Wild Mustangs of the Adobe Valley
Wild Horses & Mountain Landscapes
Experience Highlights
- Photograph wild mustangs in a stunningly picturesque environment
- Sharpen your technical skills and expand your creative vision with personalized expert instruction
- Experience the unique perspective of riding through high desert chapparal and pinion pine forest on horseback
At A Glance
Session 1: May 29 - June 1, 2025
Session 2: June 3-6, 2025
Starts/Ends:
Adobe Valley, CA
Price: $1,973
Deposit: $395
What's Included: Meals, tent lodging, photography instruction, guides/wranglers/cooks, pack & riding stock
What's Not Included: Transportation to/from Adobe Valley, Photo Equipment, Sleeping Bag & Pad, Personal Items, Alcoholic Beverages, Gratuities & anything not specifically listed as included.
Past Participants Say…
“Truly an amazing experience, I wish it would’ve been longer! The food, people, views, horses, all of it was incredible. I got amazing photos and have already sold prints. I have also made lifelong friends. I am so happy I chose to go!”
Wild Horses & Mountain Landscapes
Situated between the snow-clad slopes of two major mountain ranges, the Adobe Valley is home to a thriving herd of hundreds of wild horses and rich with opportunities to make memorable wildlife and landscape images. Buren “Burnie” Foster will serve as your photography instructor and trip leader for this unique horseback-based photography adventure offered by Rock Creek Pack Station. Along the way, RCPS’ expert guides will educate us on the natural history, behavior and herd dynamics of equines in the wild.
What’s This Workshop Like?
Our daily schedule and activities revolve around photographing wild mustangs and the stunningly picturesque environment in which they live. But simply experiencing the natural world from the vantage point and pace that horseback travel allows is another prime objective of our time in the wilderness. The RCPS crew will wrangle both our livestock and some amazing mountain meals while Buren provides photography instruction, tips and one-on-one coaching. In the evening, we’ll relax around the campfire for a bit if conditions allow before heading to our tents (provided) for some well-deserved shuteye. Take a look at the Daily Itinerary and FAQs below as well as the photos, feedback & testimonials from previous workshops for more specific details.
Do I Need to be an Expert Rider?
Prior horseback riding experience is helpful, but not required to participate on this trip. All riding is done at a walking pace and many novice riders have successfully completed this trip. Be advised, however, that there are inherent risks associated with riding horses and traveling in the wilderness. See the trip FAQ’s below for more details. If you have any questions about your ability to tackle this adventure, please contact us.
Your Instructor
Buren “Burnie” Foster has been working as a photographer and photogrpahy instructor for over 25 years. His commercial work focuses on portrait, wedding, and sports photography. Driven by a passion for sharing his knowledge and inspiring others, Buren is also a faculty-certified photography instructor and has had the privilege of teaching aspiring photographers in the U.S. and abroad. See a selection of Burnie’s work here.
READY TO JOIN THE ADVENTURE?
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We understand life happens and plans may change. If you need to cancel your reservation, the following policies apply to this workshop:
Deposits are NOT refundable but may be transferrable to another Art of Seeing workshop for up to 24 months from date of cancellation in accordance with the following schedule:
Regardless of when you cancel, if we fill your spot*, you will receive a refund of all fees paid less your deposit and $150 processing fee. If we cannot fill your spot, the amount of your refund is based upon the cancellation date:
Cancellation 120 days or more from workshop start date: 100% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit transferrable up to 24 mos.
Cancellation 90 – 120 days from workshop start date: 50% refund of fees paid less deposit and $150 processing fee. Deposit forfeit.
Cancellation less than 90 days from workshop start date: No refunds.
*canceled spots are filled after the workshop reaches full capacity
Click here to read our complete Terms & Conditions
We highly encourage participants to purchase travel insurance to recover expenses not covered by our Cancellations & Refunds policy in case you need to cancel your reservation.
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Q: How much riding experience do I need?
A: Prior riding experience is helpful but not required to participate on this trip. In addition, be advised:
• Riding horses/mules and wilderness travel are inherently risky activities that include the possibility of serious injury or even death. By registering for this trip, you explicitly accept and assume all such risks.
• The horses/mules are gentle, experienced and surefooted and RCPS' wranglers will match your mount to your riding abilities. However, horses and mules are not machines, and their behavior is not 100% predictable.
• We move at walking pace, but the mountain trails we travel on can be rocky, steep and less than perfectly maintained in places.
• We are traveling in the wilderness where there may be no cell phone reception and medical assistance may not be immediately available.
Having said all that, many novice riders have completed this trip with nothing worse than stiff legs or a sore bum. If you any questions about whether this trip is right for you, please contact us to discuss your concerns.
Q: What should I pack?
A: A detailed packing list including recommended clothing and photo equipment will be provided to registered participants
Q: Will we ride with camera gear? Will we be shooting from horseback?
A: Mostly no. Whenever we are riding, all camera bags will be stored in saddle bags on a pack mule and will not be readily accessible. If you are an experienced rider and want to try shooting from horseback (NOT recommended for novice riders), you may bring a body and one lens with you on our rides, but the camera must be stored in a bag (tied to the saddle) when riding. For safety, camera straps are not allowed when riding. We want to emphasize that horseback is not a great platform for shooting and should only be attempted by experienced riders.
