Unique hiking adventure…with llamas! (1 of 3)

When I had asked my 17 yr old daughter what she’d like to do this summer she’d said, “Something with llamas!” Frankly, it came as no surprise. Her current fascination graced water bottles, mugs, phone covers and even socks she’d accumulated over the last year. So I googled “llama trekking” out of curiosity. Several options for this unique hiking adventure popped up— in Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.

Of the choices, I was drawn to Redwood Llamas based in Silverton, Colorado. First, they were located in a region of the US that looked intriguing, a mountainous land with jagged peaks and historic mining towns with jeep tours, ghost towns, hot springs and spectacular hiking.  And they offered an appealing variety of tour options for guided pack trips in the beautiful San Juan Mountains beginning in July. Groups were kept small, everything from gourmet meals to camping gear was provided (except sleeping bags), and a herd of endearing llamas carried it all. Sounded like a grand adventure to me!

I shared the info with my teen. Look, here’s a 5 day trip in the Rockies—we could hike with llamas on the Continental Divide in the high tundra with alpine lakes. Sound interesting? She didn’t miss a beat. “Al–paca my bags!” she said with a grin.

But were we really cut out for this trip? We were flatlanders, living at an elevation of 380 ft. If altitude sickness can strike at 8,000 ft, how would hiking in 10-13,000 ft mountains affect us? Could we keep up with the others? And what about wasps since July is peak wildflower season, and I’m highly allergic?

The owner/operator Bill Redwood promptly addressed my concerns with a personal phone call. His warm manner won me over. He gave me tips for acclimation, assured me wasps didn’t live at that elevation, and informed me that one of the 3 guides leading the Weminuche Wilderness trip was a nurse and another a First Responder. In his 30 years of guiding and operating llama pack trips, nobody had needed any medical attention. Great to know!

So we flew into Colorado Springs (6,035 ft) and spent a week gradually climbing higher, letting our bodies acclimate to higher elevations until we reached Silverton (9,318 ft) where we stayed a few days and tested our stamina with a strenuous hike to Ice Lake. Yes, we were READY!

The night before our journey began, we joined the other 5 participants at Bill Redwood’s home for an orientation meeting about our Weminuche Wilderness trip, and took home panniers to pack our tent, sleeping bag and personal gear. The next morning, Bill drove us out of town past the Old Hundred Gold Mine where guides were already loading the llamas at Cunningham Gulch.

The docile llamas inquisitively looked around, making odd little mewing noises as we congregated around while the guides weighed and balanced the panniers before loading them onto the saddles. Bill asked if anyone wanted to lead a llama. My daughter, Jordan, jumped at the chance. So he introduced her to 5 year old Zeus, a gentle white-and-brown llama with long lashes that welcomed her touch. The rest of the 12 llamas were tied together in groups of 3 for the guides to lead.  Soon…we were off!

Our hike today would take us up 1,200 ft past Highland Mary Lakes to a camp near Elk Creek. Llamas led the way with all our gear. I felt almost guilty carrying nothing but a lightweight day pack for my rain jacket, water and camera. Extra lenses and a back up camera were safely padded inside Zeus’ pannier. How liberating to travel so light!

On our first stream crossing (the biggest one on the whole trip) Jordan laughed at the antics of her llama. Instead of walking behind her, Zeus kept inching forward to walk beside her. And then our ascent began…

Llamas climb effortlessly in the mountains. A leathery pad under their two toed feet allows them to grip rocky surfaces and grassy slopes in challenging terrain. Bill Redwood breeds the top llama lines in the country and trains each llama for several years before they’re ready to work as pack animals.

But it had rained hard the night before. Some of the rocks were still wet and slippery. When our head guide, Mark, decided to take a short cut, not all the llamas were up for the alternate route. Carson simply sat in the rocky crevice and refused to budge until the weight of his saddle was lifted. 

While guides adjusted Carson’s load, we had some extra bonding time with the llamas. What a scenic little spot!

Before long we were back on the trail. The terrain varied from forest and dense willows to wide open spaces. After leading Zeus for a couple of hours, Jordan welcomed Sam’s offer to take him for awhile. The mountain was getting steeper…

I was secretly impressed how fast she’d been hiking to keep up with the guides and the llamas, as the rest of us lagged farther and farther behind. 

This time when we came to another rocky area, the llamas glided up without hesitation. Even Carson. We, on the other hand, clearly weren’t as agile.

After hiking 3.3 miles and climbing up 1,200 feet, we reached our lunch stop at Highland Mary Lakes. Llamas grazed on grasses while we devoured a wide assortment of deli meats and cheeses, tuna, PB & J, cherries, apples, raw veggies and oversized cookies from a Durango bakery.

