This is an adventure you won’t forget! Meet some curious creatures and learn about their habits and personalities during this five-day backpacking and camping adventure. The llamas will do the heavy lifting, carrying our food, tents and kitchen gear; we’ll load up our backpacks with clothes and a sleeping bag for this trek into the spectacular San Juan Mountains. We will climb above 11,000ft and set up our high alpine base camp at Putnam Basin. The camp is nestled below a beautiful cascading stream which is situated at timberline. The rest of our week will be spent traveling the Colorado Trail, summiting peaks, setting up llama obstacle courses and relaxing by the fire. We’ll return at the end of the week with new friends, new stories and a new appreciation for a truly unique animal.
*Important Note: Though llamas will carry much of the group gear, students will still be required to hike moderate terrain carrying moderate weight in their packs. Please pack rain gear for afternoon monsoons and warm layers for cool evenings. Students will be camping above 11,000 feet. We strongly recommend arriving to Telluride a few days early for any student prone to altitude sickness.
*Students are required to provide a proper trekking backpack, sleeping bag and sleeping pad for this program.
Schedule:
Monday: Meet and greet! Meal planning, grocery shopping and campout in Silverton.
Tuesday: Meet the llamas! Pack the panniers and take off for the trail. Hike into the Colorado Trail and set up base camp!
Wednesday & Thursday: Day hikes and exploration. Lots of laughs, llama games, gourmet camp cuisine and fun around the campfire.
Friday: Hike back out to the trailhead. Say goodbye to our llama friends and take a hot springs soak on the way home! Hugs and high fives.
