Meadow Quest: Ecological Explorations in the Golden Trout Wilderness

Jun 23 - 28, 2026
6 Days / 5 Nights
Cottonwood Pack Station
Golden Trout Wilderness
$2,800 (includes riding)

Join biologist Patrice Ringelstein and bioregional herbalist Marika Clymer for a weeklong nature camp in the Golden Trout Wilderness. We will deepen the connection to our bodies, our communities, and the land through exploration of the ecology of the Sierra Nevada. The trip will begin and end with a horseback ride into a cozy camp at the edge of Big Whitney Meadow, and we’ll spend the rest of our trip hiking, eating nourishing meals, and learning together.

This trip is for women, trans, and non-binary folks.

As members of the ecological community, what does it mean to be a citizen scientist?
How can ethnobotany and bioregional herbalism bring us into greater harmony with ourselves, our community, and our environment?
What is the medicine of the meadow, and what do its plants & inhabitants have to teach us?

Dates

June 23 - 28, 2026
Location

Golden Trout Wilderness
Trip Leaves from Cottonwood Pack Station
Duration

6 Days / 5 Nights
Operator

Rock Creek Pack Station
Guides

Patrice Ringelstein - biologist
Marika Clymer - bioregional herbalist
Kelly Kate Warren - backcountry cook
Christy Young - backcountry cook
Cost

$2,800
Itinerary

Day 1: Packing In + Setting Up Camp
We will leave from Cottonwood Pack Station, ride over Cottonwood Pass, and make camp on the edge of Big Whitney Meadow.
Day 2: Grounding into Place
- Gentle movement, landscape awareness & map-making (art!), initiating daily mindfulness & landscape embodiment practice (art!)
Day 3:
- Morning: Bioregional Herbalism Part 1: folk animism and land as healer & teacher, environmental coregulation and intuitive communication with the land
- Afternoon/evening: Pollinators of the meadow, night hike, bat identification
Day 4:
- Morning: Bioregional Herbalism Part 2: Frameworks and skills for sustainable & ethical wildcrafting - we will be in the field, but will most likely not do any harvesting in this very sensitive area!
- Afternoon: Exploring water systems of the Eastern Sierras - afternoon hike along Golden Trout Creek
Day 5:
- Morning: Land, Attachment, and Community: working with attachment theory to expand our understanding of the role of humans in ecosystems
- Afternoon: Birding, citizen science & advocacy, technical plant & wildlife identification
Day 6: Packing Up Camp + Journey Back
Pack up camp, ride up and over Cottonwood Pass, and out to the Pack Station. Guests are welcome to join us for dinner at Merry-Go-Round Chinese restaurant in Lone Pine.
Distance

Two 9 mile horseback rides, and 4 day hikes of 2-9 miles. All day hikes are optional and folks are welcome to lounge in camp or explore closer to home if they prefer.
What’s included

- Packers & Mules
- A horse or mule to ride
- Cooks, Guides, & Educators
- A backcountry camp - kitchen, rainfly, comfy chairs, latrine, first aid kit, and a small library of maps and guidebooks
- All Meals - each day we will enjoy a hot breakfast, cowboy coffee, a DIY lunch spread, snacks, appetizers, a big dinner, dessert, and evening tea service
What’s not included

- Travel to and from the Pack Station
- Your personal hiking and camping gear
- Travel insurance
- Staff tips (optional but appreciated)

Difficulty - Moderate

This trip includes two 9 mile horseback rides, sections of which are steep, switchbacky, and rocky, with significant elevation gain and loss. Our horses and mules are skilled professionals, and there are beautiful flat sections of trail along the meadows. Riding is hard for people who don’t do it often, and it can be helpful to take a riding lesson or go on a day ride during the months before your trip.

There are physical limitations on how much weight a horse or mule can carry, and for their safety we cannot offer rides to guests over 240 lbs. We are happy to provide pack support to people of all sizes and abilities, and guests are welcome to hike in if they cannot ride (we will refund you the riding fee). Please contact us if you have any questions!

We will be near or over 10k feet of elevation for the duration of this trip, and folks coming from lower elevations will need to spend a few days acclimating to the elevation before they enter the Wilderness.

The meadow surrounding camp is huge and a joy to explore on foot, we could easily spend the whole trip frolicking near camp. Those who are feeling ambitious can join for a 6 mile hike along Golden Trout Creek, and a steep but stunning 9 mile hike up to Rocky Lakes Basin. The focus of this trip is settling into place, and day hikes are optional - folks are encouraged to sit with the meadow, fish, read, or rest, as they prefer.