The elevation here was 12,310 ft. And still, no headache! 🙂

Fellow hikers, Barb and Phil, sitting beside Highland Mary Lake were studying a flower book to help identify some species only seen in high tundra landscapes. Larkspur, Queen’s Crown, King’s Crown, Asters, Alpine Avens, yellow Sneeze Weed, Old Man of the Mountain, and Purple Elephant Heads were some of the wildflowers blooming in the tundra.

After lunch, it was time to hit the trail. This had been my favorite part of the day, having ample time to take in the tranquil beauty all around—especially the glistening gem of a lake nestled in the flowering meadow. And this was just the beginning of an epic journey with our woolly pals.

Mark led the way around Highland Mary Lakes. His 35-year-old daughter, Amber, followed behind with another four llamas. Sam brought up the rear with Carson, Zeus and Charlie Boy.

Jordan was close on their heels.

Within 20 minutes of passing us, they were waaay ahead of us walking along the ridge. Those llamas can MOVE!

And the rest of us weren’t slow! The llamas were simply hiking machines. Boy, could they go.

Looking back at Highland Mary Lakes

This part of the trail through open meadows in the high plateau is rated moderate for the gradual climbs. But we were still high in the sky. I was surprised to breathe so easily in the thin air which had 80% less oxygen than back home.

Crossing a meadow, we rounded another tundra lake. The velvety grass seemed a fitting match for its name, Verde Lake.

Gorgeous!!

We followed the llamas into a rocky valley, and disappeared into thick willows…

Guides pointed out the peaks of Arrow and Vestal Mountains in the distance. We were getting close to camp.

After being on the trail for five hours, we arrived. Clouds had threatened rain all day, but we’d been lucky so far.

Jordan led Zeus to a grazing area while others scattered to choose their tent sites.

Jen & Randy set up their tent on the scenic ridge overlooking Elk Creek. Our camp elevation was 11,500 feet.

We were a little slower to set up our tent, being rookies.

Camping with llamas…how cool is that?

Llamas are social creatures and like to be near each other. So the guides made sure they had plenty of grass for grazing and a companion or two.

After we set up our tents and congregated under the dining tarp, the winds blew and clouds let loose with a torrent of rain. Perfect timing! We stayed dry huddled together, getting to know each other while our guides prepared dinner in close quarters.  They soon brought us wine and appetizers—shrimp cocktail, pan-fried squid and tuna. Dinner was a delicious seaweed salad, grilled salmon, brown rice and quinoa with peach pie for dessert. Yum.

By 8pm, the rain had eased a bit. We took advantage of the break in weather, collectively said goodnight and headed to our tents. I wondered how I would fall asleep so early, being the night owl that I am.

But darkness descended and the physical activity of the day relaxed both our bodies and minds. Heavy rain returned, pelting the canvas. We piled on warm gloves, woolen hats, and another fleece layer and zipped into our sleeping bags. Lying there, talking about our day, the hypnotic sound of repeating raindrops made us drowsy, halting our responses.

It was the coldest night of the trip, partly due to dampness from the rain. I remember wondering how much colder it would feel camping at 12,600 feet as I drifted asleep.

Early to bed, early to rise. Our guides were already busy preparing a breakfast of scrambled eggs, bagels, fried potatoes and bacon by 7 o’clock.

Sipping hot coffee, we chatted about our first night. A couple people voiced being chilly until they put on an extra layer. But what awoke me, around 2am, was a headache from the altitude. Thankfully it was completely gone by morning. And my only headache of the trip.

Since this was a free day at our base camp, we were given choices. We could stay behind with the llamas or follow the guides on a day hike. Mark was open to suggestions as to how far we went as there were 9 alpine lakes to explore. We all chose to hike.

Jordan peeked on the llamas before we left camp through the willows.

Our destination today was Lost Lake. We followed the guides at a leisurely pace, taking time to appreciate the views. Dave from Colorado Springs was often spotted on the ground photographing wildflowers up close or capturing low-angled views.

We followed the path up over a mess of jumbled rocks to reach the top of Lost Lake.

Hiking poles came in handy. Most people on our trip used two poles. Jordan and I both found it more natural to use one. We found them especially helpful for balancing on stream crossings and ascents. Others found them more useful on descents as shock absorbers to protect their knees. Guides used none…but they did have llamas to pull them up!

What a unique hiking adventure!

 

Top views of Lost Lake in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan Mountains. (Side note: there are actually 3 different Lost Lakes in Colorado. Jordan and I had intended on hiking Lost Lake west of Buena Vista in preparation for this trip but Cottonwood Pass was closed.) 

After looping around Lost Lake we passed Verde Lake where we had distant views of our camp.

Barb & Phil wandered off to explore some grand vistas in the San Juan Mountains.

Closer view of the majestic Arrow (13,803 ft) & Vestal (13,864 ft) peaks.

Heading back home…

We waited to eat a late lunch back at camp around 2pm, and spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing or napping. Around 3pm, the winds picked up and thunder boomed in the distance.

