A Comprehensive Guide to Packing

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Contents

Forward...... 5 1. About the ...... 7 2. Llama Handling ...... 9 3. Llama LNT ...... 13 4. Prior to Trailhead ...... 14 5. At the Trailhead ...... 19 6. On the Trail ...... 27 7. At Camp ...... 33 8. Llama 1st Aid ...... 37 9. Troubleshooting ...... 38 10. Frequently Asked Questions ...... 40 Rules and Regulations Cheat Sheet ...... 41

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Forward

Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas is a family-owned and operated business, founded in 2010 in Eastern Idaho. Founder, Beau Baty, grew up on a and ranch in the Wellsville Mountain Range of Utah, so animal husbandry and a love of the backcountry is in his blood. He was first introduced to llamas in 2006 while serving a 2-year LDS mission in Argentina. There his passion for llamas grew, and the journey towards building a life around llamas began. For Co-Owner, Kirstin Baty, llamas became a part of her life when she married Beau. Upon getting married, Beau and Kirstin threw their life saving into travelling around North America to buy the best working llamas in the country. Through years of hard work, training and selective breeding, Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas has the largest, most genetically diverse herd of working llamas in North America, and maybe the world. Thanks to WRTL’s hard work and determination, the working llama breed has been revived and these amazing animals can be enjoyed by generations to come.

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1 About the Llamas

The llamas you are working with are referred to as Ccara Llamas (also known as the Classica Llama, or Working Llama). It has taken us the better part of 10 years to discover what the Inca had in mind when they selected the Ccara llama as their best of burden. 6,000 years ago the Ccara llama was a symbol of privilege and power. Though other breeds were of great importance to their culture and survival, it was the Ccara llama that was bred for working. They were expected to carry 45 kilos (99 pounds) for many days in a row over some of the most remote and changing elevation profile terrain in the world. These working llamas were so important to the Inca society, that when the Spanish invaded, they tactically killed off nearly all of the Inca’s working llamas, causing the demise of the Incan civilization. Even today, the Ccara llama is near extinction in both South and North America, but we are working hard to revive the breed. Our Ccara llamas work here in the US every season for 120-150 days each year. We expect them to carry loads of 70-80 pounds for 6-12 miles each day of work. The truth is that you can get most llamas (meaning other breeds of llamas) trained to pack, and that you can get most llamas to carry 60 pounds up to 12 miles in one day if conditioned properly. The hard truth is that most llamas that can do this could not repeat this a second day in a row, or a third day or a fourth day in a row, let alone 120 days a season with a heavy pack. The Inca knew this and appreciated the capabilities of the Ccara llama. We have taken lessons from their thousands of years of breeding working llamas and try to emulate that in our program. Nowhere in North America are pack llamas being worked and tested like they are at Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas. Our team of llamas will all mark up to 700 miles each season with better than half of our llamas hitting 1000 miles each season.

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Why llamas? and have dominated the packing world for decades, however, llamas are becoming more popular due to a variety of reasons. Unlike horses, llamas’ feet have a pad similar to that of a dog, and a split toe that allows for larger surface area and gripping ability. When it comes to rocky, steep, and tough to navigate terrain llamas excel where some pack stock might fall short. As an added bonus, llamas’ feet make significantly less impact than the hard hooves of a horse or (1 horse will leave about as much impact on a trail as 18 llamas). If you’ve ever had the pleasure of hiking behind horses after muddy conditions, you can understand the importance of this decreased impact. Although llamas can’t carry as much weight as horses, since they are walked rather than ridden, you only need one llama per person, which also helps cut down on impact. Additionally, they are smaller than horses and thus they eat and drink much less in comparison. The gentle, dignified demeanor of llamas is just icing on the cake. Many say that llamas have a personality similar to a dog, and they often do great with children. They are more than just beasts of burden- their unique, endearing personalities make them great trail companions that are loved by many.

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2 Llama Handling

1. Approaching your llama You should approach your llama like you approach a human. Be vocal as you approach, and have a friendly but confident demeanor. It would be strange if someone you haven’t met walks up to you in complete silence, looking scared. Same goes for llamas! Being vocal as you approach makes the llama aware of your presence and having a confident but friendly demeanor makes the llama more comfortable. Llamas have what can be described as a ‘comfort bubble’. If you’re standing around 30+ feet out from a llama, they don’t really care too much. A llama is most uncomfortable when you’re standing about 10-15 feet from them, since you’re in their space and they’re unsure of what you’re doing. Llamas are most at ease when you’re standing right next to them. Again, like interacting with another human, it’s more comfortable to have a conversation when you’re standing next to each other rather than standing 10 feet off.

Left: Llamas feel the least comfortable when you’re standing ~10 feet away. They aren’t quite sure what you’re up to and are a little uneasy at this distance. Right: Once you move within touching distance, they’re way more comfortable.

Approaching a llama the right way really comes down to one concept: don’t be awkward!

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2. Getting to know your llama Llamas sincerely enjoy being in the company of humans. They are very interested and will investigate their surroundings. However, most llamas do not like to be handled excessively. Resist the temptation to hold and hug them like you would a dog or cat. They usually don’t mind if you stroke them on their neck. Their necks and backs are their least sensitive spots when it comes to touching or petting. Make sure to use a flat hand when touching a llama, as a clawed hand comes off as predatory. Some of their MOST sensitive spots are the legs and face. Some tolerate touching better and in more places than others do. They are individuals so each will act a little differently, and it is important that you get to know your llama.

Avoid touching your llama’s feet and head. Though there are Left: A clawed hand comes off as predatory. Right: Petting with a exceptions, most llamas aren’t a fan of this. If you’re going to flat hand is much more comfortable for the llama. pet your llama, go for the neck or .

