Heart Lake Llama Trek

JB H

An Adventure Both Challenging and Rewarding

The Heart Lake Llama Trek is not for the faint of heart. Regardless of its moderately difficult rating, it is a demanding trek, especially for those who come from coastal areas like Miami, where I live. Although the trek itself is not technically difficult, the first day required a hike to a plateau of approximately 8400 feet. For me, I was hit with altitude sickness almost immediately, which included symptoms of nauseousness, shortness of breath and fatigue. Those not accustomed to altitude should bring along prescription Diamox to alleviate those symptoms, which unfortunately I failed to do. The first day’s hike was supposed to be nine miles, but my pedometer, and those of others, registered more than 11. The disparity between the mileage published on our guide’s map and the mileage registered by my pedometer remained like this throughout the trip. Thus, by the end of the journey, there was a consensus among my fellow trekkers that we had actually hiked about 60 miles, or 10 miles a day on average. Not the 50 miles or less as advertised on Wildland’s website. Hiking 10 miles a day under a blazing August sun in Yellowstone National Park is a tough, tough undertaking. The hot arid air sapped the hydration right out of me, leaving me constantly thirsty. A two liter Camelback full of water is completely insufficient for a day-long hike. As a result, since the llamas did not carry additional water, I was left constantly parched and resorted to begging others for a drink from their water bottles during breaks. The only water available to the group throughout the trip was that which was filtered manually, at an excruciatingly slow rate, from streams and rivers along the way. Food was yet another critical thing in short supply. Simply put, there was only enough food for a small single serving per person for each meal. Hiking all day does nothing if not burn calories and trigger a profound appetite among those who engage in this activity. Moreover, there was no fruit or juice on the trip, like apples, oranges, peaches, and the like. I found myself craving oranges and orange juice along the way, which may have been cause by a vitamin C deficiency while on the trail. That said, given the price of the trip, having more food and fresh fruit for a six-day journey does not seem unreasonable. Equally challenging was getting into and out of a one-man tent and changing clothes within its confines. I had to contort my body into various shapes to get out of my hiking clothes and into something warm and comfortable for the night, which usually resulted in my breaking a sweat just in time to climb into my sleeping bag. While the days were close to 100 degrees the nights would often drop into the 30s, turning dew into frost for a cold morning wake-up. Nevertheless, dressing warmly during the night was imperative. Of course, while the sights and sounds of Yellowstone are spectacular, even breathtaking, I was shocked to see how many bleached grey trees lay dead on the ground like battalions of confederate soldiers who once littered the battlefield at Gettysburg. On the first day, a dead tree blocked our passage preventing the llamas from moving forward. Luckily, a group of hikers headed in the opposite direction had a small hatchet, which I and a few others took turns chopping, until the tree split in half, and we were able to pass. Although most of the trees were cut and left to rot on the side of the trail by the Park Service, which has no appreciable way to remove them, it seemed to me they created a fire risk should lightning strike one of them indiscriminately. Speaking of fire, Yellowstone, like much of the West, is experiencing a severe drought. As a result, we were prohibited from having campfires, which we were not informed of prior to signing up for the journey. Not being able to have a campfire was disappointing, but understandable. Nevertheless, the restrictions on campfires did not stop one member of our group from smoking cigarettes along the trail, which is prohibited by the Park Service regardless of droughts. Wildland supposedly has a no smoking policy, but it must be buried in the small print, because I didn’t see it. Wildland should emblazon that policy across every page of its application, while encouraging those who smoke not to apply. Aside from the much-needed solitude and natural beauty of the alpine valleys and cold streams, the best part of the trip was our guides, Jeff and Brett. Jeff led the hike while Brett took care of the Llamas. Together they worked like dogs to ensure our party had a rewarding experience. Their stamina was remarkable. After hiking all day, they would help make camp, cook dinner, and break camp early the next morning, while packing and unpacking the Llamas. Not an easy task. To both, I bestow on them my highest praise. Brett and Jeff kept me going even when I felt as though I had hit the wall. After completing the trip, I knew I had accomplished something both challenging and rewarding.

Benjamin B

Truly Memorable Experience

The Yellowstone Llama Trek I did around heart lake was amazing. It was everything I was looking for in terms of remoteness overalls physical endurance. Jeff was also a great guide. I highly recommended Wildland to anyone looking for a truly memorable experience!

Ruth E

Wonderful Week

Our guides were incredible, Jeff and Bret worked so hard! Overall it was a wonderful week!