Alaska Basin Llama Trek
Jackson, WY
5.0 (11 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Stunning Views of the Tetons
- Glaciers & Soaring Peaks
- Abundant Wildlife
- Pristine Rivers & Creeks
- Spectacular Alpine Day Hikes
- Wild, Stunningly Scenic West Tetons
- Breathtaking Basecamp for 3 Nights
Description
This justifiably popular llama trek takes us into a breathtaking basin below the towering peaks of the Tetons. With spectacular views surrounding us much of the time, we follow Teton Creek up a glacial-carved valley with fascinating geological formations to a breathtaking alpine camp. From our camp we day hike for the next two days, exploring the stunning west side of the American West’s most famous mountain range. We’ll keep an eye out for classic Wyoming wildlife like elk, deer, moose, wolves, coyotes, marmots and bears. On our final day we break camp and descend back out of the mountains. This trip is an amazing way to explore and experience Wyomings amazing Teton mountains!
One of the very unique opportunities this trip provides is the ability to not have to move camp every day. By base camping in the same camp for 3 nights, it allows us to day hike and explore the Tetons. This trip is a great option for anyone interested in exploring Wyoming’s spectacular mountains and is also a great option for families.
This trip is operated by Wildland Llamas, an authorized backpacking and llama outfitter in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.
$2455 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip has a Level 3, difficult first day because of the distance and elevation gain. However, after the first day, we stay in the same camp and explore the area on a series of day hikes with lighter backpacks. It is the first day that gives this trip its rating.
Hiking Distances:
6-8 mi
Backpack Weight:
10-20 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
2200 ft
Heights Exposure:
Moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 10-20 lb backpack for 6-8 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain (depending on the routes we take, this can increase to significantly rugged)
- Hiking with occasional, moderate heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 4
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Tetons backpacking trip a solitude 4. You can expect to see a couple other groups of hikers per day.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
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ITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 90+ minutes
- Hiking Mileage: 7.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2500 feet
This Tetons backpacking trip begins with pick you up at your hotel in Jackson Hole, after which we proceed to the trailhead. After a llama orientation we’ll begin our hike up the trail toward Alaska Basin. Today is a sustained uphill hike but we are richly rewarded with stunning mountain scenery along the entire length of our hike. We’ll take frequent breaks to savor the views, snack, and keep our energy high. If we are lucky we may spot moose grazing near the creek. As we climb higher into the mountains and closer to camp we’ll be presented with amazing views back down the canyon behind and below us. Before too long we’ll find ourselves in stunning Alaska Basin, a rocky cirque comprised of alpine lakes and cascading creeks that slice through wildflower-filled meadows. Alaska Basin is surrounded by the towering cliffs and summits of the Teton Range. Once in camp we’ll relax and enjoy some rest in one of the most beautiful settings in the Rockies. We’ll end the day around a campfire with a hearty backcountry dinner, and later a much-deserved night of sleep.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 4-8 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: up to 1000 feet
We’ll start our second day with a steaming cup of coffee or tea and a feast of a breakfast. Then it’s off to explore these amazing mountains! On this trip we stay in the same camp for multiple nights, allowing us to explore the Tetons’ high country with light day packs. We will explore up to the boundary of Grand Teton National Park, but not beyond it. Today’s hike offers spectacular views of the Teton Crest, including the Grand, Middle, and South Teton peaks. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch along the way before turning back toward camp.
Back at camp we’ll have time to relax before we gather for another exceptional backcountry dinner and roaring campfire!
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
- Elevation Gain/Loss: 1400 feet
Today is for many guests the highlight of this trip! We’ll have a quick breakfast to facilitate an early start, and then begin our hike to the absolutely stunning and unforgettable Hurricane Pass. Our hike is relatively arduous today, with elevation gaina and loss of nearly 2,000 feet, and at elevation (over 10,000 feet). Breathtaking, expansive views (and photography opportunities!) of the Grand Tetons await at the high perch of Hurricane Pass. The pass also offers incredible views down into multiple basins surrounded by an out-of-this-world landscape of recently deposited moraine, snow fields, alpine lakes, and glaciers. We’ll take our time to savor the views and the experience of being in this richly rewarding place. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch and eventually return to camp.
We’ll celebrate our last night in the wilderness with a hearty feast and another cozy campfire before turning in for a very restful night of sleep.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 7.5 miles
- Elevation Loss: 2500 feet
- Shuttle to Jackson: 90+ minutes
We’ll wake up, enjoy a hot breakfast and tea/coffee before breaking camp and beginning our careful descent down Teton Canyon. Although we’re going down the route we ascended on Day 1, the views are amazingly difference since we’re looking back toward the lower valleys instead of up at the high peaks. We’ll keep our eyes out for wildlife as we descend, and eventually arrive back at the trailhead. We’ll shuttle back to Jackson Hole for much deserved beds and showers, and say our fond farewells at the conclusion of this extraordinary trip.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Pack llamas to transport the majority of gear and food
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs or Mountain Hardware tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
- Mountain Safety Research cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
At 5:00 PM the evening before Day 1, your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact, approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel Details
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, WY, with pick-up also available in Driggs and Victor, ID.
You can fly into:
- Jackson Hole – some hotels and several transportation companies provide airport shuttles.
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) offers 2 daily shuttles between Idaho Falls and Jackson.
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Weather in Northern Wyoming
Being a Northern mountain environment, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Wyoming’s mountains. On trips in June, snow is a slight possibility, and the rest of the summer you’re likely to get rained on at least once during your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures around Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
In the Action
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Joli B
Challenging and Rewarding Experience.
This was a fantastic adventure. Our guides, Adrianna and Kaci were amazing, skilled outdoors women and very fun too. We hike up with the llamas, then did two days of hikes without the lllamas and hiked back down with them. The llamas were interesting. The food was great. The wildflowers were beautiful and abundant. Not much wildlife and no campfires. Overall a memorable, challenging and rewarding experience.
Kim W
Exactly what I had hoped
The llama trek we did in Alaska Basin was terrific, our guides were engaging, efficient, and very knowledgeable about the flora and geology, which I appreciated. Having llamas with us made the trek an unforgettable experience - they are gentle, strong and easy to work with. I would do this again in a heartbeat!
Jill B
Fabulous Adventure.
The llama trek to Alaska Basin was amazing! Our guides, Adrianna & Kaci, were exceptional, from teaching us how to handle the llamas, sharing their vast information about local flora, fauna & geology, backcountry safely to cooking delicious meals. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The hikes and scenery were spectacular, even in the occasional hail and lightning. I used their gear to ensure it met the required standards, and that was perfect. Thanks Adrianna & Kaci for a fabulous adventure.
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