Today we rode through a hail storm at almost 13,000 feet to the base of Engineer Mountain in Durango, Colorado, with Anne Rapp, who has been leading riders on horseback into the San Juan Mountains for over 25 years through her company Rapp Corral. She led us through the sometimes steep and rocky mountain trails and shared her intimate knowledge of the area.
With several peaks reaching 14,000 feet, riding in the San Juan Mountains can be challenging. We were up to the challenge. Our film crew met Anne at the trail head. She had a pack horse ready for us, something that we need if we are going to ride and film. I rode a paint horse named Cinnamon, who Anne likes to ride on multi-day treks into the mountains.
Anne told us to dress in layers and bring rain gear. Through we were heading out in the morning, the area is known for its afternoon showers and storms. I had no idea the extent of the weather that awaited us on the ride. Stay tuned for more on this ride in the next posting and for now, check out these spectacular equestrian destination photos.
Learn more about Equitrekking on PBS and the Colorado episode and learn about exceptional equestrian vacations, including ranch vacations, at EquitrekkingTravel.com.