Carolina Curious: How did mule teams provide relief to flood victims in the aftermath of Helene?

When Helene hit western North Carolina it tore a path of destruction, leaving debris and damaged roads throughout the region. A WFDD listener recently asked: How were mule teams used to provide relief to flood victims in the immediate aftermath of the storm? For the latest installment of Carolina Curious, WFDD's DJ Simmons looked into how one ranch owner assisted others.

The Mountain Mule Packers is an organization that trains people to work with the animals for everything from military missions to camping trips.

Mike Toberer runs the organization which is based at his ranch in Mount Ullah. His mules were tied to a trailer ready to make a trip to Burnsville for training when Helene hit the state.

Toberer said when he saw the damage, his team quickly realized their animals were well-suited to navigate the terrain with its downed trees and washed-out bridges.

"On the news, they were showing areas that were inaccessible," he said. "When me and my guys saw that. We're like, man, we can punch our mules through that all day long."

He said his crew put together a strike team formed around two groups of five to six mules, with each one able to carry around 200 pounds of supplies. The team traveled to hard-hit regions ranging from the Black Mountain area just outside of Asheville all the way to Roan Mountain, Tennessee.

"Then we do what's called a wellness check, drop some food and water, make a note, and then we'd go to the next place and the next place, and then we come back five days later and check them again," Toberer said.

After a while the mules began to strike a chord with people, he said. Some cried when they arrived, and others found comfort in the animals' presence during a difficult time.

"We've never done anything like this, but it was very emotional, and there's just a lot of stuff there that one time is plenty for a lifetime to see," Toberer said.

He said he hopes to never have to do this again, but if needed, next time his team will be even more ready.