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Just had to try my trekking kids out in the snow. With one exception, they out preformed my greatest expectations.
-Even though they were "out of shape", they carried their loads, 60# each, (Heavy loads which have to be evenly balanced
in the panniers) and we did a hard 12 mile hikes in the snow every day for 3 days.
-The one totally 'new' thing I tried on them was draping them with winter camo. It worked well!! As long as I kept the camo
above their knees/legs. Just like during shearing season when some trailers of fleece get around their legs or feet some of them
get a little antsy. After getting accustomed to the sound they settled into the task of "packing. It was amazing how well they
faded into the background.
-You may think the "one exception" was the camo netting but the really new thing was ME having to break trail, through drifts.
-I only have 2 that will break trail in their own pastures.
-Tactically you may think the trail would be an arrow leading to our location but I had the last girl pull her load on a toboggan with
branches tied on the back end and it filled-in 85+% of the track, add that with the bit of wind drifting the snow into the pathway
and "poof"!! 98- 100% of our passing vanished.
-The girls saw things (as they ALWAYS do) that I missed, no matter how 'sharp' I tried to be. Deer, Quail, a Moose where it didn't
belong, a Harrier hawk, a Snowy owl, a pair of hunters... so many things....... I was missing. Most of the time one would look and
the others would 'zone in' on the site and many times, most? of the time the only way I could see what they did was by "Sighting"
right between their ears. the nights were even good. I put the animals on individual stakes, fed them, set up the tent and sleeping
bag, had dinner over Navajo/Apache?? fire pit no flames above ground, almost no smoke/ just a little steam; it was a good time
While the best way to use camelids as BUG-OUT Transportation is during the three non-snowing seasons and with at least 48 hours
advance notice. As I measure their stamina and ease of passage on the narrowest train, I feel safe to say that short of a Vertical face
to climb, they may be the best backwoods transportation possible. Soft feet leave no tracks like a horse or mule, droppings look like
they come from deer, no worries about lost shoes, and I've never heard of a Llama falling from a trail in North America.
-I believe they could travel 125 miles cross country through real backwoods / back country, carrying all your gear and their feed in 12-14
days allowing for 2-3 rest days.
-Back when I was first packing 1) I was younger, I stumped many 18-22 mile days under a 45+ pound pack, (Me: 5'5" 125#), for weeks.
Did the Pacific Crest Trail, top of Waterton to the bottom of Glacier and many more.
-However, the point here is that when I got to the end of the trail all I had was an mostly empty pack. With the Llamas I have many things
going for me. When I arrive I will have gear and supplies and animals who can carry trade-goods and produce fiber for clothes as well as providing
me with watch guards. I promise when they alert it WILL wake you up.
Notes:
-Back when the woodlands were thicker, wilder, these days you would have to travel mostly at night because surprise, surprise, most of the
back country wood lands have burned or died of drought in the last few years and now they are the happy hunting ground of IfR equipped choppers.
Hopefully a string of Llamas on a mountainside should look like a herd of deer or elk and if you walk by the lead animal you 'should' fade into the
ambient heat signature.
Camelids have not evolved to deal with deep snow, it is a learned trait, that's why I cut trail especially in snow, but downed trees or water (streams,
rivers, waterfalls) are no problem they go under and over and across the trees, and they manage the water like any animal carefully and with care for
their footing.
When I got my first ones I used to have to use the snow blower to clear paths in the fields---I admit I was a little mean back then, they "played"
follow the leader, I would cut some paths as clover leaves. Oh, those traffic jams!! In the passing years I've gotten nicer and they have gotten MUCH smarter.
I'm only mentioning my winter adventure to you because sometimes it is too easy these days to only think of a winter Bug-out happening inside a
heated vehicle. Just remember those short mileage days may just keep you alive, a longer day will make you sweat and sweat will lead to hypothermia.
Go slow, get there alive.
