2026 Wild Mustangs of the Adobe Valley
Wild Horses & Mountain Landscapes
Workshop Information Packet
Contents:
I. General Information
II. Daily Itinerary
III. FAQs
General Information
Welcome!
Thanks again for joining the 2026 Wild Mustangs of the Adobe Valley workshop. We know you’re excited to begin your wildlife photography adventure, but first a bit of planning is necessary to ensure everything goes smoothly. This document contains important information to help you plan and prepare for your trip. Please take some time to carefully review it and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Workshop Dates:
Session 1: May 28 – 31, 2026
Session 2: June 1 – 4, 2026
Instructor: Buren “Burnie” Foster
Workshop Overview
The workshop starts at 3pm on Day 1 of the session you signed up for and runs through ~1pm on Day 4.
The trip starts and ends at River Springs camp in the Adobe Valley (NOT Rock Creek Pack Station), approximately 54 miles north of Bishop, CA. You can leave your car at River Springs for the duration of the trip.
You should bring your sleeping bag & pad, personal items, and photo gear. RCPS will provide tents, meals, guides, and riding/pack stock.
As stated on our website, Buren Foster is your trip leader and photography instructor, but this trip is officially offered through Rock Creek Pack Station (RCPS) under their permits with the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service. Art of Seeing, LLC operates as a subcontractor to RCPS.
Itinerary & FAQ’s
A copy of our Itinerary and trip FAQ’s (found at the bottom of the workshop page) are included in this package for your convenience. These documents contain important information. Please read them.
Balance of Fees
The remainder of your workshop fee is due by January 28, 2026.
After registration, you will receive an invoice by email that contains all charges, payments and due dates related to this workshop. Click the link in the invoice to access your Customer Portal where you can view and pay your balance, download receipts, and more at your convenience.
Health & Safety
Riding helmets – RCPS provides all participants protective helmets to wear while riding. All participants are strongly urged to wear helmets, regardless of riding experience. If you insist on riding without a helmet, you must indicate your choice on the RCPS liability waiver form (a link to the form will be provided in a future pre-trip email).
Allergies – please let us know about any allergies AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.
Prescription Medications – don’t forget to pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications you take.
Travel & Lodging:
Driving Directions: Click here for maps & driving directions to River Springs camp.
***VERY IMPORTANT***
Do NOT trust Google Maps or any other GPS Apps!
Google “thinks” Hwy 120 is closed and will send you on an impassable dirt road.
Use the directions linked above
Phone Service – you may have service at River Springs camp depending on your phone carrier, but we will have no service at Pizona camp and beyond. Make sure to let the people who need to know that you will not be reachable. Emergency messages can be relayed via RCPS, but may take time.
Air Travel: if you are traveling by air, please see the FAQ’s below for more info/recommendations
Lodging Before/After: please see the FAQ’s below for more info/recommendations
What to Pack
Weather Notes
In general, expect warm to hot days and cool overnight temperatures. Typical daytime highs range between 75-95°F, with colder mornings and evenings. Layering is essential to stay comfortable throughout the day. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 30’s or below.
The above is based on historical averages. However, we are in the mountains, which means weather can be wildly variable. Rain or even snow is very possible – be prepared.
General Items
Below are key items to bring. This is not meant to be a complete packing list.
Sleeping Bag – rated for 30 degrees or lower
Sleeping Pad – inflatable pad or mattress
Brimmed Hat
Sunglasses
Sunscreen & Lip Balm – essential
Bandanna, Buff or Facemask – the trails can be very dusty, especially if it hasn’t rained recently
Refillable Water Bottle
Headlamp – much better than a flashlight because it leaves both hands free
Body Wipes – like baby wipes but bigger.
Base layers – optional, but nice if you get cold easily
Mid layers – wool sweaters, fleece or lightweight “puffer” jackets or vests are good choices
Rain Gear – jacket AND pants, essential
Thin gloves (optional)
Riding boots – sneakers are also an option but avoid big hiking boots which may get stuck in your stirrups.
Muck boots – waterproof, over the calf boots, essential.
Towel & toiletries – we should have hot showers available at Pizona camp
Photo Gear
Camera(s) – just about any modern dSLR and mirrorless camera will get the job done. The animal eye tracking feature available on some mirrorless cameras is particularly helpful for wildlife photography – recommended, but not required.