3. Llama behaviors

The llama on the left is happy, relaxed, and at ease. The llama on the right may be a agitated or annoyed. Reading a llama’s behavior is all in the ears. An at-ease llama will have his ears forward and upright, whereas a llama with his ears back is saying, “cut it out!”.

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Spitting: The first question most people will ask is, “Do llamas spit?”. Llamas do indeed spit, but 99% of the time they spit at each other, not humans. Their spit is not harmful, just smelly. A sign they are getting close to a spitting episode is when they put their noses way up in the air and their ears are back. So, this is your warning, that “hey, that llama is going to spit at the other llama- lookout!!” Llamas have varying degrees of spit. They can just spit air, which equals a mild irritation of some sort. If they happen to be eating, they may spit what is in their mouth at the time. This can include pellets, corn, hay, grass, water, etc.

This poor llama got spit at by one of his fellow trailer-mates.

The last form of spit is regurgitated cud brought up from their first stomach compartment. This means they are extremely peeved! When this one happens you will know it. It’s green and has a foul odor, partially due to the stomach acid that comes up. This final spit causes them to become slack-jawed for about 15 minutes. Don’t be alarmed, that is totally normal. (Llamas also sneeze. It sounds like they are spitting, but after they sneeze they will have a look on their face for a second Butch here got a little too rowdy while waiting to cross a river. saying, “what just happened?”) Slack-jaw won’t stop him from trying to snack though! Snorting: This may happen (especially from males) when they see something strange on the trail or if they see another llama. Don’t panic if your llama(s) starts snorting. We suggest you take your llama off the trail and let whatever it is (horse, other llamas, goats etc) pass by. If you see horses or a string of pack mules approaching, do your best to warn them that you have llamas. Some horses are comfortable with llamas, but many are not and may throw the rider. After warning the on-coming horse rider, take the llamas off the trail, preferably by going below the grade of the trail by 30-40 feet (if you are able, and it is safe to do so). Humming: Some llamas will make a humming sound. Although we don’t know exactly what they are “saying”, we have a good idea of what they are feeling. Their tone can range from what seems like curiosity through anxiety. On some occasions it seems like they may be answering you. Sometimes it is just a reaction to being in a strange place away from home. Most of the time, you will hear humming from your llama if he is separated from his llama buddies. Llamas are herd animals, so they like safety in numbers (at least one other llama). If you and your trail mates get separated, catch up or wait up and your llama will be happier! He is most likely just talking when humming. We haven’t noticed this to be a serious distress signal.

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Alarm Calling: Sometimes a llama will let out what is called an alarm call. Often times it happens when they see wildlife, especially if they’ve never seen a particular type of animal before, and/or if they see something that they think means to harm them and the other llamas. It is a difficult thing to describe in writing, but is a high-pitched noise almost like a horse whinny. Then little snorts/barks happen at the end as it dies off to nothing. Don’t worry, you will know it if you hear it. Usually this happens when they are staked at the campsite. Always check to see what the problem is. Even in the middle of the night, if a llama alarm calls more than once, you should get up and check to see what the problem is-even if you don’t feel like it. Wagging: Unlike dogs, when llamas wag their tails it means they are irritated about something. This is usually the first thing they will do to show that they are not happy about something that is happening. Kicking: Llamas seldom kick, and because of their padded feet, it is not a serious threat like a horse kick. It is another sign of irritation. Usually if llamas kick they are trying to get a fly off their legs, or maybe the cinch is pinching their wool. Sometimes very light touches or pets will feel like a fly, causing the llama to kick. They don’t kick AT you and most likely won’t do it at all. Kushing: This is the llama word for lying down with the legs tucked up underneath. They will usually do this to relax in camp. Sometimes it’s a sign that something is bothering them. They will kush if a horsefly or bee is bothering them around their legs and belly. If a llama kushes for no apparent reason, there may be a problem with the pack or any number of things. Please refer to the Troubleshooting chapter for more information.

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3 Llama LNT

Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas requires that you adhere to the “Leave No ” principles. By following these guidelines, you can help to minimize our impact and preserve our public lands for generations to come. Just by choosing to pack with llamas, you are already on the right track to minimizing impact. Rather than hooves, llamas have a leather pad similar to that of a dog. It would take about 18 llamas to produce the same amount of impact on a trail as one horse. Llamas are also smaller than horses on average, and thus they eat and drink much less in comparison.

At the Trailhead On the Trail At Camp

• Place all llama fiber back in • Kick poop piles while hiking • Kick poop piles or spread the trailer prior to leaving the to scatter and lessen visual poop with rake trailhead impact • Pack out llama fiber • Shovel any poop into trailer as • Avoid letting llamas urinate or • Prevent overgrazing by well defecate in the water • Stake out llamas instead of • Be respectful of others by not • Stay on trail! Walk through hitching to trees taking over the entire corral mud or water, and/or short- • Be out of visual impact zone space if necessary of other hikers • Hay fibers from feed should • Avoid hitching to trees- drop also go back in the trailer and clip to both bags instead. Hitching stock to trees in Yellowstone NP is only permitted if no damage is done to the tree

*These guidelines may differ from area to area. Always check rules/regulations for your area prior to heading into the field!*

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4 Prior to Trailhead

1. Equipment and truck checklist for llama shuttles 2. Driver checklist for llama shuttles 3. Catching To catch a llama in a large area, use a long length of rope stretched out between two people to corral the llamas into a smaller space. In a smaller area, a llama can be caught by outstretching your arms into a “T”, and gradually working the llama into a corner.

