Barry Cox

Barry has been training horses for most of his life and has developed a unique connection with them. Barry has owned and operated Del Sol Wilderness Adventures since 2007, and has outfitted most of his adult life.

With returning clients over 20 years, Barry has maintained his reputation as a reliable and professional outfitter. Recently Barry has demonstrated his guiding skills with several successful mountain goat hunts.

Shirley Cox

Shirley has worked with horses for most of her life as well. She has over 35 years of experience as a 4H leader in Alaska, and has revolved her life around kids and horses. Shirley loves to share her horsemanship skills with those who are eager to learn. Shirley married into the outfit in 2010 and has been a major asset to the business ever since.

Bob Lion

Bob is one of Del Sol’s camp tenders. He has been packing, cooking and managing horse camps for Barry for many years. He is an accomplished joke teller and Dutch oven cook.

Connor White

Born and raised in Eastern Oregon (La Grande) Connor has always been interested in improving his skills in a variety of trades and is always eager to learn about most anything. He enjoys creative outlets such as music and art.  He’s an accomplished glass blower and is currently interested in chainsaw carved log furniture.

Connor spends as much time as he can outdoors, whether packing and riding in the mountains in the summer or snowboarding (split board) on some backcountry route.
He came to Del Sol with limited horse experience but has picked it up quickly.  His highschool career included being a pole vaulting champion and he is currently involved with the local high school track programs volunteering his time as a pole vaulting coach.

Forrest Cox

Forrest has been here since the beginning. He loves to get out in the mountains and share his knowledge with those who want to listen. It’s hard to find him without smile on his face and a camera in his hand. Forrest shoots all of the business photography and web design.

Adam McGrath

Adam started at Del Sol in May of 2020. Born in Colorado, in his early years he was very into bicycles, even having a go as being a professional bike racer into his 20’s. That lead him into nutrition, training and food. Slowly burning out on bike racing, he avidly took up food production. Eventually he landed on the Olympic Peninsula and began farming full time. Some where along the way he fell into keeping a pair of donkeys. Some old timer said, “well they could pull a cart” and for who knows what reason an obsession was born. Finding himself an amazing mentor in Sequim, WA he took up the task of learning to drive horse, which in turn lead to working and managing the horses at River Run Farm, a draft and tractor powered vegetable farm, (he did get those old donkeys to pull a tire around by the way). 

A 4 year tenure at that farm lead to meeting his fiancee Jess, getting a team of Belgian mules, and a collection of horse drawn farm equipment. Feeling like their time was up on the olympic peninsula and wanting to have a go at creating their own farm, Jess and Adam set out for Wallowa County. While packing extensively with Barry and Shirley for 2020 and 2021, he was looking for farm ground to lease. In 2022 Jess and Adam were able to start Lazy Mule Farm. When not on a pack trip, or taking hunters out in the fall, you can find him growing lots of Garlic and Salad greens with his now 2 teams of mules.