OUTFITTING -- Legendary Western Montana wilderness outfitter Smoke Elser is teaching a two-day outfitting and packing course at Glacier Outdoor Center in West Glacier on May 14-15.

The two-day hands-on course is open to novice packers as well as experienced packers who want to learn new techniques or hone specific skills.     

• Cost: $200 for the two-day course; includes lunch both days.

Class space is limited to 20 students. Contact Glacier Outdoor Center at 406-888-5454 or emal info@glacierraftco.com

Read on for details.

The main topics include general horse handling, packing, minimum impact horse use and camping techniques. Participants will receive an introduction to safe handling of horses and mules, main injury points, riding equipment, picketing, hobbling, emergency shoeing, and basic backcountry horse care. The course also teaches cargoing, loading, stringing of stock and light on the land travel techniques.

World-famous Smoke Elser has spent more than five decades as an outfitter in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. As an educator, mentor and wilderness steward, he built relationships between Forest Service officials and outfitters across the nation by finding common ground in protecting wildlands. Elser is one of the founding fathers of the concept and practice of minimum-impact packing.