To catch a llama in a large area, use a piece of outstretched rope (bear hang works great). With the rope outstretched, gradually corral the llamas into a smaller area.

If you don’t have a second person to help catch with, you can tie one In a smaller area, catching a llama can be done with your arms end of the rope to something (trees work great). outstretched in a “T”. Corral the llama until you can get a hand on his neck. The llamas will most likely try and avoid you, so it’s important to anticipate where they’re going so that you can move first.

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4. Haltering Situate yourself on the left side, or handler’s side, of the llama. Have the ready by holding in your left hand, as pictured below. Bring your right hand behind the llama’s neck, and place it on the right side of llama’s head. Gently guide the llama’s head into the halter by using the command, “Nose”. This may be tricky if the llama isn’t too keen on getting his halter on, so be patient and try not to get frustrated with the llama, as this will only make it harder. Once you’ve gotten the halter in place, secure the buckle with the proper tightness (not too tight, but not slack).

Grab a halter with a lead attached. Hold the halter in your left hand so that it stays open and is oriented correctly (photo 1). While using the command, “nose”, guide the llama’s nose into the halter using your right hand high up on the llama’s neck. This will usually be tricky because you’ll be messing with the llama’s face, but don’t get discouraged. Staying calm and patient will make the job a lot easier on both of you. Once you have the halter in position, secure the strap around the back of the llama’s head, just behind the ears (photos 2 and 3). The halter should be snug, but not tight (photo 4).

* should NEVER come off in the field. *

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5. Trailering Use the lead to bring your llama over to the back of the trailer. Step into the trailer before the llama, and using the command, “Step up”, give a gentle tug on the lead to get the llama to step into the trailer. Once in the trailer, bring the llama to the front corner to make room for the next one, and remove lead by unclipping -snap from halter. It’s important to be very aware of your surrounding while in the trailer, especially once it’s getting full. Monitor the trailer door while trailering llamas, and make sure to secure it closed whenever llamas aren’t being loaded/unloaded. 6. Packing panniers Guidelines: Panniers should weigh NO MORE than 40 lbs each, for a total of 80 lbs per llama. Panniers should be balanced, meaning that there shouldn’t be more than a 1 lb difference in weight between the two. Ideally, the two panniers should be exactly the same weight. Packing: We provide two sizes of panniers: jumbo (no side pockets), and standard (has side pockets). Jumbo panniers are best used for bulky, lighter items, such as sleeping gear. Denser items, such as food/coolers are best packed in the regular panniers. When packing, be cognizant of protruding objects on the side of the that will rest against the llama. A carelessly packed pannier can be uncomfortable for the llama, which may result in having to repack mid-hike. Important items, such as first aid kits, water, snacks, etc., should either be kept in your daypack, or in an accessible, marked location, such as in the side pockets. Keeping a professional image on the trail is important to WRTL. When you finish filling a pannier, please take care in closing it up neatly by folding under excess fabric on the top cover and tucking in loose strap ends.

Let’s say you want to pack a cooler...

Begin by placing the cooler in the pannier, making sure that it’s centered. If it’s sitting on the back panel of the pannier, it won’t rest well against the llama. If you lift the pannier up before closing it up, it should even out and sit nicely in the bottom footprint. Pay close attention to keeping the back panel smooth, as this will be resting against the llama’s side. For example, if you packed your cooler with the handle on the llama side of the pannier, it will likely cause discomfort.

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Once the contents of your pannier are all packed up, pull the drawstring tight. *This is a good time to weigh your pannier preliminarily. You’ll likely need to adjust the weight a little to match it’s pair, so before you close the entire pannier up, try to get the weights all set*

Next, if you’ve got extra fabric, roll it up. Then buckle the center strap and tighten it up.

Lastly, flip the lid over. If your pannier isn’t too full, there will be some extra fabric on the lid that’ll bunch up when you go to buckle the last straps. To avoid this, fold the extra fabric before buckling. Buckle the 2 straps, tighten out the slack, and tuck the tail ends of the straps.

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Weighing: To weigh the panniers, hook the luggage scale on the pannier handle and lift the pannier off the ground SLOWLY. If you lift the pannier off the ground too quickly the piece that records the weight will bounce, recording an inaccurately high measurement. Be sure to use the same scale for both panniers in a set in case the different scales are not calibrated. Saving smaller items in the side Slowly lift the pannier off the ground, and then gently lower it back down. The weight of the pannier is recorded by the top of the black piece, indicated by the orange arrow. pockets is a good way to fine-tune pannier weights. If things look unbalanced in the field, you can also add rocks to balance the weight out.

As you weigh out your panniers, make sure to mark matching pairs as you go. Have a roll of tape handy while you’re packing so that you can mark pairs. Some people like to number their pannier pairs, others like to label them by their weight. Color dot stickers are also a good option. You can label however you choose, as long as you and the rest of your party know how things are marked.

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5 At the Trailhead

1. The llama talk *This section mainly applies to commercial outfitters, but may also be useful to renters if individuals in their party did not attend a crash course or need a refresher*

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2. Unloading llamas Step 1: Grab a lead and step into the trailer. Step 2: Attach the end of the lead with the bull-snap to the ring on the halter, under the llama’s chin. Step 3: Lead the llama out of the trailer, keeping yourself in front. Use the command, “step down”, here. It’s good to have a buddy keep an eye on the trailer door to make sure the others don’t get out, or close the door in between unloading each llama.

3. Hitching After you bring each llama out, hitch it to a spot on the trailer (see picture). Bring the end of the lead around a secure part of the trailer and clip the carabiner back onto the lead. If a llama is being finicky, you can shorten the lead by fastening the carabiner to the loop on the halter under the llama’s chin. If it’s still not short enough to restrain a fired up llama, make a couple more wraps around the piece of trailer you’re hitching to shorten the lead further.