Q: Are you sure we will see horses?
A: There are never any guarantees with nature, but we expect to see many horses on Days 1, 2 and 4. When we move up to high country on Day 3, we will be looking for smaller bands that may or may not show up.
Q: Do we get our own tents?
A: Yes, you will be assigned a separate tent by default. We also have larger tents for couples/families. Please let us know when registering if you wish to share a tent with another participant.
Q: Can I bring my own camping gear?
A: You need to bring your own sleeping bag and sleeping pad. All other camping gear is provided but if you prefer to bring their own tent, that is fine.
Q: What is the bathroom situation like?
A: Picture a pop-up port-a-potty with a wooden toilet inside.
Q: How many participants will be on this trip?
A: The maximum number of guests on this trip is 12.
Q: Which airport should I fly into?
A: The closest airports are Mammoth-Yosemite (MMH),and Bishop airport (BIH), both very small regional facilities with limited flights. The closest larger airport Reno, NV (RNO) which is about 3.5hrs from Adobe Valley.
Q: Can I leave my car at River Springs for the duration of the trip ?
A: Yes
Q: Where should I stay before/after the trip?
A: There are plenty of hotels/motels/campgrounds in or near the towns of Bishop or Mammoth Lakes. You may also want to consider The Inn at Benton Hot Springs which offers both camping and inn rooms with natural hot springs hot tubs. This is the closest lodging to Adobe Valley but be advised that there are no services (restaurants, gas, supplies, etc) in the immediate vicinity
Q: What is the elevation of Adobe Valley?
A: Our two camps are at approximately 6500 and 7000 ft elevation. The highest altitude we reach is approximately 8000 ft during our ride on Day 3.
Q: Is there much hiking required?
A: There are no planned hikes but the large herd of mustangs at River Springs is constantly moving and photographing them could involve a walk of up to a couple of miles. There is no elevation gain but the ground can be uneven and muddy in places.
| Day | Itinerary | Overnight | Included Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our adventure begins at 3pm when we meet at River Springs camp (NOT Rock Creek Pack Station), approximately 54 miles north of Bishop, CA. After introductions and an overview of our workshop schedule, Buren and one of Rock Creek’s naturalist guides will help you prepare for our first shooting session by going over wildlife photography techniques, some basic equine behavior/herd dynamics and how to best approach the mustangs. Then we’ll break for an early dinner before heading out for a sunset shooting session on foot. River Springs is where we will see the largest number of horses, often as many as 70 or more. It’s common to see stallions battling and foals of the year nursing or playing, but mostly we’ll see mustangs doing what all horses mostly do, which is eat. The keys to photographic success in this situation are patience, preparation and awareness. You will have the opportunity to learn and practice all of these during this workshop. | River Springs Camp | D |
| 2 | We begin pre-sunrise with hot coffee or tea. Once the caffeine kicks in, we’ll head out for our second shooting session. The wide valley floor, between two snow-capped mountain ranges, is ideally situated for both morning and evening light, but completely different photographically in each situation. It’s difficult when the adrenaline is pumping but maintaining awareness of light and backgrounds in addition to behavior when shooting this morning will pay off in stronger images. After our morning photo session, we'll enjoy a hearty breakfast and then we saddle up and head out for the ~3-hour ride to our second camp at Pizona Springs. On the way, we’ll ride past the herd we just photographed and have lunch on the trail at a spot overlooking the River Springs herd. After our arrival at Pizona, you’ll have the afternoon free to relax and explore. Look for blooming wildflowers or check out the old stone stagecoach tollhouse nearby. Or take a nap. After dinner, Buren will cover some finer points of wildlife photography. Then relax around the campfire until you hear your sleeping bag calling. | Pizona Camp | B-L-D |
| 3 | We ride into the high country today in search of smaller bands of mustangs and grand landscapes. We’ll saddle up after breakfast and head out for an all-day ride. Somewhere down the trail, we’ll cross the state line into Nevada. Rock Creek’s guides are experts at tracking and finding mustangs, but there are no guarantees. If we are very fortunate, we’ll find mustangs at the very top of our ride where we our view covers a huge expanse of the Sierra Nevada and immense Boundary Peak. The scenery here is simply breathtaking. Even if the mustangs don’t cooperate (which happens often), this is an amazing spot for landscapes, especially black and whites. You can also get your own horse to model for you for the price of an apple core or a few carrots. No guarantees regarding weather, of course, but the typical pattern calls for clear mornings with puffy white clouds filling the skies in the afternoon. Perfect to add some drama to your pictures! End the day with generous servings of cowboy cuisine followed by an informal discussion on image management and processing using Adobe Lightroom. | Pizona Camp | B-L-D |
| 4 | Our final day begins with an optional sunrise landscape session in the valley just beyond our camp. If you’ve seen enough sunrises, just get up in time for another hearty breakfast. Then we pack, break camp and ride back to River Springs. One last shooting session with the River Springs herd, lunch and then we say our goodbyes End of Service. | - | B-L |
Notices:
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, Rock Creek Pack Station and Art of Seeing, LLC do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Art of Seeing, LLC is operating under permit from USDA Forest Service under Rock Creek Pack Station’s Special Use Permit on the Inyo National Forest