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Grinning ear to ear about this one! Let the llamas do the work for you! They carry a good portion of your weight while you enjoy the journey. We rented *Krishna Temple Llamas. We did this last year and it was a total blast! They just make the trip more fun. Llama Guru named Vai teaches us basics on how to care for llamas on the trail. Easier than you think, plus they don't need food nor water packed away, they just eat and drink along the trail.
Itinerary:
Friday -
8:00 am Lehi Carpool
8:30 am Springville Carpool
9:00 am Krishna Temple Llama Training
10:00 -10:30 am load
11:30 am Heber City Park distribute gear to llama packs & Lunch at Dairy Keen
1:30 pm Trailhead
Dinner - make your own
Saturday
Breakfast on own
Backpack out other side of the loop back to trailhead
1:30 PM Head out
2:30 PM Lunch in Heber
5:30 PM Return Llamas
Home around 7:00 PM
DIRECTIONS: (need to have a truck with a 2" ball to pull llama trailer. A 3/4 ton or 250 truck is best)
1) Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork (801) 798-3559
Cost: Llama & Trailer Rental
- $150 larger trailer rental ($100 for small trailer rental)
- $150 for each pair of llamas
- $6 National Forest Fee or National Parks Pass
Activity: BACKPACKING ROUTE on Gaia app - 7.2 miles total over 2 days. Loop hike into Kamas Lake via the Lofty Lake Trail. All Trails Trip Report.
Llama Tips:
- Each llama can carry 60 lbs. We had 1 llama for 2-4 people (they come in groups of 2 llamas min)
- With a group of 15 women and 6 llamas we had each llama carry 16lb per person
- Call the day ahead to Vai (llama guru) +1 (801) 919-9933 to confirm time and rentals
- Heber City Park is a great place normally to stop for lunch and pack checks because llamas can stay in the shade
- Llamas hike slow. They averaged an hour per mile.
- If you get llamas early in the season (July) they may be more difficult to handle or lazy and sit down alot
- Llamas must be held on a lead AT ALL TIMES (like walking a large dog)
- Llamas were scared of water and bridges were a disaster. We just crossed small streams without the bridges. Do stream crossings with a long lead and walk to the SIDE of them so they don't trample you when they jump the stream.
- Dogs - Llamas hate them and will try and kick their heads. You have to have a person at the front of your group whose only job is to warn upcoming groups to take thier dogs off the trail while you pass.
- When camping, the llamas need to be tied up and able to see each other but far enough apart so they don't get tangled up in thier leads.
- You don't have to bring food or water for llamas as they eat and drink along the way.
Tips: - Bring a luggage scale for weighing bags and packs
- For larger groups, having a walkie talkie for the front and rear person helps alot with communication
- Bring water purifier. There is tons of water and then you can carry less. Our favorite: Katadyn BeFree 1.0L Water Filter
Gear:
Backpack (big enough to hold all gear with waist belt), sleeping bag (rated to 20 degrees), sleeping pad, tent, cooking stove and fuel, camping mess kit, hiking pants, thin synthetic pants (night), synthetic T-shirt, long sleeve synthetic top, long sleeve fleece, light waterproof jacket, medium down coat, thin gloves, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, 3-4 L water, 6-10 snacks, backpacking dinner/breakfast, first aid kit, wool socks, hiking boots or shoes, trekking poles (optional), water purifier (optional, route has enough lakes you don't need to carry much water if use water purification bottle), luggage scale
Picking up Llamas
Hiking to Lofty Lake
Camping with Llamas
Handsome Guys