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There are multiple different ways to hitch your llama. Usually you’ll be using the normal type of hitch. If your llama is rowdy, tight hitching him may be a good option. This is especially useful when brushing/saddling. Keep in mind that you won’t always have a trailer to hitch to, so you may have to look to tree for hitching. Choose a living tree that’s thicker than your forearm, or a downed tree that’s thicker than your waist.

4. Saddling *Always from the llama’s left side, or ‘working side’. Being consistent with this helps the llama know what to expect, making the whole process less stressful for everyone involved* Step 1: Brush your llama. Brushing helps remove debris that may cause irritation underneath the llama’s saddle. Use short firm strokes along the area where the saddle will be placed. You can also pick out larger pieces of debris with your fingers. After brushing, use your fingers to double check for anything that may cause discomfort underneath the A well-saddled llama. Each buckle is labeled with corresponding number. saddle. Llamas are individuals, and some tolerate brushing better than others. If your llama really hates the brush, you can use your fingers to comb through

20 and pick debris out, as long as you’re thorough. Remember to throw all llama fiber back into the trailer when brushing! Step 2: Apply fly spray if necessary. The use of fly spray is banned in Yellowstone National Park. Step 3: Place the wool blanket webbing side up on the llama’s back. You should be able to draw a straight line from the webbing down the llama’s front legs. The center of the blanket forms a little ridge, which should be aligned with the llama’s spine. This is best seen from the back. This ridge is not only helpful for aligning the blanket, but it all helps protect the llama’s spine.

Step 4: Slide the ends of the saddle boards with the letters underneath the slots in the webbing on the blanket until the front horns are flush with the webbing.

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Step 5: Pass the chest strap (Strap #1) around the front of the llama’s neck and buckle. The main purpose of this strap is to keep the saddle from sliding backward, and does not need to be extremely tight, but should not be slack.

Step 6: Next, pass Strap #2 underneath the llama, behind it’s front legs. This strap should be tight (2 fingers should fit tightly under the buckle).

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Step 7: Pass Strap #3 under the llama’s belly. The padded part of this strap should hit the hairless area slightly aft of the llama’s ribcage, but not so far back that the strap is on top of the llama’s genitals. This strap prevents the saddle from sliding forward, and should slightly looser than Strap #2 (about 4-finger tightness).

Step 8: Lastly, secure the strap (Strap #4). This is the front-most strap that runs along the chest plate, attaching at the buckle between the front legs. Make sure that this strap is centered along the llama’s chest bone! If it’s not centered, you may need to adjust the length of Strap #2 to get the buckle for Strap #4 centered.

* When unsaddling, the straps should come off in reverse order. *

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* Please take care of the blankets! Please fold them webbing side out before placing on the ground so that the side that’s in contact with the llama stays clean and free of irritating debris. * * Llamas will often inflate their bellies a little bit while being saddled. We recommend retightening each saddle before beginning to throw panniers. *

5. Throwing panniers Steps 1-2: Before beginning, make sure the wide black webbing is buckled, forming loops (in person’s hand in Step 1 photo). Have a buddy lift the pannier high enough for you to hook these loops over the opposite horns. Once on the horns, tighten up the loops while your partner is still supporting the pannier.

Steps 3-5: These steps are essentially the same as Steps 1 and 2. When you tighten the loops on the second pannier, make sure to get them equal to the loops on the first pannier, otherwise the panniers may end up uneven.

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Steps 6-7: Once both panniers are on, grab the long strap coming from the center of each pannier. Pass the straps to the opposite side and buckle to the opposite pannier.

Often times you’ll want to bring along things like trekking poles, bear fences, tables, or shovels, which don’t fit in the panniers too well. To pack longer items such as these, we recommend top-loading.

To top-load an item, place it so that it rests between the horns on the saddle. The long straps that fasten on opposite sides are then used to secure the item. For skinnier items, such as the shovel on the left, we recommend wrapping the strap all the way around the item to hold it in place, otherwise, the straps won’t serve much of a purpose. For thicker items, such as the table on the right, the straps won’t be long enough, so we recommend threading one or both through a handle or something similar to help keep the item in place. When top-loading, make sure to check that the item won’t hit the llama’s neck or back!

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6. Handling onlookers More often than not, the sight of llamas at a trailhead will draw the attention of people in the area, particularly in busy national parks such as Yellowstone. If curious people walk up to your group, it’s best to start by answering their questions before they walk directly up to the llamas. This allows you to explain the proper way to approach and interact with them. Rather than having them approach the whole group of llamas hitched llamas, grab one with the calmest demeanor and bring the llama to them. This lets you be more in control of the situation and is generally more comfortable for both the llamas and the people.

7. Llama LNT Stock space: Stock space is often limited at trailheads, so it’s important that when you arrive you don’t take over the whole area, but rather be respectful and leave space for other users. Fiber: When brushing llamas prior to saddling, fiber should go directly from the brush back into the trailer. Before departing, do a once-over to make sure that any that may have fallen on the ground is put in the trailer. Feed: Llamas can be messy eaters, so make sure to gather up any leftover pieces of llama cookie and hay particles and put them in the trailer. Waste: If llamas happen to poop while hitched at the trailhead, make sure to shovel it back in the trailer before hitting the trail.

