Has anybody ever backpacked with a llama?

savagesicslayer

savagesicslayer

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we've bought a llama.He's too young to take home yet so he'll arrive next month.i was wondering if anybody has used a llama as a pack animal?They have a reputation as a sturdy and reliable pack animal.
Is there anything I need to know?Training tips or anything to watch out for all of your info and knowlage is welcome.
 
I have never packed with one, but there are a couple of outfits here in northern New York, professional guides, who offer "treks" for people who want to go packing and camping with llamas.
 
Buddy of mine,his son and a firend took six on a Colorado pack in elk hunt. Trip went great and the llamas were no trouble at all...nice an quiet.... Could follow the guys wherever they went and did not wander. No problem packing out the elk either.

One trick... train them to come when "sweet feed" is rattled in a coffee can..... so when or if they get you loose you can catch them easily.

Only problem they were concerned about were lions. Lions get llamas out west once in awhile. I guess the problem is worst when the llama is by itself. Less problem if you have a "herd."

Slim
 
when I was in scouts about 14 years ago the scout leader had two that we used. I remember they couldnt carry alot of weight, or he wasnt loading um with much, but they carried the wall tent canvas and our cooking stuff. they had good temperments and stayed with us good, didnt fuss much.
 
SetokolJKH said:
when I was in scouts about 14 years ago the scout leader had two that we used. I remember they couldnt carry alot of weight, or he wasnt loading um with much, but they carried the wall tent canvas and our cooking stuff. they had good temperments and stayed with us good, didnt fuss much.
Click to expand...

I have no experience with them, but it sounds like he was too shy about overloading them. I seem to recall reading they were capable of carrying much more.

As I said I have never worked with them, but with equine like we have it pays to work with them a small amount each day.

DO NOT turn them out to pasture and never fool with them, then round them up the morning of your trip and expect them to behave in a grand and polite manner. It simply does not work like this, again if they are similar to equine.

Any info/links on the pack frames/equipment you would be using?

Thanks.
 
I tried to go into the mountians with him, but he wouldn't carry much...

hisholiness.jpg



Sorry, couldn't resist! :D
 
last summer I took a course at school Basic outdoor stuff I knew most of it from my scouting days, but on our second trip (early august, Idaho side of the Grand Tetons) our teacher who has a dozen of them or so brought one. He (the llama) behaved well crossing many small streems and one river(rather swiftly moving too) my teacher said his pack limit was 80lbs, we had a good 60lbs of general camping stuff on him for the night just tied him off to a tree and he just sat there contently, onother good thing is they can eat anything so you have no need to pack in food for them.
 
When I went backpacking with him he convinced me I didn't need any gear. Hypothermia... meditate. hunger...meditate. Mac
 
don't forget llamas have a hard head that they can whip around. Yes I got headbutted by a llama and it almost took me down. (My parrents have the dang things)

Llamas are also known to kill dogs and other types of carniverious animals.






and they are pack hunters, much like the lion, their spit is comparable to acid :D
 
When I was younger (between 8-11) I had a chnace to see a llama. It was being used to guard a flock of sheep.

Damn thing hit me in the face with its damn spit from at least 30 feet.
 
A few years back while packpacking in the high sierra. I met a couple and each had a lama tied to the his her belt. Talking to the guy he said that diffrent lamas can carry diffrent loads. Most of the time you want to keep it at around 60lb and you should not go over 80lb. with 60lb they can go all day long and not get tired. Him and his wife each carried an extra 15lb of gear. His words were that if you pack properly you can have anything you want. a bottle of wine food and even a steak or two. If you got used to go backpacking with about 40-50lb then have a lama carry for you 60 and you carry an extra 15lb i think you would live like a king and cover many miles in one day.
on the flip side you can always get your self a goat.

Sasha
 
Llamas are no joke, I know a guy who raises them up in the desert, cool animals, thought they were all cute until I saw a male grab a husky dog that got into its pen, that dog was toast. They have cutter teeth, I think the owner called them cutters, and can become fierce, and protective...
 
They are a high-maintenance animal. You’ll need the following:

Llama-nade – that’s all they will drink.

If you need to transport them, they’ll only ride in a stretch llama-sine, or on the back of a Llama-ha motorcycle.

They are not morning animals – make sure you pack an allama clock to awaken them.

They perform best when you’re vacationing in the Ballama Islands.​
 
My buddy went on elk trip with Llama's and horses. the horses carried the people, the llamas carried the loads. He said they were much less demanding than the horses and carried just about as much. he said the guide just rattled a can to get them to come, now I know the trick used to get them to do that.
 
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