When I first met Ken Graves I thought, "He has the perfect job." He was riding a horse, wearing a uniform, sporting a badge and pulling a pack string of mules loaded with gear. At that moment, Ken was teaching a seminar at the Western States Horse Expo on the concept of "Leave No Trace." But that is just one component of Ken's job. Besides being in charge of the Yolla Bolla National Forest maintenance program, Ken is also a professional packer for the U.S. Forest Service. Imagine getting paid to ride a horse into some of the most beautiful landscapes in all of California, like the Lassen, Shasta-Trinity, Sequoia, Sierra and Yolla Bolla National Forests. These parks are his office. Fresh air, beautiful mountains and meadows, streams, wildlife, and the great outdoors are his cubicle walls.

But as Ken pointed out, his job has its risks. Riding a horse has its own danger. Riding narrow, single-track trails is more dangerous. But every time you add a pack animal to the string, you double the chances of a wreck. Ken is a third-generation packer and has been packing for the Forest Service for over twenty-one years. He has seen his share of wrecks. Like the time when one of the stock stepped over a lead rope that was a bit long and then pulled back. Having four animals tied together means one mistake affects them all. When one stepped off the trail it pulled the entire pack string down into the canyon and out of Ken's sight. He could only imagine what had happened to his entire string. As he worked his way down the mountain, Ken soon saw all the animals standing safely, still tied together. This ended up being a "good" wreck, if there is such a thing.

Though the Yolla Bollas are Ken's main territory, he is often asked by the local Ranger and staff to work in other forests. He is often asked to complete the more difficult tasks that others can't, or to pack strange-shaped, awkward loads. Packing in long and heavy timbers to build or repair bridges is a task he is often asked to perform. He has packed as many as twelve animals in his string, but often uses a helper to reduce the length of the string to safer numbers when packing difficult loads or difficult trails. Like many in business, Ken manages by objectives. His number one objective is to always pack so that all stock, humans and gear will be able to pack again. Safety is the highest priority. Ken says, "The job is more dangerous if you're not doing the job right."

No matter how prepared he is, some things are just not under Ken's control. Like the time he saw a rattlesnake coming down the mountain on his right. When the snake reached the train in front of him, it turned and headed straight for Ken and his string. Ken had no idea of the snake's intentions or how his stock would react to the snake's actions. But the snake crawled right past them, sharing the trail with the hooves of the pack string, and slithered past, without making a single strike.

Or the time a mother bear was coming straight down the trail, again straight at Ken and the stock. But this time the bear turned directly in front of him and went off the trail down the hill. These are incidents you cannot be totally prepared for, but could happen any day, with much worse consequences. So maybe it's not the perfect job. I asked Ken if he ever wished he had chosen another career. He replied with a grin, "On days when it is snowing or raining and my hands and toes are so cold I can't move them, I think about other careers". But Ken loves his job and looks forward to going to work every day. He works with good animals and good people. And he wants to keep the history and the tradition of packing alive.

Though he learned to pack from his father, it was a book by Joe Back that inspired Ken the most. On his father's ranch, Ken would pack salt blocks and fence posts to the far sides of their ranch. But Joe Back's book told about many types of packing, with exciting stories and hundreds of hitches and knots. Ken said the book inspired him more than any other.

Today not many packers are passing on the tradition of packing, as there are few jobs or demands for the trade. Ken is fortunate that the Forest Service allows him not only the opportunity to pack, but to speak and show his mules at events like the Western States Horse Expo.

When I saw him at the Expo last year, a young boy about seven years old came up to Ken and told him he had a mule and was going to pack some day. Ken stopped his work and talked seriously with the young man. And this young man was serious. The boy's mother confirmed that he has often spoken about his desire to pack. Ken knows that not many have this dream today and took this time seriously. They spoke for almost an hour, shook hands and Ken smiled deeply as the boy walked away.

I asked Ken who inspired him besides his dad and Joe Back. He talked about Bill Roberts, another packer for the U.S. Forest Service. "Bill has always encouraged me and helped me to be a better packer," declared Ken. "He also encourages me in other areas, like my cowboy poetry."

When I asked which was his favorite all-time mule, he replied, "I don't know, I have had a lot of good ones, but I miss Molly a lot. She was a nice mule." "But Jerry is a good mule, too," he quickly retorted. "And horses?" I asked. "Well, I've had some good ones of those, too. But Red Bluff is great. I can do anything on him. I can rope, ride, pack and put a beginner on him. He always steps up."

I've seen Ken at work.  You can see and feel his love for the forest, wilderness, horses and mules and for his fellow human beings. This month Equestrian Network Magazine recognizes Ken Graves as Equestrian of the Month.