Day hike more appealing with pack animals
MINTURN» My 7- and 10-yearold daughters’ collective stinkface when I announced we were going hiking was, to put it lightly, dismaying. I believe kids should be outside as much as possible, and that “let’s go hiking” should be part of every Colorado child’s basic vocabulary and cultural heritage.
But even though they always end up enjoying our adventures in the woods, my girls had started acting like I’ve offered them fried liver and onions with a lemon juice chaser, when all I said was, “We’re going hiking today.”
This time, however, I had a kicker: “... with llamas!”
My up-sell worked, as sour faces turned curious. “Our guide,” I explained “will meet us at the Forest Service Station with the animals in a trailer, then we’ll follow him to the trail.”
The next thing we knew, we were driving behind two fluffy llama butts, heading down a twisty road. My girls were excitedly sunscreening up in the back seat.
At the trailhead, Don Shefchik, field director at Paragon Guides, unloaded the animals and assigned them.
“This one’s Bailey,” he said, handing a rope to my 7-year-old, who was beaming, “and this is Sneffels — named after the mountain,” Shefchik said, giving the other lead to my 10-year-old.
Paragon Guides has long been the go-to Vail Valley company for guided iconic Colorado adventures in the backcountry, including hut trips, backpacking, rock climbing — and llama packing. They started using the animals — which they lease each season from a ranch on the Front Range — to haul gear one year, and the concept stuck. They now offer several llama-centric day trips which can accommodate families with different hiking