Pack Trip Pricing?????

[Turnem n Burnem]

I recently acquired a complete wall tent camp set up. I contacted a packer who can pack in my group with our gear and I am interested if anybody knows if the price is reasonable. They are charging $1000 a person which includes a horse to ride up on and a pack horse per person. They are charging $80 for a horse to ride down on (?) and $300 for any extra pack horses needed because there is a 200 LB. limit on the horses. Do these sound like reasonable rates? Are there any questions I should ask the outfitter?

 

[rayporter]

where at?

 

[Turnem n Burnem]

Colorado

 

[michaelc10]

i would say that's about right , Anytime we've rented horses from sombraro stables here in Colorado, it was about 575 a piece for the horses plus we bought the feed and certified hay and we also brought all the water for the horses. Then we had to load and unload all our gear and saddles ourselves . But we had the horses the whole week we needed them. But if you just rented them. you would also need panniers and feeding bowls,and a few extra items for the horses. I think for myself letting them do all the work of bringing you in and out is a lot less hassle than having to take care of the horses the whole time your there.

 

[mntnguide]

Is this for hunting? or just a summer pack trip?

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Not sure where the horse to ride down on comes in? They should be giving you a drop camp price, take me and my gear in and come get us later. Usually its a flat price per person from 1200 to 1600 depending on where. And usually they will go 250 for a packer to come in and check for meat . thats 250 per trip in or 250 per animal packed out. I think I saw a per elk packed around 400. Ive also seen all included prices a little higher. I think the 1600. per person was you and your gear in and out and 1 animal worth of meat packed out.
If they want 80 buck for you to ride out do they want money to bring your gear out? Seems odd to me. Then again this industry is all over the map with price structure. Seems like everyone just threw ideas at a wall and whatever stuck was used. Problem is everyone is different.

 

[Turnem n Burnem]

Kinda weird that its extra to ride down- Im not sure why they would have you walk down with the pack horses, seems counter-productive to the whole pack trip idea.

 

[IdahoElk]

In my neck of the woods it's $150 each way per person +$450 to get an Elk out.I hope where you're going is the best hunting ever because it's pretty darn good here,that sounds like a lot to me?

 

[bbrown]

What part of the state and how far in are you looking to get dropped?

Seems expensive to me and the price should be round trip possibly extra charge for packing out an animal depending on the conditions - location, timing, etc....

 

[durangobrad]

In my neck of the woods it's $150 each way per person +$450 to get an Elk out.I hope where you're going is the best hunting ever because it's pretty darn good here,that sounds like a lot to me?

Can you provide some links to packers that charge that rate to the general public?

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

I'm guessing those rates are riders only not gear. Az packers sometimes charge per animal like that but that's not the norm

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Think about costs this way, if you happen to find a packer who lives real close to your launch point the prices may be much better but if they have to travel much at all it takes a ton of resources to make a trip. You get 2 guys and their gear your looking at 6 animals to get them in, minimum cost of a trailer for that is 12,000. Don't forget fuel and hourly rate of packer who will be working the day before loading saddles and feed and gear then doing that again in the morning and 2 or 4 more times depending on meat haul and such. Now 6 animals may 3000, each min and insurance to cover liability of 1500, min for the year. Most likely forest special use permit of 300. Min per forest. Now you can see why this is a dieing art and why most outfitters are rich deep pocket groups who do it for the love. Trust me there are not any packers who just picked up 6 animals truck, trailer , saddles, and makes a living packing. My 2 cents.
Oh and let's not forget my buddy who found a cowboy to pack 5 animals for cheap and oops never showed back up to get them. Finally after 4 weeks the guy showed up and went back for his tent.

 

[bbrown]

Not as an advertisement but for comparison - the outfitter I guide for charges $500-$750 per person for pack-ins depending how far back you want - typically between 4-8 miles from the trail head. That includes a riding horse and pack horse for the trip in and out and also includes packing out your animal. All he asks is that you get the animal back to your camp or to the trail.

I have compared that to other outfitters here in Colorado and that seems to be at or slightly below the going rate although some charge extra for packing out game.

 

[IdahoElk]

I was wrong with my prices,sorry
$150 each way per hunter
$125 per pack horse each way with gear
$300 each way for packer to bring us in/out
$450 per Elk to bring out

 

[Turnem n Burnem]

I was wrong with my prices,sorry
$150 each way per hunter
$125 per pack horse each way with gear
$300 each way for packer to bring us in/out
$450 per Elk to bring out

That looks pretty close to the deal I've come across. It is on public land that is landlocked by private land so access is a plus.

 

[njdoxie]

I pay $750 for me and my ultralight gear in and out 6 miles, packing out an elk is another $500-$700, depending on how tough it is to get the elk out. And it's worth every penny! I've passed up a few bulls because they were in bad spots, packer told me don't pass them up anymore, no matter how bad the spot is, he can get it out.....made my year hearing that.