Dallying with Llamas: they carry your gear, leaving you footlose and free to get workout while soaking up spectacular scenery - venture out

Shape, Oct, 2003 by Maryann Hammers

I was supposedly leading Gus. But really, he could have been leading me as we made our way 800 feet down a switchback trail into the Rio Grande Gorge, a snowy wonderland in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers recreation area of northern New Mexico.

Pure pro, confident and agile, Gus--my llama--nimbly skipped over boulders and along slick paths on the crisp winter morning. I stumbled on uneven terrain and slid on icy patches while Gus, sweetheart that he was, never even blinked a big brown eye at my clumsiness.

I was on a llama trek with Stuart Wilde, director and head wilderness guide of Wild Earth Llama Adventures. Quite simply, the trek is a day hike or camping outing with--you guessed it--llamas, which carry the gear. That means we human trekkers are free to feel the crunch of earth underfoot, inhale the pines' sweet scent and take in the spectacular mountain scenery--gaping gorge, rushing river, snow-tipped peaks and impossibly blue sky--without being hampered by belongings: in my case, a day pack and water bottle (if you're on an overnight trek, the llama also will carry your sleeping bag and personal items).

Depending on which outfitter and trek you choose, outings range from an easy day hike of around four miles to longer, more strenuous hikes of up to 10 miles a day. You set the pace for the hike by leading the llamas the entire way. Most treks are not very steep and include a knowledgeable guide familiar with the local terrain who will point out interesting plants, geological formations and animal life along the trail and will likely prepare the meals, if any are included.

Not a ticket to ride

My group learned its first trekking lesson the minute we met our llamas at the trailhead. "You don't ride the llama," Wilde explained, as he handed out energy bars to sustain us on the long hike to the river. "You walk down the trail, leading the llama."

More than mere beasts of burden, llamas also are ideal hiking buddies. They're amiable, social and gentle, and have a natural agility and a sure-footedness akin to mountain goats'. They leave tracks and droppings similar to an elk's, which have little impact on fragile wilderness trails--making them role models for the "leave no trace" ethic.

Wilde explained that the animals are hierarchical, which means the "alpha," or chief, llama of the group naturally takes the head position. Azul--tall, stately and striking with one brown eye and one blue--was our group's leader. He occasionally stopped to check back and survey the line behind him, ensuring that his herd was following.

In return for carrying my load, Gus asked for little more than an occasional carrot (available from the guide) and juniper bark, snatched along the trail, plus a few strokes of his long, graceful neck. As we ambled along, he communicated with his fellow llamas by means of a low, whiny hum that sounded strangely "om"-like.

At one point he nuzzled up to another llama. Wilde rushed over to separate the two before they started necking in earnest. "When llamas get close to each other, they are not always being affectionate," he explained. They may actually be competing and harassing each other, he added. He also warned us that the llamas might spit, which is their way of disciplining one another.

Once at the Rio Grande, we let our llamas loose to graze (but not to drink--llamas are members of the camel family and get most of their water from plants). Afterward, Wilde took us on a short hike to show us nearly thousand-year-old petroglyphs etched on boulders. The amazingly well-preserved rock art depicted human figures, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes and rattlesnakes--all of which figured prominently in the lives of the ancient Anasazi, the original, indigenous people here.

Trailside gourmet guide

Later, we lounged around the shore and sipped hot tea, while Wilde--who spent four seasons as a chef at a tony Taos ski resort--prepared lunch. And what a feast it was: greens tossed with blue cheese, nuts, dried cranberries and raspberry vinaigrette; pasta salad; all the fixings for a turkey (or tofu turkey) sandwich; and cookies. As we savored our midday meal, I doubly appreciated Gus and the other llamas that had lugged all those groceries and cooking supplies to enhance our pleasure.

Stomachs full, we burned off the calories as we and our llamas retraced our route up the trail, the entire trip totaling about four miles. We were back at the trailhead in time for a group picture, framed by a flaming pink New Mexico sunset.

Details Wild Earth Llama Adventures, located near Taos, N.M., offers daylong and multiday treks in pristine wilderness areas of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Rio Grande Gorge. Cost is $75 per person for a day hike and $250 for an overnight trek. Additional days are $125 per person per day. Tents, tarp, gourmet meals and camping gear are included. Bring your own sleeping bag and pad, or rent them for $12.50 per night. For more information, call (800) 758-5262 or go to LlamaAdventures.com. Note: You are responsible for bringing your own day pack and water bottle, arranging lodging the night before the trek and getting to the trailhead.