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Power of the Pack: Mules Helping Hurricane-Devastated Communities

By John McGran

An unsung hero of the Old West is transporting much-needed supplies to North Carolina residents trapped in mountainous terrain following the apocalyptic devastation of Hurricane Helene. Emergency workers and Good Samaritan groups in Western Carolina have enlisted mules to navigate the landscape left virtually impassable.

Mountain Mule Packer Ranch in Mount Ulla, North Carolina has provided a team of these nimble-footed creatures to lug brooms, shovels, batteries, water filters, diapers, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, blankets and clothing to the survivors of the torrential rains and unprecedented flooding that pounded Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina at the end of September.

Post-storm photos show devastation unlike that seen before from a natural disaster. Helene and its accompanying mudslides, winds and flash flooding had killed close to 200 people at last count. Hundreds of others are still missing and believed to be cut off by a mountain of mud and a wall of uprooted trees and debris.

“They call them beasts of burden, we call them our beloved mules,” Mountain Mule Packer Ranch proudly posted on its Facebook page. “They are capable and willing to work in many conditions most won’t. They are not stubborn … they are wise and require respect. They have had many roles in their careers, from hauling camping gear and fresh hunt, pulling wagons and farm equipment; to serving in training the best of the very best of our military special forces, carrying weapons, medical supplies, and even wounded soldiers.”

Aid groups turned to Vader, Lil Wayne, Jeb, Max, Smokie and other amazing mules when it became clear that entire mountain communities were unreachable—except on foot or via air drops. Each mule can carry up to 200 pounds of supplies.

Mules are the hybrid offspring of a female horse and a male donkey. They are bred to combine the best characteristics of both. The mule is smaller than a horse but larger than a donkey.

INSP viewers know that Ruth was the mule Festus rode on Gunsmoke. They may also know that Jeanette was a pack mule in a John Wayne movie or that Blue was the white mule John Boy and his siblings rode on The Waltons.

But they may not know the lowly mule played a lofty role in the settlement and growth of America.

Sharlot Hall Museum in Prescott, Arizona notes that during the 1800s, mules were an essential part of the settlement and development of the Arizona Territory. Frontiersmen and early prospectors rode saddle mules and carried their provisions and equipment on pack mules. Early settlers used mules to ride, haul supplies, plow fields and transport equipment. The U.S. Army recognized the adaptability of mules and began using them to ride and in mountainous terrain.

Mine owners used mules instead of men to pull ore carts in their gold and silver mines. Because they were smaller and more robust than horses, mules were more suited for underground mining operations.

By the late 1930s, mules lost most of their importance in everyday life, transportation, industry and the military. Yet, as late as 2001, the U.S. Army Special Forces used mules in Afghanistan. The humble mule remains the mascot of the U.S. Army Military Academy at West Point.

 Mules get little respect yet they have a number of important advantages over horses.

Mules are more sure-footed and have a smoother gait than horses, making them a better choice for riding on rough terrain. They are also safer to ride because they are more cautious and have a better sense of danger.

Mules can tolerate warmer climates better than horses, making them a good choice for southern environments. They require less food than horses of similar size and can generally carry and pull more weight relative to their body weight. They also have more endurance than horses and can work harder for longer.

In 1495, Christopher Columbus brought horses and four jack donkeys and two jenny donkeys to the New World. These animals would be instrumental in producing mules for the Conquistadores in their exploration into the American mainland.

George Washington recognized the value of the mule in agriculture and became the first American mule breeder. After the Revolutionary War, Washington replaced horses with stronger mules. The first president eventually had 58 mules working at Mount Vernon. Historians say mules from Washington’s stock became the backbone of American agriculture for generations in the South.

By 1808, the U.S. had an estimated 855,000 mules worth an estimated $66 million. By 1897, the number of mules swelled to 2.2 million with an estimated worth of $103 million.

Thousands of mules transported pioneers westward. Mules were there to haul logs for houses. Mule-driven wagons could cover 30 miles a day; wagons drawn by horses and oxen averaged only five miles a day.

Stage coach lines also preferred mules to horses. Many coaches were pulled by larger mules that could motor across the dry, flat lands at speeds reaching 10 miles per hour.

Following the discovery of borax in Death Valley, California in the early 1890s, the famous 20-mule teams of William Tell Coleman were used to haul the compound used as a fertilizer and food preservant to the nearest rail junction in Mojave—about 165 miles away.

Mules continue to carve out a special spot in U.S. history.

Following the September storm—where homes were flattened and roads became impassable—mules stepped up to haul food and supplies to the Buncombe County towns of Black Mountain and Swannanoa.

Mountain Mule Packer Ranch has been using “strings” of the beasts of burden to get the much-needed supplies to hard-to-reach locations. Aid workers are also transporting hay and animal supplies into the areas where horses and other livestock have not been evacuated.

Other groups working to help those stranded without food, water, cell power, electricity and passable roads, include Sandhills Pony Club of Pinebluff, North Carolina, and Cajun Navy 2016.

Mountain Mule Packer Ranch has asked that anyone who wants to donate to their mission—or anyone who knows of specific needs for storm-stranded individuals—should call 910-885-1402.

 

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