We operate in the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness Areas located
in Northwestern Montana, just south of Glacier National Park. This Area
encompasses thousands of acres centered along the Middle Fork of the
Flathead River in the heart of the Rocky Mountains along the Continental
Divide.
Our base camp is locate eighty miles from Kalispell, Montana. Kalispell
is accessible by air (Northwest, Horizon/Alaska, Skywest/Delta and America
West), by rail (Amtrak), and by auto (US Highway 93 and US Highway 2).
Shawn Little
Shawn and Capri Little of Essex, Montana own and operate Snowy Springs.
Shawn, a life long resident of Montana is an experienced backcountry
guide, packer, taxidermist and team roper. An all around horseman and
outdoorsman, he grew up raising and showing quarter horses and has been
hunting since he was ten years old. Shawn is a licensed outfitter with the
Montana Board of Outfitters (# 2480), a licensed taxidermist with the State of
Montana, a member of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association and a
receiver of the Achievement Medal issued by the U.S. Forest Service.
Capri is an experienced backcountry guide, cook, packer and has been horse
crazy as long as she can remember.
Shawn began operating the outfitting business in 1987, Capri joined him in
1990.
They, along with their experienced crew are prepared to take you on a
backcountry trip that will provide memories for a life time.
See Our Crew
How It All Started
Growing up with horses and the mountains of Montana surrounding him, Shawn
and his family went on pack trips during the summer and each fall went on
an extended hunting trip. Once grown Shawn did a variety of jobs, then
settled on becoming a taxidermist. This came easy to him as he had so much
experience seeing animals in their natural habitat. But the longing to
spend more time in the mountains soon turned his thoughts to becoming and
outfitter and providing a service to all to see the wonderful wilderness
of our nation. He had even given up a successful high school football
career because it interfered with his hunting.
He and his stepfather, Phil, began researching backcountry permits and
found one on the market that appealed to Shawn. With a meeting of business
associates of his mother, Mary Margaret, and Phil, Snowy Springs was born.
One of these associates was renowned western artist, Fred Fellows, who was
generous enough to provide the Snowy Springs logo, which we are quite
proud of. Shawn now had to begin the process of obtaining an outfitter's
license, which was not an easy chore. He took tests, clawed his way
through red tape and came out a licensed outfitter in the State of
Montana.
Capri began her riding career ant the age of 8. She came to Montana in
1984 and fell in love with the wilderness and the horse riding aspect of
it. She began working for an outfitter, and actually learned to cook in
the backcountry. She and Shawn met in Kalispell and became friends in the
rodeo world. After Shawn started his outfitting business she would help
out occasionally and then more. And before you know it, they decided to
get married. (which is a long and funny story in itself) Of course Shawn
swears to this day that she asked him. Oh well, it seems to have worked
out as they have been married 13 years now and have a 6 year old daughter,
Mckinnon.
