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PORTER(S) Wanted into Deep Lake, Wind Rivers, Labor Day

Original Post
RockinGal Moser · · Boulder CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 30

Hey,
We can get up the routes, but would like to spare our aging knees the burden of getting the gear up there. Labor Day weekend into Deep Lake/Haystack. Willing to pay what it's worth. Email me. Thanks for reading.

Benjamin Chapman · · Small Town, USA · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 18,818

There are outfitters with mules, horses, and lamas that work the Wind Rivers:

WIND RIVERS OUTFITTERS: 1-800-854-6697.
-or-
GREATER YELLOWSTONE LLAMA TREKKING: 1-800-715-HIKE.

RockinGal Moser · · Boulder CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 30

Thanks. I have sent out emails and haven't gotten any responses, so this is my back-up plan.

Joe Crawford · · Truckee, CA · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 105

You want porters, not sherpas. Sherpa is an ethnicity not a job.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
JoeCrawford wrote:You want porters, not sherpas. Sherpa is an ethnicity not a job.
Actually, the term "sherpa" now means well paid baby sitter. Used to be slang for porter.

You might contact Exum or JHMG's to see if they have young, strong backs for hire.

Seems like there was a post earlier this year by a feller who porters?
Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

Sherpa (Tibetan: "eastern people", from shar "east" and pa "people") are an ethnic group from the most mountainous region of Nepal, high in the Himalayas. Sherpa as a surname appears to be the result of the Nepalese government census takers.

Norm Larson · · Wilson, Wy. · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 60

Though JHMG doesn't offer porter services they might be able to suggest someone. 3077334979.
Or try Teton Mountaineering sometimes there is a note on their bulletin board of someone offering portering services. 3077333595. Or the grand Teton climbers ranch. Don't have that number handy but should be easy to find.
Or better yet suck it up and carry your own stuff. Deep lake is about the easiest approach in the winds. 8 miles and no passes. If you can climb there you should be able to carry there. Just saying..

Adam K · · Loveland, CO · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 0

I was going to suggest finding an enterprising CU student that would carry a heavy pack for some extra cash but these llamas are probably more reliable. (Go Rams!)

Link to llama rental company in Masonville:
llamapack.com/

DavisMeschke Guillotine · · Pinedale, WY · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 225

Maybe try an outfit in Pinedale? Jackson is abt 3 hours from big Sandy and doesn't know the area like LOCALS. It amazes me how many people have suggested an outfit in Jackson.

Joe Crawford · · Truckee, CA · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 105
Brian in SLC wrote: Actually, the term "sherpa" now means well paid baby sitter. Used to be slang for porter. You might contact Exum or JHMG's to see if they have young, strong backs for hire. Seems like there was a post earlier this year by a feller who porters?
Youre dead wrong here. Sherpa is an ethnic hroup and the surname for its members. Porters carry gear, some of them are sherpa, but in the US the chance of having a Sherpa porter is infantecimally small. It is nothing but ignorance to call a porter a sherpa as if the two words are interchangeable.
Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

From "Climbing the Complete Reference" on page 204 at the entry, "Sherpas":

"Sherpas have become the preeminent porters and assistants on high-altitude expeditions, and thus the term Sherpa is often erroneously used as a generic term for any Himalayan native who works as a high-altitude porter."

References in the index of early British climbing literature to "Sherpa" also say, "See Porters". See 1921, 1922, 1924...

From the wiki page on "Porter":

"Porters, frequently called Sherpas in the Himalayas (after the ethnic group most Himalayan porters come from), are also an essential part of mountaineering: they are typically highly skilled professionals who specialize in the logistics aspect of mountain climbing, not merely people paid to carry loads (although carrying is integral to the profession)."

Like I stated, the word "Sherpa" was (and sometimes still is) used to mean "porter".

And, you're correct, its out of ignorance. When I climbed locally here with a Sherpa, and, my pack carried most of the gear, we joked that I was "Sherpa". Another thing about that ethnic group the Sherpa, they have a great sense of humor. We might all learn something from their humility and humor...

Arlo F Niederer · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 515

I have spent many weeks climbing in Deep Lake/Haystack area. When we were climbing big walls, we had spot gear drops for obvious reasons.

We used Big Sandy Lodge to do the spot drop. It cost $150 for one horse plus guide (can carry up to 150 pounds or so) the last time we used it around 1995.

At the time, the only problem was getting in touch with the lodge since there was no phone service. It required using the mail to coordinate so a month lead time was required.

It may be different now since there is possible cell phone coverage provided by a local provider Union Cellular. Since your desired time is only a month away, you should get on it immediately. However, they might be booked up since it's a holiday weekend.

Here is there web page - there is a phone number but you might have to leave a message.

big-sandy-lodge.com/

mediocre · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 0
Brian in SLC wrote:From "Climbing the Complete Reference" on page 204 at the entry, "Sherpas": "Sherpas have become the preeminent porters and assistants on high-altitude expeditions, and thus the term Sherpa is often erroneously used as a generic term for any Himalayan native who works as a high-altitude porter." References in the index of early British climbing literature to "Sherpa" also say, "See Porters". See 1921, 1922, 1924... From the wiki page on "Porter": "Porters, frequently called Sherpas in the Himalayas (after the ethnic group most Himalayan porters come from), are also an essential part of mountaineering: they are typically highly skilled professionals who specialize in the logistics aspect of mountain climbing, not merely people paid to carry loads (although carrying is integral to the profession)." Like I stated, the word "Sherpa" was (and sometimes still is) used to mean "porter". And, you're correct, its out of ignorance. When I climbed locally here with a Sherpa, and, my pack carried most of the gear, we joked that I was "Sherpa". Another thing about that ethnic group the Sherpa, they have a great sense of humor. We might all learn something from their humility and humor...
I love that you're quoting the early 1900 British literature (because they have always been so culturally aware) and Wiki.
Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711
mediocre wrote: I love that you're quoting the early 1900 British literature (because they have always been so culturally aware) and Wiki.
Source material, man. Slang comes from somewhere.

Question: Was Tenzing Norgay a Sherpa?
Arlo F Niederer · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 515

RockinGal asked about getting gear carried in, not a treatise on Sherpas.

Why don't you start a thread on Sherpas? Others might be interested but can't contribute because it is in a thread about the Winds...

RockinGal Moser · · Boulder CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 30

Thanks, Arlo, for your info and comments. I did receive a reply from Big Sandy Lodge. A horse is now $195 for a day. We may go with that.
Also saw your post regarding the bear(s). We'll get bear canisters for sure.

Erik W · · Santa Cruz, CA · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 280

Hey RockinGal, don't forget the cost of the wrangler (and her/his horse). The cost ends up being ~$380 per day for 1 pack horse and the required wrangler+horse needed to lead said pack horse.

StonEmber · · Raleigh, NC · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 35

Alesks Sebastian. I heard he's a mule that eats fish heads, and will happily tote gear.. -

mediocre · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 0

Brian I don't believe he was, if memory serves I think he was Tibetan but married to a Sherpa woman, at least his first wife. But I could very well be wrong. Correct me if I am.

RockinGal Moser · · Boulder CO · Joined Jan 2008 · Points: 30

Erik,
Now I get it. What they said was for every four horses used, it was an additional $185 for the wrangler horse. I think that means for every one to four horses used, there's a wrangler fee. Thanks for the clarification.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Wyoming, Montana, Dakotas
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