I didn't leave my heart in San Francisco, I left it in Grant County, NM! I enjoyed your stories and the beautiful Gila Wilderness. By the way my riding mule and pack mule swam the middle creek crossings to Trotter Cabin in 1999 where we packed in to scatter my dad's ashes. He guided hunters for Doc Campbell a few times.

On my second gila wilderness video from your channel. Love this stuff. Much respect. Thanks for the time and effort in doing these videos. Information like this from locals is priceless. I could watch this all day everyday

Black white license plates here enjoying your videos cheers love the Gila

I'm heading down there from the Phoenix area Tuesday April 16th. Thanks for the tour

Just came across this video, and have enjoyed it very much. I grew up in Silver City and have been over much of the Gila Wilderness. My uncle Hal Mortensen was a forest ranger and actually lived at the White Creek cabin in the 50's. The trail in from Willow Creek was wide and well maintained, and they pulled a "narrow guage" wagon with auto tires to carry supplies. My first encounter with the cabin was in 1966 when I accompanied several friends who worked for the forest service and we stayed in the cabin while fishing the local creeks. All the barns and corrals were in place at that time. Later, as an adult, I brought several groups of scouts to the area and camped nearby. (we were not the ones who destroyed the barn!) Again, thanks for the cool video.

Awesome video man!! Thanks

Ty, Great video. I'm a native New Mexican. Live in Las Cruces. My grandfather worked with the CCC's and lived at Thunderbird Camp. I remember my grandfather talking about cutting some of those trails. My son and I are planing a backpacking hike up the middle fork and back down the west fork. I've been watching a lot of videos of backpacking and came acros your video. It was awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing the places you were talking about

That was interesting. 👍👊

Really good video with a lot of great information. I’ve spent sometime in the Gila myself mostly over by and on the middle fork ..we use to camp when I was a kid over by scorpion or they call now TJ corral ..early 70’s ..sometimes we would pack in up by North Mesa … thank you this very good !

Thank you so much, great job!

Really cool, been to several places in the Gila but never up the West fork {or Sapillo creek} thanks for recording as I probably won't ever get out there again. Satisfied my curiosity! Thanks

I agree the cliff dwellings are a must see in the state I’ve been going to that area for a decade, and hunting it the past 4 years. This is my favorite video on the area. I appreciate this a lot

I’m a backpacker from west texas, your trail videos on the gila is some of the best information out there. The southwest is so rich with history I can really appreciate your history lessons

This has been an excellent and very informative video. I for one sure appreciate this. The Gila seems to have been mostly forgotten and there’s so many lost stories and history that otherwise would be lost forever if it’s not for sharing of information like this. Thank you again.

as a true New Mexican you share the love for the licence plate wirh a Star on it... love it ;) you made my Day. And thank you a lot for that humerous, intelligent and informative trail ride.

Interesting video. Some history of each of the areas he went through. Glad the fires left lots of trees left standing, probably because it burns so much it keeps the fuel lower. The Gila is a big area. Thanks for sharing.

Great video 👍🏻 Anxious to get back down there. Grew up in Silver City and hiked those trails and fished alot growing up. I'll be back for good soon

Hi Ty Enjoying your tour style mixed with old hunters history that I like. Im Canadian but lived 91-3 in Magdalena,Socorro where I worked as chiropractor there.Loved to travel out this way but not quite as far as the Gila only in the hills opposite near the plains of?with all the big satelite dishes out there. Miss being back there.Bob Funk age 73 too old to do what you are. What book tells best of Ben Lilly s early homelife before going into Louisiana?&then the rest of his going alone hunting? Keep up your great tours,&God bless u.

Thank you for sharing over here in California trying to stay out of the heat and watched your trip it was a lot of fun brought back some great memories live on a ranch out here inspired me to take out some of my horses and explore some of the local gold mines Acton California have a blessed day and thanks again

Good video. Appreciate the back stories on these areas.

I saw reeds growing that reminded me of bambu. Must be a freshwater stream.

