Timeless tradition
Old-fashioned methods get livestock to summer pastures
Nicole Tavenner
The Cheff family herds a group of about 100 horses and mules from winter pasture 28 miles east to their guest ranch.
Nicole Tavenner
A rider brings up the rear and stops to direct traffic.
Berl Tiskus
A line of horses stretch along Kicking Horse Reservoir dike on the homestretch to the Cheff Ranch.
Megan Strickland
he horses travel down Round Butte Road west of Ronan.
Nicole Tavenner
Wranglers head out from Sloan Bridge Saturday morning as the 28-mile drive begins.
Megan Strickland
Megan Strickland
Berl Tiskus
Megan Strickland
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
Nicole Tavenner
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The heyday of cross country cattle drives are more than a century past, but for a moment on Saturday it was almost as if time stood still as men and women on horseback drove horses and cattle several miles through the Round Butte community.
More than 100 horses and mules were first driven across Sloan’s Bridge by the Cheff Guest Ranch. For the past three decades, family members, workers and friends have helped the Cheff family drive the herd 23 miles from winter to summer pasture and back again, twice per year. The 83-year-old ranch has horseback riding facilities and also is a popular packing choice for customers who explore the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
“We have them out on a winter pasture,” owner Mick Cheff said. “We are bringing them home for the spring to trim them up and warm them up to start breaking horses.”
It only takes four riders to complete the task, but family, former employees and community members join in the ride.
“Some of them have family or kids that want to ride,” Cheff said.
The three-hour journey includes a stretch down Round Butte and Crow Dam Roads and takes the horses across Highway 93.
Chris Jackson of Ronan remarked that the sight was “amazing” but she had some old fashioned herding of her own going on. Her family was herding several dozen head of cattle in the opposite direction across Sloan’s Bridge to summer pasture.
Herders for both groups were all smiles as the herds scuttled toward their destination. Cheff said the animals usually cooperate.
“They know they are headed home,” he said.
