Mt. Whitney Packers of the 1940s

Mt. Whitney Packers of the 1940s - 1970s

Nancy Droubay

All photos courtesy of Nancy Droubay unless otherwise noted.

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Wendell Gill and Charlie Gilmore placing a load of lumber on "Snake" in 1950

Roster of Mt. Whitney Pack Trains Packers

Memories of My Packing Days
by Nancy Droubay

In 1945 my family moved to Darwin, a deserted mining camp between Death Valley and Owens Valley, to reopen the mines. We lived there for eight years while the mines prospered and I met the Morgan family through my love of horses.

My family would spend time in Death Valley playing golf and I would hang around the stables where Morgans kept their horses in the winter. Roberta and I became good friends during those years. From Friday evening till Sunday evening I would stay with the Morgans who always had extra kids as well as five of their own. During the day, Roberta and I would work at the stables saddling horses and going with guests who wanted to ride but were unsure of where to go. (The horses all knew exactly where to go: straight back to the corral!!) In the afternoon we would sometimes go swimming at Furnace Creek Inn with several other kids and at age 12 I would borrow my folks car to take us all up there.

In the evenings, there were square dances: Friday at Furnace creek Ranch and Saturday at Furnace Creek Inn. Bruce was the caller and Grace was the

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Tommy Jefferson, guitarist and balladeer

Clyde Poncho shoeing one of his mules

most graceful and talented dancer. She taught the dances to the guests so they all had a good time. All the Morgan kids, their friends and the other people who lived and worked in Death Valley would dance with the guests too so everybody had a very good time.

Getting ready for the dances was different then than it is now!!! There was one bathroom and Grace and Bruce got it first. After that the kids got ready. There was a tub - no shower - and hot water was at a premium. Barbara and Enid, the older Morgan girls got the first bath - together. Then Roberta and I took our baths in their same water. Nobody wanted to use our bath water so I think the boys, Charles, Richard and whoever else was staying there got the last, somewhat cold bath. There was no lingering in the bathroom!!!

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Packers on the 1954 Mt. Whitney Pack Trains' Sierra Club High Trip to the Big Arroyo

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L to R: Back Row (seated on log) - Skip Parker, Billy Bishop, Roberta Morgan, Bruce Morgan
L to R: Front Row (in & on the rocks) - Larry Berry, Graham Boswell, Gary Poncho, Tommy Jefferson, J. Tugwell Malone, Clyde Poncho (standing on the right), Lester Bellas

Images of the Mt. Whitney Pack Trains' 1954 Sierra Club High Trip to the Big Arroyo country.
J. Tugwell Malone	In the summer, I went to live at Carroll Creek Pack Station where Roberta and I shared a tiny tent top and did our chores as directed by the older Morgans. Doing horse stuff was what we liked to do but there was washing, ironing and tending the office in Lone Pine that we had to do too. Roberta's objections to some of these assignments was vocal, loud, and sometimes quite physical. I used to think that we would be struck by lightening if she didn't shut up. Of course nobody would do anything like this around Bruce. His response to poor behavior was: " You either get tanned or canned!!!" My goal at that time was to work for Mt Whitney Pack Trains FOREVER. There was something magical about working for MWPT. Something that can't be put into words. Silly kids learned how to work, be responsible and part of a team. There's something about THE MOUNTAINS that stays in your heart for the next 60+ years and makes everything you do a little better. Working with mules and horses and even those ^#^& burros built character. And the people we met as both packers and guests broadened our horizons. Story by Nancy Droubay	Billy Bishop shoeing "Appy"
Bobby Douglas		1, 2 L to R: SC girl, SC girl, Bobby Douglas

Lester Bellas giving Nancy Droubay a haircut.	1, 2 L to R: Clyde Poncho and Lester Bellas shoveling out one of the passes.
Lester Bellas giving Roberta Morgan a haircut.	Lester Bellas giving Roberta Morgan a haircut while Nancy Droubay looks on.


Mt. Whitney Pack Trains crossing the Kern River

Bobby Douglas in packer's camp.

Tommy Jefferson serenading the Sierra Club.

"The 49th (1954) Sierra Club High Trip"

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L to R (on the log): J. Tug Malone, Larry Berry, Roberta Morgan, Lester Bellas, Billy Bishop, Tommy Jefferson, Clyde Poncho, Skip Parker, Gary Poncho, Graham Boswell
(seated in front) - Bruce Morgan

Packers on the Mt. Whitney Pack Trains' 1953 Sierra Club High Trip to the Mt. Whitney back country.

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L to R: Pete Garner, Don Felix, and Gary Poncho on the 1952 Sierra Club High Trip to the Muro Blanco country between Sawmill Pass and Taboose Pass

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L to R: SC boy, Nancy Droubay, SC girl, SC boy, Packer Joe ?,
Bobby Douglas

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L to R: Wendell Gill, Gabe Gill, and "Cowboy Joe (?)" on the 1952 Sierra Club High Trip to the Muro Blanco country between Sawmill Pass and Taboose Pass

L to R (front): Nancy Droubay, Bobby Douglas, Lester Bellas, Billy Bishop
L to R (back): Roberta Morgan, Tommy Jefferson

	1995 Mt. Whitney Packer's Reunion
	Packing & High Sierra Stories
	More Mt. Whitney Packers of the 1940s - 1970s
	Sierra Club High Trips: 1946 - 1972
	Early Lone Pine
	Wildflowers of the High Sierra
	One Packers High Sierra Experience

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This page was last updated on 23 August 2007