I really enjoyed your trip in the Gila Wilderness. Excellent stories about the history of the area!👍

Very nice video, Sir, well done! I liked your off-hand comments about 'the elephant in the room' in particular... because here in the 21st century the US Forest Service really needs to re-evaluate priorities. You cannot have a Wilderness Area, and feel that the only way to protect it is to keep it practically inaccessible to the public. My wife and I hauled our horses to the southwest side of the Gila in October of 2020. Trails in horrible condition, and access roads that were supposed to be open were essentially impassable even with 4WD. Even campground/picnic/parking areas in Box Canyon itself were overgrown with tall weeds and little evidence of any kind of maintenance. Granted... this was at the end of Covid times, but the Forest Service was still " mailing it in anyway " as so many folks there continually told me. What I hope for is, that in the future, the Government and all of its agencies will finally make it possible for more volunteers, civic groups, and outdoor advocates to be able to organize themselves and take on the enormous work that needs to be done to manage areas like the Gila. I know that in parts of Colorado many of the BackCountry Horsemens groups have finally been able to gain access for trail maintenance without having to deal with the overbearing micromanagement of the Forest Service. I am 72, former horseback riding guide, with many years of experience in the Sierra of Mexico ( not NM ). I live in Arizona now, still have horses, still quite active... and am a member of a local Horsemen's Group, whose main purpose is to advocate for public lands to remain open for horseback riding. It is a challenge, as you may certainly understand. They want to keep closing more and more areas every year. Thanks again for the nice presentation and video. I will make this West Fork ride one of these years.

TY, can't be sure. but I suspect the roll of wire u thought was telegragh wire was probably telephone. Before the fire towers were connectef by radios they used telephones ( I lknow.. counter intuitive ??) . Just nailed the old glass insulators up in trees... found a couple of them a few yrs. ago on an old down tree. I was the wilderness patrolman in the Blk. Range in 1978. One of my chores was to pack the rolls of (galvanized) wire out of the Blk. Range. Fire crews had pulled the wire down & rolled it, so fortunately all I had to do was pack it out. The Diamond Peak lookout had been torn down the yr. before I think, so the wires connected Diamond to Reeds Pk. & on from there..... Enjoyed the video & having u as a guide .

I lived in reserve .my family has been there for 100 years . Gila forest is my favorite place to be.

Loved the video! Your back stories were great. I’d love to see more vIdeos

Ty I wish my father was still alive,he could of answered your questions about the cabin. He spent a lot of time up in the Gila back in 60's and 70's and knew a lot of the old timers up that way.

Nice trip and video TY. McKenna Park starts at 45:00 I am especially interested in the appearance of areas of the Gila like McKenna Park, as well as adjacent mixed conifer forest, which have had high fire frequencies in recent decades. Looks very nice out there.

I laughed pretty good at your roast of the bike tour of the gila haha. I just stay out when that’s going on. Such a circus to try and drive through when they’re doing that

My father had a uncle named Jasper Hudson that was a hunter for the cattlemen association in New Mexico and Arizona, he supposedly had the last grizzly bear killed in az 1927

We loved this video. Thank you for sharing. My husband is from Reserve. Still has family who live up past Apache Creek. He's now living here on our ranch in Washington state. It was so nice to see the beautiful Gila wilderness, he misses it.

Great video! Watched the whole thing. Would love to make that circle one day

Mules can and do swim quite well. I've swam mine several times across the salmon River in Idaho. I enjoyed your show l have hunted the gila wilderness 6 time's beautiful country.

Pretty sweet video man. I was there on the Johnson fire. They flew us in from willow creek. There @38:20 when you said “what is that”. That was the horseshoe set I made to kill some time in the evening with the crew. That was an awesome trip. Beautiful country. I’ll be back soon with my mules.

Great stuff Ty!!! Wife and I ride the middle fork via airplane mesa. Love it. Total sanity when we are back in there. Keep the vids coming.

The people at the museum said they were not sure why they built the dwellings in the cliffs. One theory was they built them to stay away from the bears. With all the bear warriors down there, I wonder if that was true.

Iwas at the Sappio and gils in1653.shuer has chanfed

Lol well no wonder the poor mule didn't want to get up! You trying to drown the beast of burden! Great video, an glad all is well!

Fantastic stuff! I've spent a little time along the northern boundary of the Gila Wilderness and have dreamed of exploring a lot more by foot (since I don't have horses). I grew up in Cruces and spent most of my youth camping in the Sacramentos. Didn't make it to the Gila much. I'm still in NM, in Tijeras, on what was originally an early 1900's homestead, and I try to hunt the Gila whenever I can. I definitely need to spend more time down there and around Silver City.

very interesting great history

thank you

Thank you for that tour! I agree with your analysis of the trail system. You can see the decay and decline in all of our National Forests, Parks, BLM etc.. Unfortunatly, it echos the general decline of our nation in recent decades.

