The History of Hells Canyon Muledays
In the Spring of 1981, local ranchers and packers met with representatives of the Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce and USDA Forest Service to explore the idea of putting together a new county event.
As a result, the mule - tough, intelligent, individualistic, often maligned, but the mainstay of the many packers and outfitters working in Wallowa County - was elevated to center stage for the first annual Hells Canyon Mule Days celebration on September 19 - 20, 1981.
Hells Canyon was an appropriate title because that area owes most of its early settlement and development to the mule which predominantly served as a major means of transportation to gain access to this rugged region of the county.
Given the well-known independence of Mule Days’ long-eared star, the entertaining , action-packed event has met its initial goal - both mule skinners and spectators alike can be part of this family oriented mule show, with events and games for all ages
2025 MULE DAYS GRAND MARSHALS
Shawn and Shelly Steen have been chosen 2025 Mule Days Grand Marshalls. This husband /wife team are long-time Wallowa County residents. Shawn, born in Jerome, Idaho, moved here when he was five years old. Shelly was raised on a farm and ranch in the Anatone /Asotin Washington area. She later moved to Joseph in 1989.
Shawn and Shelly met, and later, married in May,1990. Shelly recalls they didn’t begin their honeymoon for a few days, because they were hired to pack in a filming crew, along with their very expensive cameras and equipment into Cow Creek on the lower Imnaha...All this to film a segment for the Marlboro Man commercial. Shelly did all the cooking, and they both packed in all the equipment and crew. Thus began their married life. Shelly said when they finished the job, they spent their belated honeymoon in Mexico.
The couple has two sons: Cade, born in 1991 and Riley 1992.
Shawn began packing in high school, and worked during the fall elk seasons. After he completed college he worked with his family, who, owned Steens Guide Service….which included Hunting, Rafting, and Summer pack trips.
Shawn and Shelly took over the business after Shawn’s father, the well-known Jim Steen passed away in 1995.
They sold the Rafting business in 1997 and concentrated on Guiding and Packing.
From 2006-2011 they leased the Minam Lodge until it sold to it’s current owner. This was a lot of work for the couple, as this is a remote dude ranch...Shelly cooked and helped entertain the dudes...Shawn took the guests on horse back rides and ran the ranch. This ranch, accessible only by horseback, hiking or plane is located in the Minam wilderness.
When the couple started packing it was only the two of them...but they were young and strong...later they began hiring a couple hands each year, during the busy seasons. Their two boys: Cade and Riley both packed for several years after they graduated from high school.
Over the years, the business grew, and the couple were very busy...They accomplished so much, and packed in many groups, Shelly says it would be impossible to remember all of them. Among them she remembers the WOTR. A 40 -member women’s writing group, camped at Indian Crossing...”That was really something, we set up a wall tent to cook and tents for them to sleep.” And we also set up their camp at Elk Mountain.
Shelly said they conducted packing clinics, where she did all the cooking as well. For over 20 years they staged demos at Outdoor Sports shows all over the West. They also did contract packing for the Forest Service: Fires, surveying,and taking inventory.
Shawn and Shelly did a lot of volunteer work as well...like packing the Joseph F.F.A. Chapter into Hells Canyon...and doing the cooking. They had exhibits at Eastern Oregon College, Shawn volunteered as Little League coach, and both worked at Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
When son Cade was only 10 days old he went on his first pack trip. He rode in a front pack strapped on his mamma, clear up the Middle Fork of the Imnaha ...It was Buck deer season. The Middle Fork was where his grandpa Jim Steen’s ashes had been scattered from an airplane.
Both sons went along on Summer pack trips and Fall hunting camps until they were school age.
In 1992 and 93, Shelly and Shawn competed in past Mule Days mule packing events..
The years passed, and Shelly, now 60, says they sold the business to Jacob and Ashley Spaur. Thus ending a long and adventurous career….one that is a dying art these days...One of the toughest ways to make a living, however one that provides a life style that has it’s own rewards…
These days you may see Shawn driving truck for Farm Supply ,or Shelly cooking at M.Crow in Lostine.
This couple knows the meaning of team work and work…
Shelly has a photo of her riding at the head of 30 or 40 riding and pack animals...she explains in her modest way how she is leading this string of pack animals...Just her on her horse, alone ...all the way from Sour Apple Flat to Imnaha...Shawn was busy breaking camp...a huge job as well.. he was there when she arrived that night at the Hubbard Ranch...She could see his head lamp coming up the trail to meet her...Only there was only one horse following her...It seems when she got off to shut the last gate, just one horse had come through...the rest were waiting back at the gate. In the dark she had missed them.
Congratulations Shawn and Shelly...a well deserved couple to rein as 2025 Mule Days Grand Marshalls…
(Written by Janie Tippett)
Hells Canyon Muledays Grand Marshals
1981 – WADE HALL & ETHEL THOMAS
1982 – MIKE & JOYCE McFETRIDGE
1983 – GLEN HAWKINS & GRACE BARTLETT
1984 – LEE MANES & LYNN MITCHELL
1985 – JESS EARL & CLARA HEARING
1986 – LAWRENCE & ILENE POTTER
1987 – CARMEN MAXWELL & A. L. DUCKETT
1988 – JOE McCLARAN & MARY MARKS
1989 – OAKLEY JOHNSON & HAZEL BARTON/FLEET
1990 – JOE ONAIDIA & GUS MALAXA
1991 – EMORY CRAWFORD
1992 – MAX & MARCEL WALKER.
1993 – JIM & JEAN BROOKS
1994 – JIM & LOIS BLANKENSHIP
1995 – GENE & MILDRED MARR
1996 – SAM & LAURA LOFTUS
1997 – DICK & BETTY HAMMOND
1998 – PEARL INGLE
1999 – DELBERT (DEB) WART
2000 – FRED TALBOTT
2000 – Noel & Genie Wright • Honorary
2001 – MANFORD & VERA ISLEY
2002 – MEREL HAWKINS
2003 – ARNOLD SCHAEFFER
2004 – BENNIE BANKS
2005 – DOUG & JANIE TIPPETT
2005 – Bonnie Shields • Honorary
2006 – BOB CASEY
2006 – Gerald Perren • Honorary
2007 – BLANCHE MAXWELL
2007 – Gene & Bonnie Westberg • Honorary
2008 – JUANA MALAXA & MARIE ONAINDIA
2008 – Mike Brennan • Honorary
2009 – CARMEN KOHLHEPP
2009 – R. A. “Ace” Barton • Honorary
2010 – BIDEN & BETTY TIPPETT
2010 – Ben Tippett • Honorary
2011 – LEO TIPTON “Tip” PROCTOR
2011 – George Hixson • Honorary
2012 – GRANT & BARBARA WARNOCK
2012 – Duke & Rhee Lathrop • Honorary
2013 – LARRY & JUANITA WATERS
2014 – DICK WALKER
2014 – Art Galbraith • Honorary
2015 – DENNIS & PEGGY BRENNAN
2016 – MARVIN LOVELL
2017 – ROBERT “BOB” BALES
2018 – ORAN MCCRAE
2019 – JULIE KOOCH
2022 – WARREN MATTHEWS
2023 – CAL HENNRY
2024 – JIM & HOLLY AKENSON
2025 – SHAWN & SHELLY STEEN