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History of Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit

Celerating our 92nd year, the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit is Mammoth's oldest business. In 1915, Charles and his son Lloyd Summers (Lloyd is the current owner's -- John Summers, grandfather) began a pack operation at their hotel, store, livery and ranch in Mammoth Camp in Old Mammoth with a second (and current) site located near Lake Mary. They transported people and supplies using a pack train of mules and horses across the Sierras to and from Mammoth City and Fresno Flats. When the road was constructed to Red's Meadow and Agnew Meadows, they expanded their operations by opening pack stations at those sites. These were later sold to Arch Mahn.

Lloyd and Sybil Summers and their sons operated the pack station for many years. Not surprising, Lloyd passed away while leading a horse out of the corral. Lloyd's son Lee (shown here) took over the family business in 1945.

Lee sold the business to Lou and Marye Roeser in 1960. Lou had worked for Lee at the pack outfit. There, Lou learned the business from Lee. Lou and Marye grew the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit to one of the largest full service pack outfits in the area. They began expanding by offering a variety of pack trips, trail rides - including day rides, and the popular horse drives to and from the pastures in the Owens Valley.

Lou sold the business to John Summers (shown right) in 1998. John is the son of Lee Summers and as a child, grew up at the pack station. He learned the packing and outfitting business from his father. John is pleased that the business is back in his family. It has been his dream to be back in Mammoth at the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit conducting recreational horseback vacations into the same high Sierra country and trails that his father, grandfather and great grandfather had done before him.

The Summers family has a rich heritage in the Eastern Sierra region. The Summers first appeared in the region in the 1860's. Jesse N. Summers was married to Alney McGee's daughter Mahulda. The McGees were ranchers in Round Valley (Pleasant Valley) and later homesteaded a large portion of Long Valley - holding about 18,000 acres. They were one of the largest land owners in this region.

Jesse N. Summers was the uncle of Charles Frank Summers. Charlie Summers was born in Tuolumne County, California. His family had crossed the plains to California in 1852. Charlie's wife was a sister-in-law of rancher Frank Shaw. In 1886, Charlie's occupation was listed as rancher, he still resided in Benton, but was also listed on the Inyo County Register that same year, occupation stockman, and living in Bishop. Charlie and his brothers, Jim, John, and Tom, homesteaded land in Long Valley along with the McGees. In 1886, Charlie Summers (shown right with Lee and Vern) homesteaded 120 acres of land near Casa Diablo. Charlie and his brother's continued ranching along with buying and selling land. One by one, the Long Valley ranches were sold to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and leased back to ranchers without water rights, until most of the ranches in Long Valley were owned by the City.

And with the marriage of Alney McGee's daughter, Sybil, to Charlie's son, Lloyd (shown left), the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit was started. We hope that you can be a part of the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit history.