This article appeared in the May 2023 edition of Passages Magazine. CDTC Members receive the early release of Passages entirely free! Learn more about how to join and receive perks like Passages HERE!

By Gillian “Thrurider” Larson

When I set off on my first long-distance horseback adventure in 2014, riding from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, I thought it was a one-time fling before settling down to “real life” and a master’s degree program in biology. Little did I know that spending months at a time in the backcountry with my horses would become my life’s focus, as I viewed the world from a whole new perspective and later got to share what I had learned with others.

I didn’t have a clue what I was about to encounter on that first trip—the trail obstacles like downed trees or high-elevation snowpack, the difficulty of providing sufficient food and water for my horses, the importance of the right equipment for them as well as myself. 

PCT Southern Terminus, April 2014

I scoured hiker blogs for information about lightweight backpacking and tried several saddle pads before combining two of them to make my own custom version. I had a crash course (almost literally) in horse packing, which I had only read about in a manual called “When Mules Wear Diamonds” before beginning my first multi-overnight section of the PCT with two horses. It wasn’t until a thousand miles later that I met a forest service packer who showed me how to tie an Arizona box hitch for my panniers, which I have used ever since. It was a steep learning curve, but one with rich rewards in terms of the natural beauty of the wilderness and the deep bond I nurtured with my equine teammates.

AZT Grand Canyon, May 2017

After a second successful completion of the PCT in 2016 where I was able to put all my newly honed knowledge to the test, I was ready to branch out into different territory.  My next challenge became a thru-ride of the Arizona Trail in 2017, which was complicated by the desert terrain, particularly in the south.  I figured out how to cache water and weed-free hay at dirt road crossings to provide for my horses’ needs (and how to keep the caches safe from free-range cattle). Probably the highlight of that journey was riding through the Grand Canyon with its stunning–and challenging–geography. Also in 2017, I completed the Colorado Trail, which then sparked my desire to attempt to ride the Continental Divide Trail the next year.

CDT Southern Terminus, April 2018

Each state along the route of the CDT posed its own unique problems to overcome, but I drew on previous experiences to counter them.  New Mexico presented the same issues as Arizona in terms of water and feed, as well as lots of fences without stock gates where the trail traversed cattle ranches and rangeland. Even the dirt roads were often blocked by cattle guards that are equally effective against horses, and I spent lots of time and extra miles finding detours. I also waited for the snow to melt in the northern portion of the state where I would be crossing into Colorado.

CDT Cuba, NM

The issue with snow continued throughout Colorado, although I benefited from 2018 being a relatively low-snow year. Using satellite imaging and some creative selection of trail sections based on snowmelt rates, I was able to finish the state without having to flip-flop to Wyoming first.  My previous experience on the CT definitely came in handy, especially through the San Juans, which remains one of my favorite areas for its dramatic, sweeping vistas. 

CDT San Juan Mountains, CO

Wyoming has one of the most diverse topographies along the CDT, with the Great Basin in the south, the rugged Wind River Range in the middle, and Yellowstone National Park in the north.  The rolling plains of the Basin made for easy riding, and it was exciting to encounter roaming bands of mustangs, although I had to fend them off from my horses at times. 

Mustangs in the Great Basin, WY

Rising out of the Basin into the Winds, we exchanged the harsh desert environment for a beautiful alpine landscape of lush meadows and pristine lakes. Camping with horses in Yellowstone presented some technical difficulties in terms of permitted equestrian sites, but it is one of the most accommodating national parks for horses, as there are separate reserved facilities for riders which prevented competing for space with hikers.

CDT Yellowstone NP, WY

The threat of wildfires and the impact of smoke is becoming an increasingly common hazard throughout the west, and I ended up altering my route into Montana because of fires that created detours to the CDT through Idaho. 

CDT Scapegoat Wilderness, MT

Thankfully I avoided the worst of the smoke, and soon the approach of winter put an end to concerns about wildfires.  

CDT Glacier NP, Redgap Pass MT

Glacier National Park provided breathtaking mountain views, autumn colors, and even a light dusting of snow as I neared the Canadian border in mid-September. I was so proud of my horses when we reached the end of our ride and grateful for our partnership.

CDT Canadian Border, September 2018

During those first four years, I covered over 10,000 miles with the same two horses, a mother-and-son pair of Quarter horses.  Since then, I have expanded my herd to include a mule and several new horses, and together we have accumulated thousands of additional backcountry miles. I have also been able to begin sharing what I have learned about traveling through the wilderness on horseback through group workshops and individual mentoring of other long-distance riders. But always the part that means the most is the bond I get to create with my equine teammates as we head off into another adventure.

Goat Rocks Wilderness, WA 2021

Gillian Larson became the youngest person to solo thru-ride the Pacific Crest Trail, covering the 2650 miles from Mexico to Canada in 2014, then again in 2016.  She rode the Arizona Trail and the Colorado Trail in 2017, then completed another Mexico-to-Canada route on the Continental Divide Trail in 2018—the first person to thru-ride the PCT and the CDT with the same two horses. Most recently, Gillian tackled a third thru-ride of the PCT in 2022, this time with a rotating team of 4 horses and a mule, for a total of more than 13,500 backcountry miles. 

She focuses on educating others about the many challenges of wilderness equestrian travel while continuing to push the boundaries of long-distance riding and helping to modernize traditional packing techniques. Find her at gillianlarson.net.