Some people have also done very well with fixed lens compact cameras that have a good zoom lens (e.g. “bridge” cameras).
Also, bring your smartphone. It’s useful for landscapes and when the mustangs get too close for your telephoto. It’s also a great tool for developing your Photographer’s Eye and your instructor will cover tips for getting the most out of it.
Lenses
A telephoto lens is the most important piece of photo gear for this trip. We recommend a lens that reaches 300mm (200mm for crop sensor cameras) minimum, preferably 400mm+.
Other lenses - you will also want 1 or 2 shorter focal length lenses for landscapes as well as equine photography. Common mid-range and wide-angle focal lengths include 16-35mm, 24-105mm & 70-200mm. A macro lens or extension tubes are optional but handy for tiny wildflowers in the high country.
Tripod or monopod - recommended but not required
Spare Memory cards - You will be shooting a lot, probably a lot more than you typically shoot. It's easy to shoot 1000+ images in 24 hrs when the action is good. We will be out there for 4 days.
Spare Batteries & Charger - we will have a generator at camp to recharge batteries, but you should have at least one spare (absolute minimum) in the field. Don’t forget your battery charger.
Camera bag/pack - something that will fit into large saddle bags. Giant camera backpacks are NOT appropriate. As an example, my 26-liter capacity photo backpack is about the very maximum size bag you should bring.
Small Camera bag – if you are an experienced rider, there will be some opportunities to photograph from horseback (see FAQs for more details). A small camera bag, big enough for a body and one lens ONLY, will be handy if you do this.
Camera rain cover – here is a great inexpensive option. Make sure to get the right size(s) for your camera & lenses.
Misc. – Polarizing filter (optional), cleaning kit/lens cloth & camera manual (electronic or print).
How to Pack
Clothing and Personal Items - one soft-sided duffel or similar weighing no more than 30lbs. Sleeping bags and pads can be packed separately in their own stuff sacks.
Camera Gear – a photo bag or backpack of 30-liter capacity maximum. No giant photo backpacks!
A Word About Gratuities
Like many service businesses, employees of horse outfitters rely on gratuities for a substantial portion of their total income. We think you will find the RCPS wranglers, cooks, and guides to be outstanding at what they do. If you feel you received good service, a token of your appreciation is greatly appreciated.
The amount you choose to tip is entirely up to you but since we are always asked for guidance, what we can say is that the typical range is $100 – $200 total for the crew.
You can give your tip to the cook at the end of the trip, and it will be divided among the crew or you can hand out gratuities individually. Please bring cash, there are no ATM’s out there and cowboys don’t take credit cards.
If we’ve missed anything or you still have questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch by phone, text or email. Thanks again, Burnie looks forward to meeting you at River Springs.
Ken Lee
949-282-9660
ken@artofseeing.com
Daily Itinerary
| 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 macro photography and landscapes, especially black and whites. Your horse can also model for you for the price of an apple core or a few carrots. 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 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Q: How much riding experience is required?
A: Prior riding experience is helpful but not required for 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. 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: Are there any weight restrictions?
A: Yes, for the safety and welfare of the riding stock, participants must weigh no more than 220 lbs. Some exceptions maybe possible based on availability of specific animals. Please contact us before signing up if your weight exceeds 220 lbs.
There is also a 40lb weight limit for all “dunnage” (luggage, photo gear, sleeping bag/pad). This limit is not strictly enforced, but if you are struggling to meet it, you are overpacked.
Q: How much hiking is required?
A: There are no planned hikes but the herd of mustangs at River Springs is constantly moving and photographing them could involve a walk of up to ~ 2 miles on level but uneven ground.
Q: What will be the weather be like?
A: Typical daytime highs range between 75-95°F, with colder mornings and evenings. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 30’s or below. These are only historical averages, however. We are in the mountains, which means weather can be wildly variable. Rain or even snow is very possible-be prepared.
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 aboard our pack animals(s) 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 wild 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 is Reno, NV (RNO) which is about 3.5hrs drive 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 and campgrounds in or near the towns of Bishop, Mammoth Lakes or Lee Vining. 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 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.