Great day for a horse ride, I wish I was there too. It's nice to know the history of a place. Cheers from Australia

I was raised in Silver City and really enjoyed your adventure re=living some of my past

Hey Ty, awesome video. I believe I met you over by white rocks one year on an elk hunt. That big mule deer dead head thats hanging in the front of the white creek cabin I actually found that in the falls. I'm guessing he got down in there and never made it out.

Very interesting ride, stories and seeing the damage by fire and heavy rain. I was under the impression the Gila has been heavily hunted, visited ? Thank you, I enjoyed it. 😊

I wish we had more trails here in Kentucky

Pretty cool Ty. I like the bear story. It's funny how much longer stuff like logs last in that part of the world. Here, it's so wet stuff rots pretty quick. I find some old homesteads once in awhile, but you really gotta look to find them. Do you live in New Mexico?

Thank you this was awesome! I grew up in Glenwood. I know your Dad. He’s one of the best men I know! He was my nurse during a devastating ordeal. He gave me strength I needed. Anyway looking forward to more wilderness videos

Do you always ride alone? Why the 2 pack animals? look like a good camp setup, every thing one need you have along! I enjoyed the talk too. I like history also and it make it more interesting! How long did it talk to ride it?

There were grizzlies in the Gila back then. I’ve been in quite a few national forests over the years. The Gila wilderness is the healthiest forest I’ve seen so far.

Just outstanding

Folding bow saw might be handy.

Hello from Tasmania, interesting video.

Sweet vid

Here I thought this was in AZ....lots of green grazing grass there, it needs cattle on there to make it grow even more.

It's really a problem of little money allocated for trail maintenance all over the USFS. It's not for lack of desire!

This just popped up glad to watch and your first I ever heard say mules can't swim

TY, this was a good video. Setting up a ride in the country where the Apache Kid was killed would be interesting. Northeast of Gila Cliffs. Drive up I- 25 or go in by Winston. Would have to do some research on how to ride it.

A super cub driver would land and take off 5 or 6 times in the length of that strip 😊

Regarding relentless vendettas in the Old West, I recommend the Gregory Peck movie The Bravados, about a man who travels hundreds of miles to get his revenge. In lawless areas past the frontier, the administration of justice (or simple vengeance) became a personal matter. If a man shirked from exacting retribution he would lose everything: self-respect, status, even support. The more dastardly the crime the more leeway in the administration of retribution. If a man kills your wife, it's OK to shoot him in the back if you get the drop on him--- as long as you get the job done. There would be no loss of status.

Super cool video

floppy ears are cool but hard headed========== like my whife =oops

Great vidio , great commentary. So do you think that battery powered chain saws would be legal ? They are small and lire and cut pretty good for clearing and obsticale out of the way

What state has black and white plates? Here in Georgia (born and raised in Az) we are seeing way too many people move in! I'm sure you are too. And... they don't know how to act

mr lee that was an amazing adventure I wish I were along, do you pack in and out for money? I see some places I would like to see for my self, great video keep doin what you do lee it’s great. god bless

Great Video....what month was this?

Love this ride, your story-telling, and your history lessons! So great to have found this video But could do without the music interludes, TBH. It just kind of disrupts your guided tour. :)

What state is this in????

Planning on taking my wife in to white creek for the 4th. Do you know if it’s passable horse back coming in from willow creek on the west fork trail?

Amounted rider needs to be careful when in a burn area that the horses/mules don't step into a burnt-out stump hole and break a leg in a hole you can't see filled with ash!

First time watching your Channel is this Hela is his in Arizona or New Mexico

Its called a switch back.

Chainsaws are not allowed in wilderness areas.

That is why you carry a saw.

Hello I love you video, do you know someone you ride in the rocky mountain who know the mountain men who do video like you?

Great videos, how can we contact you by email or phone, web?

How come your alone?😢

Was Nobraino Injings

How far can a dog run into the woods..? ...half way ... after that he's just running out again ..!

The money g0es somewhere else. Trails not maintained in Utah either

Very cool thanks for sharing

Dude what is the state that you are in. Help me out