The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1920-08-31
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CAMPING OUT
IN THE WILDS OF
YELLOWSTONE PARK
Supt A. Fl. DinsmOre Writes
of His Experiences in Our
National Reserve
Ny dear Nh. Editor Smith:

From time to time as | paw owe
the miscellaneous effects in my saddle
| bags, consisting of fishing tackle
maps, field glasses, strings, shaving
outfit and various other things too
numerous to mention | come upon q
bundle of yellow envelopes with "The
Caledonian" in big black letters on
them and am reminded Of a promise
made as | was leaving st. Johnsbury
Up to now, the days have been too
full of action to think of its fulfill
ment but tonight | find myself back
at Mammoth Springs, close to the
north entrance of the Park, and a
few minutes on my hands after a
busy day, when i can compose myself
AS | look back upon the two
weeks spent in the Park can hardly
see where the time has slipped to, yet
much has been done. On the roads
we have covered all the belt line, but
one short strip of uninteresting tim
Der, to which is added the road from
the South entrance up Snake river
to Yellowstone Lake. But this was
only Incidental to our pack train trip
in the wilds. And "wids' is right,
for we were three days in a country
entirely without trails, in which we
saw no "sign" of man, ancient or
modern.
Following my arrival, several days
were spent in organizing the pack
train, purchasing supplies and get
ting them to points where thev can
be picked up as they are needed from
time to time, obviating the necessity
of few horses and tightening the
work of loading and unloading as
moves are made.
Howard Eaton, of "Dude Ranch"
fame had just gone in, picking up
all the saddles in the country for his
90 "dudes." So | had to hire one
horse at Gardiner to complete our
complement of riding saddles and
as the pack team was already at Lone
Star Geyser, so miles south in the
Park | undertook to take him out.
This was rash and | have paid the
penalty, believe me.
The Park roads are as familiar to
me as the drive from st. Johnsbury
to the hatchery, almost left Man,
moth Springs at 2 p. m, and made
the first 20 miles at round trot in
three hours and five minutes, not bad
for a tenderfoot who hadn't been in
the saddle for year. Next NOM
ing, to avoid traffic, | fed my horse
at 8 a. m., and took the road for the
remaining so miles at o'clock. But
somehow | found it undesirable, for
various reasons generally distributed
from the top of nv head to my shoe
taps, to hit so brisk pace and it was
about 10 a. m., when | painfully
pulled myself from the saddle at the
Ranger Station. at the Upper Geyser
Basin. That evening we went into
camp miles beyond and early next
morning began our wilderness jour
ney. Six to ten hours in the saddle
daily since then has gradually worked
the soreness out until | am now in
condition so | can take ADVANTAGE
of all the tricks known to a good
range rider and eet mile after mile
with comfort both to man and beast.
Our outfit consists of 16 horses, 10
packs and six saddle horses. As
packer and horse wrangler we are
fortunate in having Horace "The In
diam, a man who lived his boyhood
Continued on page four)