The Easter revelers are already out in Disappointment Valley in/on their buggies and wheeled vehicles that whine and growl and chug and make other noises that are annoying. (It’s worth acknowledging that the human(s) in control are largely responsible for the level of annoyance of such vehicles.)
Killian and his band had run from the road about an hour before I took this pic of him, far interior in the basin and away from any road. (And yes, they ran because the noise and annoyance level from two dirtbikes, a souped-up dirtbuggy and an ATV was excruciatingly high.) He was napping and watching one mare while his other mares grazed around him.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 
I didnt realize that was allowed in the horses herd area! It shouldnt be. I know there is a push in one (or more) states to allow e-bikes as well as mountain bikes into wilderness areas – hope that does NOT happen. Wilderness should be for wildlife, their habitat , and humans that respect that space.
I wish they would leave the horses in peace.
Maybe those vehicle enthusiasts need to head down to SWB to haze the horses from the road. The noise might make an impression for them to stay away. Sorry to hear your guys are being disturbed (as are you). I would be furious to be in a wilderness area and have to endure that.
Important note: Spring Creek Basin’s eastern and southern area is overlapped by McKenna Peak Wilderness Study Area; there are no roads within the WSA – either in the basin or east of the basin, where the WSA continues. However, Disappointment Road runs along the southwestern/southern boundary of the basin and WSA as it runs up-valley to the southeast toward its end at the Dolores-Norwood Road. Disappointment is the road the vehicles were on when they passed me (parked along the road) and sent the horses, who had been grazing within view of the road, running.
Here’s a link to a map of Spring Creek Basin Herd Management Area: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/whb_co_springcreek_map.pdf
Disappointment Road is County Road 19Q on the San Miguel County side (north of the dashed line that runs through the top of the farthest south green dot (which indicates a pond (an old one, in that particular case)).
So I want to emphasize that while the vehicles, as stated, were annoying in their noise level, their human operators were not doing anything illegal. … It’s (personally?) hard to go from peace and quiet and mustangs calmly grazing to people letting off it’s-now-spring-yahoo winter steam by being loud in such a place. I suppose it’s also a lesson for people – all of us – to be mindful that what we do affects others, even in such an out-of-the-way place as this. I hope this clarifies the situation, and I do thank you for your indignation on our behalf. 🙂
I’m sorry sweet mustangs for all that annoying noise. Alas, it comes with Spring😔
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The spring invasion has begun. Sorry about all the noise – and dust – you’re having to endure, TJ. At least the mustangs can get to places far from the “main drag!”
Yes, I agree! They have good escapes!