This book takes us inside the adventure, hardships, and joys peculiar to the packing trade. Part One is an account of the evolution of the packing trade, from early Spanish explorers and missionaries to gold-rush muleskinners to mid-twentieth-century outfitters. Part Two discusses the history of conservation in the Sierra Nevada and the role packers played, including the creation of the Sierra Club, the development of eastern California’s national parks and forest, and the pressures of increasing population and government packing regulations. Part Three introduces colorful characters and offers personal stories and evocative descriptions of the backcountry experience, shedding light on why, for the mule men, the packing life was the only kind worth living. Includes 60 black-and-white photographs, 4 maps, glossary, notes, appendixes, bibliography, and index.