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6 On the Trail

1. The first ½ mile... The first half mile of a hike will often be the time when llama issues make themselves known. that haven’t been tightened correctly will start to slide, poorly balanced panniers will start to get off-centered, and the personalities of your llamas will start to become more obvious. Certain llamas are used to being in the lead, whereas some like to hold up the back. Some llamas get along better than others, and sometimes need to be strung accordingly. Keep in mind that sometimes llamas can just be excited or antsy to hike after being in a trailer all morning, and will often calm down as you hike further. During this first bit of hiking, pay special attention to the details so that you can catch issues early on. Taking the time to fix things and rearrange your string order now will make for a much smoother trip in the long run!

2. Stringing llamas Each llama should have a 7’ lead attached to their halters. To string llamas together, grab the carabiner at the end of the trailing llama’s lead, and then locate the brass clasp attached to the white and black bungee at the back of the leading llama’s saddle, and clip the carabiner to the brass piece and lock the carabiner.

The brass clasp is designed as a quick release in case llamas need to be disconnected in a hurry. The bungee that the brass clasp is attached to is rated to break at 1000 lbs of force, and will snap in the event of an accident in order to prevent injuries.

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With the right mix of llamas, an experienced llama wrangler can string over 15 llamas together and have it work. For the purpose of renting llamas or packing llamas commercially, we request that you string no more than 5 llamas together at a time.

When stringing llamas, or just walking with llamas in general, communication is very important. Llamas spread the group out and will add to the noise to hiking, so you need to make sure to speak loudly and clearly to your peers or co-guides. If you are having trouble with your llama, make sure to speak up so that you can figure out issues together. If you are leading a string, make sure to look behind you every now and again to make sure your group is still together. Before technical portions of trail (i.e. stream crossings, steep switchbacks, etc.), stop and make a plan with your group before proceeding.

3. Walking with llamas Holding the lead: It is very important to hold the lead as instructed to prevent injury. We hold a bight of the lead so that if a llama spooks, the lead will slip out of your hand without snagging or without the carabiner causing injury. Holding the lead as a single strand is okay, but if a llama spooks, you could get rope burn or the carabiner at the end could injury your hand. NEVER clip the carabiner to your belt loop or backpack. NEVER wrap the lead NEVER clip the carabiner to yourself, wrap the lead around your hand, or use the carabiner like a around your hand. handle. This could result in serious injury. The BEST way to hold the lead is shown here in the first picture. Holding a single strand is okay, but the carabiner must be LOCKED so that the gate can’t open up, causing your hand to get hooked by the carabiner if a llama spooks.

Walking on trail: It is important to keep a llama from walking off-trail so that we don’t cause unnecessary impact to our environment. This is particularly important in sensitive areas, such as the high alpine or in the

28 desert. If a llama walks off trail, turn around and grab the lead closer to his chin and correct by moving him back on trail. You can use the command “on trail llama” here. If a llama is walking on your heels and trying to pass you, you can throw a hand up in the llama’s face. Do this is a swatting fashion- if you keep your hand up for a while the llama will likely get used to it being there, rendering the technique useless. If your llama is walking slowly and you feel like you’re dragging it along, you can jerk or pull the lead in a jigging motion (short gentle pulls), which will coax the llama to walk forward, rather than causing the llama to instinctually pull back. If he is still not wanting to go forward, maybe he needs a break! Throwing a hand up in the llama’s face in a swatting motion will 4. Physical limits of llamas help keep him from stepping on your heals. If saddled and weighted properly, a llama can cover around 12 miles per day without issues. However, just like us, llamas need adequate time to rest in order to hike that far with weight. We recommend giving your llamas 30 seconds of break time for every 30 vertical feet climbed, or 1/2 mile walked if the terrain is flat. Remember, they are walking the same trail as you are, with the added task of carrying weight, so be considerate and don’t push them harder than you’d want to be pushed! Another thing to consider is that llamas balance 67-70% of their body weight on their front legs. This makes steep descents particularly taxing for llamas, especially with a heavy pack on. Because of this you should always give each llama a little break after steep descents. Since llamas are individuals, some might have a higher threshold for physical activity than others. It’s important to look for signs of exhaustion in your llamas while on the trail. Signs of exhaustion include mouth breathing, stubbornness towards continuing to walk, or lying down on the trail. If you notice these things, your llama definitely needs a good break. Take the opportunity to take a longer group break- drop packs, eat some snacks, and relax a bit so that your llamas can recuperate. Any time you break for longer than ~15 minutes, you should drop panniers as well. Essentially, if you are having a rest and taking your pack off, the llamas should get their packs off too. During breaks, you can hitch llamas to trees that are thicker than your forearm, or to downed trees that are bigger than your waist. Another option is to anchor your llama to their set of panniers by attaching the carabiner to both pannier handles. Make sure you’re not securing them in an area with lots of poisonous plants, and check regulations prior to your trip to make sure hitching to trees is allowed (in Yellowstone NP, for example, hitching stock to trees for extended periods of time is illegal).

