The Ninemile Remount was, at one time, the center for the U.S. Forest Service packing activities in the Northern Rockies. Completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1935, the Remount was the home roost for more than 1500 Rocky Mountain Canaries (also known as mules), as well as a prime breeding stock for the Forest Serice. Firefighting, trail and fire lookout building, and many other kinds of backcountry work was done with Ninemile packstock wearing US brands on their hips and diamond hitches cinching down their cargo. The pack strings were spurred on by packers who had reputations for never sparing the adjectives when the going got tough.
The Remount's upper hayfield was used to train smokejumpers in the early years of the famous firefighting crews. More often than not, droning Ford TriMotor airplanes had to buzz the field to clear it of grazing livestock before the jumpers could hit the silk.
In 1980, Ninemile was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its traditional architecture and its role in Forest Service, Civilian Conservation Corps and local history. Ninemile is still a working ranger station and pack depot. The home of a number of USFS activities, combining history and practicality. Mules and horses are still run through the chutes and corrals on their way to perform important work in
the backcountry. And if you listen very carefully, you can still hear the canaries sing!
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