned. Those folks were some really tough cookies! Apparently your ancestors stayed in that area. Some of my ancestors went to Alamosa, CO, but were starved out or were misled by the land guys at that time and then came back to Iowa where there was more moisture. Interesting. Great pictures and narration of your "chores". I really like the self portrait picture. I take a lot of photos as well, but you would never know it as I am not in a one of them!

Howdy fellow tulip grower! My great-great grandpa, Arnouldas Ekker settled our ranch on the south-west slopes of the sheeprocks. We been raisin' cows and kids ever since. Thanks for being proud of your heritage too! But ya need your but kicked for not posting more pictures of your neck of the woods and yourself! Get after it!!! :wink:
 
Great Pictures! I'm like Soapweed, the way we put out salt and mineral isn't near as adventurous as what you do. I'm still amazed on how well you mt. horses get around in such tuff terain. You and your horses are all very photogentic! :) I'm impressed also on how well ground tied your horses are...that's one thing I guess I've never worked on with my horses, don't have many reasons to ground tie,,I figure if I don't get off,,I don't have to fix anything..lol Thanks again for a great trip up to mts...I luved it! Keep them photo's coming!
 

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