PEARL
P repared
E ducated
A rmed (even when not carrying a gun)
R esourceful
L ethal
-Even though they were "out of shape", they carried their loads, 60# each, (Heavy loads which have to be evenly balanced
in the panniers) and we did a hard 12 mile hikes in the snow every day for 3 days.
-The one totally 'new' thing I tried on them was draping them with winter camo. It worked well!! As long as I kept the camo
above their knees/legs. Just like during shearing season when some trailers of fleece get around their legs or feet some of them
get a little antsy. After getting accustomed to the sound they settled into the task of "packing. It was amazing how well they
faded into the background.
-You may think the "one exception" was the camo netting but the really new thing was ME having to break trail, through drifts.
-I only have 2 that will break trail in their own pastures.
-Tactically you may think the trail would be an arrow leading to our location but I had the last girl pull her load on a toboggan with
branches tied on the back end and it filled-in 85+% of the track, add that with the bit of wind drifting the snow into the pathway
and "poof"!! 98- 100% of our passing vanished.
-The girls saw things (as they ALWAYS do) that I missed, no matter how 'sharp' I tried to be. Deer, Quail, a Moose where it didn't
belong, a Harrier hawk, a Snowy owl, a pair of hunters... so many things....... I was missing. Most of the time one would look and
the others would 'zone in' on the site and many times, most? of the time the only way I could see what they did was by "Sighting"
right between their ears. the nights were even good. I put the animals on individual stakes, fed them, set up the tent and sleeping
bag, had dinner over Navajo/Apache?? fire pit no flames above ground, almost no smoke/ just a little steam; it was a good time
While the best way to use camelids as BUG-OUT Transportation is during the three non-snowing seasons and with at least 48 hours
advance notice. As I measure their stamina and ease of passage on the narrowest train, I feel safe to say that short of a Vertical face
to climb, they may be the best backwoods transportation possible. Soft feet leave no tracks like a horse or mule, droppings look like
they come from deer, no worries about lost shoes, and I've never heard of a Llama falling from a trail in North America.
-I believe they could travel 125 miles cross country through real backwoods / back country, carrying all your gear and their feed in 12-14
days allowing for 2-3 rest days.
-Back when I was first packing 1) I was younger, I stumped many 18-22 mile days under a 45+ pound pack, (Me: 5'5" 125#), for weeks.
Did the Pacific Crest Trail, top of Waterton to the bottom of Glacier and many more.
-However, the point here is that when I got to the end of the trail all I had was an mostly empty pack. With the Llamas I have many things
going for me. When I arrive I will have gear and supplies and animals who can carry trade-goods and produce fiber for clothes as well as providing
me with watch guards. I promise when they alert it WILL wake you up.
Notes:
-Back when the woodlands were thicker, wilder, these days you would have to travel mostly at night because surprise, surprise, most of the
back country wood lands have burned or died of drought in the last few years and now they are the happy hunting ground of IfR equipped choppers.
Hopefully a string of Llamas on a mountainside should look like a herd of deer or elk and if you walk by the lead animal you 'should' fade into the
ambient heat signature.
Camelids have not evolved to deal with deep snow, it is a learned trait, that's why I cut trail especially in snow, but downed trees or water (streams,
rivers, waterfalls) are no problem they go under and over and across the trees, and they manage the water like any animal carefully and with care for
their footing.
When I got my first ones I used to have to use the snow blower to clear paths in the fields---I admit I was a little mean back then, they "played"
follow the leader, I would cut some paths as clover leaves. Oh, those traffic jams!! In the passing years I've gotten nicer and they have gotten MUCH smarter.
I'm only mentioning my winter adventure to you because sometimes it is too easy these days to only think of a winter Bug-out happening inside a
heated vehicle. Just remember those short mileage days may just keep you alive, a longer day will make you sweat and sweat will lead to hypothermia.
Go slow, get there alive.
PEARL
P repared
E ducated
A rmed (even when not carrying a gun)
R esourceful
L ethal
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