Enjoying our view…

Dinner this evening was another fantastic meal–chicken marsala, fresh salad greens, warm bread, veggies, Malbec wine and apple crisp with whipped cream. The guides were always working hard, whether it was collecting and purifying our water, preparing our meals, packing and unpacking panniers or tending to the llamas. It was nice to see them take a much needed break after dinner.

Tonight was warmer with no rain. Just dramatic storm clouds that obstructed the stars. We slept peacefully without waking till morning. Tomorrow we would be breaking camp and heading to our next destination at Eldorado Lake on this unique hiking adventure.

Wonder what adventure awaits…

TIPS IF YOU GO on this unique hiking adventure:

Acclimating: Getting altitude sickness is a valid concern when you’re camping so high in the mountains. We followed the advice to gradually acclimate and drink plenty of water and it worked! I only had a headache the first night which disappeared by morning. General rule of thumb is to spend 24 hours in a place for every 1,000 ft elevation gain. Our camps were at 11,500 and 12,500 ft.

What we did to acclimate: At home we upped our workouts to include more aerobic activity (swimming laps, jogging, hiking up hills in our boots) and drank almost a gallon of water per day to start expanding our blood vessels. We flew into Colorado Springs at 6,035 ft and spent 3 nights allowing our bodies to adjust from our flat terrain of 380 ft in Indiana. We traveled west gradually going higher and higher, ending with 3 nights in Silverton (9,318 ft). Throughout our trip we took short day trips up to 10-12,000 ft elevations (tram to Monarch Crest and Jeep tours in Ouray) and hiked strenuous Ice Lake trail a couple days before our llama trek began to check our endurance (and see this amazing place).

Things to bring:  sunscreen (wear even on cloudy days), chapstick, hand sanitizer, peppermint soap/spray for bugs, pre-moistened biodegradable body and tush wipes, eye drops (for dry mountain air), headlamp or flashlight (keep near pillow), camp shoes, head scarf/bandana for bad hair days and keeping sun off neck, band-aids, Camelback-type water system with a large hole for refilling (drink more water than you want to keep headaches away), 1-2 hiking poles (handy for crossing streams/ascents & descents in rocky terrain). And a thin flannel pillowcase comes in handy—feels great on cold nights and keeps that extra fleece from unwrapping under your head during the night.

Clothing: hiked in lightweight shorts or hiking pants, tank, and layered up with short or long sleeved tops made from coolmax material, merino wool socks, ankle supporting hiking boots. Slept in fleece leggings, thick socks, long underwear, fleece sweater, down jacket, wool hat, fleece gloves, and a turtle neck scarf. We both loved the soft, cozy and warm zero degree sleeping bag. Kept me so toasty that lots of the fleece outerwear came off during the night.

Blisters: if you have one foot shorter than the other, or you find your heel slipping and causing blisters try this boot trick: take your boot laces out of the holes right at the level of your ankle, wrap them snugly around each other 3 times, then re-lace. Should look like a little weave when you’re done. (Check: Standing in your boots, keep your toe on the ground and try to lift your heel. You should have less movement in your heel.  Works like a charm!)

Photo tips: if you bring just one lens, a 24-70 might be the best choice. It is not easy to change lenses while hiking on the trail as you’re always on the go. Second choice would be an f/1.4 or f/2.8 lens for shooting the wildflowers. I was not prepared for the profusion of incredible flowers, and wish I’d brought my Lensbaby or macro lens to capture them. Bring a polarizer to bring out the clouds but be careful at that altitude to check for unnatural blues from ultraviolet rays. Bring a plastic slipcover for shooting in the rain, and oversized Ziploc bag to store your camera in your daypack during heavy rains.

Photo gear that I brought: Sony a9 camera, 16-35mm wide angle lens (used 80% of time), 85mm (landscapes, portraits of people/ llamas), Rokinon 14mm (stars and Milky Way), headlamp with red light to protect your eyes when shooting at night, polarizers, LED light, reflector, tripod. Also brought a Sony a99 camera with a 70-300mm lens but used it less than 10% of the time. The landscape shots I liked best with this lens were taken at 70mm. Not worth the bulk or weight, even when the llamas are carrying it!

Camera batteries: this is the biggest issue on a multi-day excursion without electricity. Before you go, figure out how long your batteries typically last on a busy shooting day. If you know your camera, you can simply bring the number of batteries that you’ll need. I used one battery per day (brought 6 total to allow for my excessive shooting, cold temps, and video). I also brought 2 portable chargers and tried them out of curiosity. Glad I didn’t need them because they only charged my batteries 47% and 18%.

Silverton: plan to spend some extra time here–not only because the high elevation of this town will help you acclimate to the altitude, but because it’s just a cool place. This was our favorite town during our 3 week stay!

Weminuche Wilderness is highly recommended!! But if you want to explore other places, Redwood Llamas has other guided trips in the San Juan Mountains from July to mid-September.