5. Things to watch out for Terrain: Even with their soft pads and 2 toes, steep, rocky terrain is difficult for llamas, and some section may not be doable in a safe manner. The rule of thumb for hiking llamas over steeper terrain is that if you need to use your hands in any way to get through a section of trail, that section is not safely passable with 29 llamas. When ascending or descending steep/loose/rocky terrain with llamas, make sure leave around 15- 20’ of room between hiker/llama pairs. If things are doable, but particularly dicey, we recommend shuttling the llamas one by one through the tricky section. When leading your llama through technical terrain, be very aware of how your llama is moving behind you, and anticipate things like llamas jumping- if they move past you or jump they or their panniers could knock you over. Also be cognizant of soft or muddy terrain, where post-holing is possible. If a llama’s foot sinks into muck too deep it could cause them to get stuck, fall over, or even break a leg, so recognizing and avoiding this type of terrain is very important. Deadfall: Llamas are pretty good at jumping over obstacles, but you still want to be very careful when it comes to leading llamas through deadfall. A tree or two downed at knee height across a trail is usually no big deal, but when there’s a pile of deadfall in your way, or a tree is too high for a llama to get over, you’ll have to look for another way around. Be aware of your llama’s panniers- so that you don’t get hit as they’re jumping over things, and so that you can readjust/flip them if necessary. Water Crossings: Stop and make a plan before every water crossing. Small creeks and riffles that are ankle- deep or less are usually no big deal, but make sure that everyone in the group is comfortable with the crossing before proceeding. Crossings that are knee- to waist-deep need to be approached differently. Assess how strong the current is, and what the best path across will be. Choose to travel through shallower, slower water whenever possible. Crossing with a string of 2-4 is okay if you feel comfortable as the handler, but if there is any hesitation, cross each llama one at a time. If you do decide to string them up for a crossing, cross at a slow, steady pace so that the llamas in the back don’t get jerked forward by the ones in the front. When going one at a time, make sure each gets across safely before proceeding with the next. You should avoid crossing any river that would be deep enough to get the panniers wet, as it could put your group and your llamas in danger. When crossing narrower streams or creeks, llamas will sometimes jump or hop to avoid getting their feet wet, so be aware of this so that you don’t get knocked over. Holding their lead closer to their chin and keeping their head lower will also help prevent them from jumping. Another quirky thing about llamas, is their preference to go to the bathroom in the water. This tendency is thought to be a survival strategy, since their waste and scent will be carried away in the water. Of course, this isn’t the best when it comes to keeping our water resources clean, so as you come upon a water crossing, anticipate that the llama will want to use the bathroom and try and be expedient. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do- once it starts you’ve got to let the llama do his thing. A lot of times this sets of a chain reaction, so the more llamas you can get across without a potty break, the better!

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Wildlife: Llamas are very in tune with their surroundings, and will often key into wildlife before we even notice it. Some llamas are fine with most wildlife, but others can be a bit more jumpy. If you don’t know your llama well yet, be prepared for the latter. If you’re walking along and you feel your llama’s lead pull up, look behind you to see what he’s looking at. If he seems something, be ready to short lead him. Often times a llama will let out an “alarm call”, which will be very distinct. You will know it when you hear it. If a llama gets spooked, you can bring him around in a circle to keep him from thrashing and getting free, BUT, when it comes down to safety, your safety is more important, and letting go of the lead is okay! A loose llama is a safe llama, and it’s better to avoid injury to both you and the llama than to try and keep hold of the lead. Other Trail Users: Many trails are open to dogs, horses, mules, and llamas alike, however, sometimes they don’t mix very well. It is up to us to be looking ahead while hiking so that we can spot other stock groups or people with dogs before it becomes an issue. Horses have right of way over llamas. Most horses have never seen a llama, and may spook, potentially causing themselves or their rider injury. Communication is the best course of action when it comes to most right of way situations. If you spot a group of horse- or mule-packers on the trail, the best thing to do is to tell your group to hold tight while you run up to talk to the other group. That way you can make a plan together. Either have your group step off the trail, or the horse- packers step off the trail. Communicate with the other group about when it’s clear to proceed, and then either bring your llamas past, or proceed to the trail once the other group is a safe distance down the trail. The process is similar if you see a group with a dog. The earlier you can start communicating, the better, so that you can give the person time to restrain their dog, if not already on leash. Poisonous Plants: Lupine, Larkspur, and Cow Parsnip are the most common plants that you need to watch out for. These are poisonous to llamas, and if eaten in high quantities, can be deadly. It is very important that you are confident in identifying these plants when hiking with llamas!

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6. LNT Mud: Llamas hate the feeling of mud squishing between their toes. If you come across a muddy section of trail, they may try to go off-trail and skirt around it. Try your best to prevent them from doing this. Potty Breaks: When a llama takes a potty break, make sure to scatter any poop piles with your boot or a hand rake. This allows for vegetation to grow through. Fiber: You will have to brush your llamas out every time you saddle them. Please pack this out in a plastic bag instead of leaving it! Hitching: If you have to hitch your llama to a tree, make sure it’s thicker than your wrist, and don’t leave them hitched for too long (it will wear down the bark and damage the tree). Make sure to check specific hitching regulations for the area you plan to be in before heading out.

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7 At Camp

1. Choosing a site Make sure you know the rules on backcountry camping before heading into an area. Some areas, such as Yellowstone National Park, require users to reserve backcountry campsites, and place restrictions on which sites allow stock. This info is often searchable online, included on the backs of trail maps, or available via park or district rangers. When it comes to dispersed camping, sites are first-come first- serve, and choosing a good site is up to the user. What makes a good site? A good site will provide enough flat/soft/even ground for the number of tents in your group, will be 100-200 feet from trails and bodies of water (specific distances depends on area- check with rangers!), and in bear country, will have a good area for cooking/food storage that’s at least 200 feet from your tent area. It’s best to use impacted sites, however, many of these are technically “illegal” (i.e., too close to trail and water), and rangers have stated that you should impact a new site when you have the choice. Llama campsite guidelines:

• Enough space for about a 20-foot radius per llama • Toxic plants sparse to non-existent • Minimal things for llamas to get tangled on (i.e. trees, shrubs, deadfall) • Area not too scabby (there’s enough vegetation for each llama to munch on) • Avoid marshy, muddy areas (llamas aren’t the biggest fan of muck) • Avoid sensitive vegetation, such as high alpine vegetation or desert crust • Must be 100-200 feet from water (again, check with rangers) *It’s okay to camp amongst the llamas! Sometimes this is even preferable, since they are good wildlife deterrents, and you will be able to hear any llama issues better. Just make sure they can’t step on the tents! *Some llamas like to be in certain spots. Younger or less experienced llamas will often not like being put on the edge of the group. You may see a llama pacing, or hear them humming excessively. If that’s the case, try switching them to the middle of the group where they feel safer. Again, this comes down to individual llama personalities, and you will learn more about each llama as you go!

