Wednesday — February 25, 2004

Lemon to trek
border-to-border

Mule string odyssey
raises funds for The Wild Gift

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

Spending over half the year on the trail with three mules may not be everyone’s idea of a good time. But for Jake Lemon--who plans to travel 1,500 miles solo from Arizona to Canada raising money for a nonprofit organization for young leaders to learn about wilderness--the trip is just what the doctor ordered.

"I am trying to raise a buck a mile," said Lemon of Hailey.

Jake Lemon gathers his pack saddles. Express photo by Matt Furber

Lemon has a degenerative bone disease. He had a two-level fusion of three vertebrae 21 months ago. In the last four years dealing with the disease, the former backcountry skier has hung up his climbing skins for Jed, Bernie and Red Riley.

During the spring of 2003, Lemon, a 55-year-old wood worker, purchased the three mules and the necessary tack to trek through the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness. With his friend Bob Jonas, Lemon explored the vast wilderness for 41 days, logging 350 trail miles over high mountains and down river canyons.

The Wild Gift, founded by Jonas, is going into its third summer as a nonprofit organization focused on inspiring exceptional youth, ages 18 to 30, to appreciate the values of wilderness and its importance to the human spirit through leadership roles.

"Jonas’ concept is gifting future leaders with a wilderness experience," he said. "I got to where I wanted to participate myself. Hopefully, it strengthens (future leaders) value for wilderness so it has a position in their personal value system."

Lemon’s trip is also a personal mission, a lifelong dream to travel a long distance in a historical way.

"After retaining a degree of relief (from back pain), now it is time to celebrate my improvement and the opportunity to do what I’ve always wanted to do—go on a long expedition," Lemon said this week on his way to Arizona to acclimatized his mule string. He hopes to start the seven- to eight-month trip as soon as the snow on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is passable.

In addition to the variables Mother Nature deals out, another of Lemon’s challenges is managing the behavior of his mules.

"I am new to big animals," he said. "In my own mind I’ve gotten beyond being a greenhorn, but I don’t know if I can do what I’m setting out to do. One of my mule coaches said you have to keep yourself in a rigid state of flexibility."

From Kaibab National Forest and the Grand Canyon, Lemon will cross the Utah line into the Grand Staircase Escalante Monument. He will then continue north through more gentle terrain in the mountains east of the Wasatch Mountains.

"Then I will go into the High Uintahs Wilderness area about 100 miles east of Ogden," he said.

Lemon will head east through the range until he reaches King’s Peak, the highest point in Utah. From there he plans to make a left turn to Fort Bridger, a historic stop in western Wyoming, where the California and Oregon trails split. It is also one of his 16 planned resupply stops.

Travelling near the Oregon Trail to Bear Lake in Idaho, Lemon will travel to Montpellier, where he will continue north to Swan Valley, east of Idaho Falls. He will turn west to cross the Snake River on the way to Rexburg, the one urban area Lemon will visit on the trip.

From there, Lemon will cross the Arco Desert, and travel along the Lost River to Mackay.

"Once I get to Challis, the goal is to get back into the Frank Church Wilderness to retrace some of the steps from the 2003 trip with Jonas," he said.

After leaving the Middle Fork of the Salmon, Lemon will cross the Salmon River and head into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. The final stop in Idaho is Paradise, the put-in area for floating the Selway River.

If he has enough steam and the trip goes well, he may continue to Creston, British Columbia, to visit his aunt.

To register a pledge, donors are asked to call Bob Jonas at 208-726-8579 or e-mail him at bobjonas@sunvalley.net.

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.