Some of our Instructors & Presenters

The clinics are designed as an, immersive, hands-on experience with you and your stock participating every step of the way.

Rob Adams, Squaw Butte Chapter BCHI

Rob has been involved with Back Country Horsemen since 2000 and first learned to pack as a camper and staff at Teton Valley Ranch Camp, Jackson Hole Wyoming in the 1960's.  After 25 years away from horses and packing  Rob moved to Idaho and started riding and packing again.  Rob was mentored by master packers Jack Davis and Bob Howard.

Bill Conger, Squaw Butte Chapter BCHI

Bill Conger has been involved with Back Country Horsemen (BCH) since 1990, starting with the Inland Empire Chapter of BCH Washington, and presently is a member of the Squaw Butte Chapter, of BCH Idaho.

Bill’s horseback career started about the time he could walk, riding behind the saddle on his Mother’s 17 ½ hand Tennessee Walker in the hills around Tillamook Oregon. Although the family dropped out of the horse world before Bill was a teen, he always had a desire to pack the back country.

Bill went on his first pack trip in the Bob Marshall Wilderness some 20 years ago, thanks to the help of a good friend and neighbor, and a borrowed pack horse. Since then Bill has logged hundreds of back country miles packing in Montana, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, plus been a dude on the Grand Canyon Mule Ride.

Bill became a member of BCH to help keep trails open and to pass on the skills shared with him. Bill believes that our greatest tool for keeping trails open now and in the future is education. The better prepared people are to go into the back country, the more likely they will keep coming and the better educated they are, the more likely they will set a good example for others to follow.

Marybeth Conger, Squaw Butte Chapter, BCHI

Marybeth Conger has been involved with Back Country Horsemen (BCH) since 1988, starting with BCH Washington, Inland Empire Chapter, and presently is with BCH Idaho, Squaw Butte Chapter. She was born in California, but frequently moved as her Father was a flyer in the USAF. She began riding when she was three and in her younger years rode English and competed in three day eventing.

She attended an all girls’ Catholic college in New Hampshire, majoring in Business Management with concentrations in Business Law and Computer Science. She was the Materials Manger for Nike in their Research and development facility in Exeter, NH. After moving to Washington State she began working for Allstate, where she has held a variety of positions including; Staff Claim Analyst, Litigation Manager, Next Gen trainer and currently works as an Evaluation Consultant.

She went on her first Pack trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT some 22 years ago and has never stopped exploring on the backcountry. She has logged thousand of back country miles riding in Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and even the Grand Canyon.

She became a member of BCH to learn, and is now teaching others, so the cycle continues. She has held a variety of positions with BCH at the Chapter and State levels in both Washington and Idaho, but her main interest has always been Education. She wants her grandkids to have the same riding choices she has, and believes minimizing our impact in the backcountry is an important first step. Her motto on the trail is simple- Plan ahead to be prepared, always have fun riding, and no matter what happens, keep your cool.

Larry Hayhurst, Idaho State Brand Inspector 

Larry is a state brand inspector and has presented at a number of Squaw Butte, Horse Affairs and Horse Expo events.  He is an excellent resource when trying to understand Idaho’s stock laws.  Every trail rider and horse owner should know what the rules are. 

Ellen Knapp, Squaw Butte Chpter, BCHI

Ellen has been a member of Squaw Butte since 1997, is a past president and long time member of Squaw Butte leadership team.  Ellen a master LNT instructor and has been working hard on her packing skills over the years.  Ellen and her husband Charles have made pack trip into the Frank Church, Sawtooth and White Clounds. See Ellen to learn how to tie a Decker Diamond hitch, one of the easiest ways to secure your gear and get packing.