2. Staking out the llamas Each llama will come with one stake with a 10-foot lead attached to it. You should never need to disconnect these. When it comes time to attach your llama to their stake, you’ll keep their lead on, and attach the carabiner on their lead to the brass loop on the on connected to the stake. This makes for an 18-foot radius that the llama will be able to walk. Don’t forget to lock the carabiner! Keep this radius

33 in mind when setting the stakes- it’s very important that the llamas can’t get to each other when they’re staked out, otherwise fighting may occur. Stakes can be pounded into the ground with a hammer or a rock. The round cap on the top of the stake should lie flush with the ground. Double-check to make sure your stakes are far enough apart by walking each llama in a circle.

3. Food and water Food: Llamas will eat up to 6.5 lbs of grass/vegetation per day. Some campsites will allow for this, but many do not, so we bring llama cookies in with us. The llama cookies are essentially a compressed blend of grains/grasses that contain the right amounts of protein/fat/fiber/nutrients, and they serve as supplemental feed what the llamas are already eating in the backcountry. The recommended amount to bring is 1 pound of cookies per llama, per day. Feed should always be weed-free certified, and the feed info should be taped inside a cookie bucket so that you always

34 have it in the field. Llamas can be fed their 1 lb/day all at once, or split up throughout the day. We recommend placing the cooking at each llama’s stake, so that you will remember where it is. This helps monitor how much each llama is eating, and will make it easier to pack out uneaten cookies (never leave uneaten cookies!). Water: The best way to water your llamas is to fill up a llama bucket from your water source at camp and pass it around. A llama will usually drink until they’re fully quenched, and then go back to whatever they were doing. Once a llama is done drinking, move to the next one. Doing this 1-2 times per day should be adequate. It’s great to leave a bucket of water with a llama as well, just put it at the outside of his range so that he doesn’t knock it over! You can use multiple buckets as they become empty throughout your trip too. Make a mental (or physical) note of how much each llama drinks every day. They should be consuming about 2 gallons per day per llama during the summer months and half of this in the fall months. 4. Llama LNT Grazing: When staked out in the same spot for too long, and llama may eat all of vegetation that’s within reach down to its roots, therefore it is required that we move llamas 1-2 times every 24 hours so that they don’t leave too big of an impact on the area they’ve been occupying. This means pulling up the stakes and shifting them around (you can still stay in the same general area though). Again, try your best to avoid staking you llamas out in sensitive areas, where vegetation takes a long time to grow! Fiber: All llama fiber produced when brushing your llamas out prior to saddling should be pack out. Cookies: Pack out all uneaten cookies. You can reuse them as long as they’re not soiled. Poop: Before you leave your campsite for good, go around to each llama’s area and scatter any poop piles with your boot or a hand rake. This insures that vegetation can grow back through instead of creating a scar where the pile was left. In some places, such as in Yellowstone National Park, stock waste must be moved to an area 100 feet from the site (check regulations on this before heading into the backcountry). 5. Safety precautions In some areas you are allowed to leave your llamas staked out at camp while you go out on a day hike. Keep in mind that the longer you are away, the more potential there is for problems to arise and be left unresolved. If a llama gets tangled in their lead the right way and no one is there to help him out it can be fatal (rare, but possible). Keep unattended llama time to 6 hours, or designate a llama-sitter during your time away from camp (required in some areas, know your area-specific regulations!). Use common sense when it comes to weather- on excessively hot summer days, don’t leave your llamas baking in the sun. Make sure each llama has access to shade. If you choose to camp amongst your llamas, check each one to make sure they won’t be able to step on your tents. 35

Don’t stake your llamas out in a field of lupine! The toxicity of many plants are masked to llamas, meaning that if they’re there, they’ll eat them. The best way to prevent llamas from eating toxic plants is to not give them access to them.

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8 Llama 1st Aid

You will receive one llama-specific 1st Aid Kits per group, which contains the necessary supplies to attend to minor medical issues in the field, or to tend to more severe issues while help is on the way Severe medical issues should be reported to WRTL immediately. These kits also contain spare parts for pannier and saddle repair. Familiarize yourselves with the contents and purpose of each item so that you may be prepared in case an issue arises. * Remember to MARK the pannier that contains this kit CLEARLY and make sure that everyone in the group is aware of its location! * In case of an EMERGENCY, contact Beau or Kirstin Baty at (208) 270-7749

A: Bolts & nuts for saddle repair F: Athletic tape M: Povidone solution (iodine equivalent) B: Spare lead attachment G: Antibacterial ointment N: Zip tie C: Gauze roll H: Thermometer O: 1” buckles D: Pain killer/anti-inflammatory I: Ace bandage shot for llamas. Give them 4 cc P: 2” buckles J: Gauze pads under the skin. Q: Spare saddle hardware K: Blood coagulant E: Topical analgesic ointment R: Toenail clippers L: Syringes

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9 Troubleshooting

Issue Solution

Start by adjusting the straps that secure the panniers to the saddle. If Panniers unbalanced or panniers are still unbalanced, you may need to add more weight to the side uneven that’s sitting low (rocks may be used as ballast in a pinch).

