BAKER CITY — Jeff Artley has explored mountains across several states as he worked for guide and outfitter companies, as well as extensive touring in the Wallowa and Elkhorn ranges of Eastern Oregon.

But now it’s a bit different, because he’s working for himself.

Artley bought the Backcountry Outfitters business and renamed it WildCountry Packing with the motto “Ears of Experience” in homage to the mules he uses for trips.

“I’ve been doing it a very long time for other people,” he said.

He grew up in Pennsylvania, but started guiding when he moved west more than 30 years ago — Montana, the Grand Canyon, Olympic Peninsula, Cascade Mountains, and Yellowstone and Glacier national parks.

“I wanted to ride mules in the mountains,” he said.

He’s often been assisted by his wife, Sara, who has helped with packing, wrangling, cooking, bookwork, communications and more. Right now she balances helping Jeff with running Sara’s Richland Cafe and Gypsy Java in eastern Baker County.

The Artleys said they use mules for packing and riding because the animals are well-suited for the terrain of the backcountry.

“Their feet are better suited for narrow, rocky trails,” Sara said. “They have a more level back which is better for packing and riding.”

She said mules are calm in a variety of situations and take time to “think through a problem.

They’re the safest, most comfortable, hardest working and most interesting personalities,” she said.

Permits required

Anyone who provides a service for compensation is required to have a special use permit for Forest Service land and wilderness areas. Although the outfitter business came with the Moss Springs permit, the previous owner relinquished it and Artley applied for it to be transferred to him.

He secured the Forest Service permit in 2023. This year, he was granted a permit for the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Permits cannot be purchased.

“Eagle Cap permits are pretty coveted,” he said.

The permits allow a certain number of group user days that can be utilized between June 1 and Nov. 1, which includes a variety of hunting seasons (archery for elk and deer, rifle for deer and elk, and muzzleloader).

“Every person I take into the woods uses one of those user days,” he said.

He’s been busy this summer, and on July 11 he was back in civilization after a multi-day trip along the Minam River.

That excursion, he said, exemplifies his business approach of partnering with other outdoor-focused companies.

He and his mules provided support for a float trip on the Minam River organized by Go Wild: American Adventures.

“My mules support them so they don’t have to take everything in their rafts,” Artley said.

For his part, Artley packed supplies on the mules and had camp ready when the adventurers arrived.

He said it blended styles: his traditional approach of using mules to pack, and Go Wild’s “low impact, high tech” offerings that include gourmet meals.

“Outfitters working together isn’t a typical thing,” Artley said.

Site reserve

Another aspect to the outfitter business is a “site reserve,” which is a permit granted to secure a specific spot for camp. Artley, for instance, has a site reserve near the Moss Springs Trailhead in the western Wallowas above Cove, which provides space for him to park trailers or keep horses away from the trailhead used by the general public.

He has site reserves in the wilderness area, as well.

Artley also works with the Minam River Lodge, which does not have a permit to bring guests by horseback into the lodge. Artley can provide that service — that connection, plus working with Go Wild, is special, he said.

“That’s three businesses that do their thing well,” he said.

Fresh Air B&B

Artley is offering a different type of camping experience he calls a Fresh Air B&B. It is, essentially, an established camp he maintains in the woods with a canvas tent, wood stove, cots, chairs, table, propane cook stove and fuel, cookware and utensils. When a customer reserves one of these, he can meet them to pack in their essentials — food, sleeping bags, etc. — while they hike or bike to the camp.

“It’s pretty upgraded camping,” he said. “All they have to do is show up with their daypack.”

Another option is that hikers can simply reserve the site to use and carry their own gear.

His goal, he said, is to help people experience the beautiful scenery that he sees every time he rides into the forest.

“It gets people into the woods who might not otherwise go,” he said. “I want them to love the Eagle Cap as much as I do, and then they’ll take care of it.”

He’s hoping the Fresh Air B&B option appeals to local communities, and he also offers half and full day ride options.

Data collection

As part of his business, Artley pays a fee for the group user days, plus a percentage of his gross sales goes to the Forest Service. He also reports his data to the Forest Service, including how many people he guides, the trails he uses and the places he sets up camp.

He said this helps the Forest Service identify areas of higher use, which can help determine which trails rank high for maintenance.

After all, he wants the wild places to be preserved for everyone to experience.

“The mountains have an amazing ability to slow everything down,” he said. “Sharing with other people is how it has to be for me. They didn’t even know what they were missing.”

For more information about WildCountry Packing, visit wildcountrypacking.com or check the Facebook page. He welcomes calls and texts on what he calls “backcountry logistics.”

His email is WildCountry@live.com and his number is 541-519-3391.