Your llama may be overworked. Have you been travelling on steep/technical terrain? Is it really hot out? Has it been a while since the last break? If not, something might be bothering your llama- maybe a pannier or saddle strap Llama kushing on trail is causing discomfort. Check their feet for injuries. If you still can’t figure out what’s wrong, you might have to pull your llama up by its tail to get it to continue on to camp. Once there, monitor your llama’s food and water intake, and report any concerns to WRTL.

A llama will sometimes do this if they’re put in the front of a group, but Llama keeps stopping they’re used to being in the back. Changing up the order usually does the on trail trick. If not, see above.

Saddle strap(s) are too loose. Take the panniers off and retighten Panniers keep sliding everything.

Llama on the loose Try to catch it if he is still close to camp, then call Beau or Kirstin

If they’re really tangled, you’ll probably have to unhitch their lead. DO NOT unclip the lead from their halter. If they’re severely tangled up and are at risk Llama tangled up in of injury, you may need to cut their lead, but this is a last resort. Use your lead best judgement. If they’re just a little tangled, we ask that you let them try and figure it out for themselves before stepping in so that they may learn to help themselves in this situation.

This could be due to exhaustion, which may mean adjusting your plan for Llama not the next day. It is also possible that your llama has ingested some eating/drinking poisonous plants. If lack of eating and drinking persists for 12+ hours, contact WRTL.

The best way to deal with this is to mitigate things early by being on the Llama spooked due to lookout for other animals. If your llama does spook, try and gain control by other animals leading him around in a circle until he calms down enough to continue on. If things get hectic, please drop the lead to prevent injury to yourself!! Llama keeps trying to If throwing your hand up in you llama’s face doesn’t work, then you can try pass you on trail switching up the order of you group/string.

Short-hitching your llama may help make brushing easier. If your llama is Llama resisting being putting up a serious fight, just use your fingers to brush their coat and pick brushed larger items out.

Llama resisting being Use the short-hitch technique here too. Having a buddy hold their lead right saddled under their chin may also make things a little easier.

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1 0 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do llamas differ from alpacas? A: Adult alpacas are 120-180 pounds. Adult working llamas’ weigh 350-430 pounds. Size, and ability are the biggest differences here.

Q: Do they spit: A: Llamas do spit, but usually only at each other. Don’t get caught in the crossfire! If a llama has been raised as a pet, they may think that humans are fellow llamas, and therefore may spit at you, but this is uncommon.

Q: Do they like to pack? A: Yes! The Ccara Llama was bred specifically for packing, so it’s been in their nature for centuries. They live to pack. If they didn’t have the opportunity to pack, they would spend their lives sitting in a pen, eating the same hay day after day, which isn’t a very good life.

Q: How many stomachs does a llama have? A: 3

Q: How well can they see/hear/smell? A: Much better than humans can. Their vision and hearing are their best instincts.

Q: How long do they live? A: On average, a healthy Ccara Llama will live to be about 20, but they have been known to live up to age 28!

Q: Why do llamas hum? A: Nobody really knows why a llama hums...But we have lots of ideas about this. Call Beau and ask him!

Q: How much do they eat in a day? A: Llamas will eat 1.5 pounds of dry matter per 100 pounds of body weight per day. 400 pound llamas will need 6-6.5 pounds per day.

Q: How often do they drink? A: Every day. Sometimes they will skip a day, just watch them and make sure they don’t do skip drinking 2 more more days in a row.

Q: How much weight can they carry? A: The average llama can pack up to 80 pounds total, though some of our strongest packers can carry up to 100+ pounds on exception. Llamas are very good at carrying 22-25% of their body weight when trained and conditioned properly. It all starts with the right breeding.

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Rules and Regulations Cheat Sheet

CAMPSITE LNT CAMPSITE LLAMA MOVING CONTACT LEAVING LLAMAS AREA RESTRICTIONS/ WASTE LLAMAS AT HITCHING INFO UNATTENDED RESERVATIONS Distance Distance PROTOCOL CAMP from trail from water

Hitching to trees >6’’ in diameter for Remove at TH short period of time Reservation only permissible. Scatter piles on Backcountry Call BCO to trail Move at least Yellowstone Office (BCO): 100’ from Causing damage to Supervision required confirm site 100’ twice every 24 NP (307) 344- lakes/streams trees/vegetation by at all times locations on day Move piles to hours 2160 hitching prohibited. prior to trip start area >100’ from

date core camp Stake out stock (kitchen area) whenever possible.

Teton Basin Ranger District: (208) Dispersed camping 200’ from Remove at TH Jedediah 354-2312 lakes Move at least May be left

Smith *Stock camps 100’ once every 24 unattended for no Scatter piles on Wilderness Ashton/Island restricted to certain 100’ from hours more than XX hours trail/at camp Park Ranger areas streams District: (208) 652-7442

Dispersed camping

Wind River **Stock camps Remove at TH Range restricted to certain areas

Remove at TH Move at least Gros Ventre Dispersed camping once every 24 Range Scatter piles on hours trail/at camp

Remove at TH Move at least Wyoming Dispersed camping once every 24 Range Scatter piles on hours trail/at camp

*Jedediah Smith Wilderness: NO stock camping within ¼ mile of Camp Lake, within 600’ of Hidden Lake. within ½ mi of any lake in Moose Lake Basin, Alaska Basin/Sunset Lake area (above a point ¼ mi west of Teton Crest Tr. #008), S. Fork of Bitch Creek above Teton Crest Tr. #008, and at stream crossing of Bitch Creek, 2.5 mi above and east of Hidden Corral Basin

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