Llama & Equipment Rental

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We offer premium pack llamas for your backcountry adventures. We provide healthy, well conditioned pack llamas, high quality saddles and packs, and a packing clinic to teach you the necessary skills for a successful trip. Typically each of our llamas will get out on 2 to 3 extended trips a month, from April through November. The calm nature of our experienced pack llamas makes them safe to handle for hikers of all ages. They use good sense when encountering obstacles and rarely spook or bolt. Some are trained to accept young lightweight riders, making them ideal family packing companions. If used for hunting, our llamas are very calm when packing out big game, and usually not bothered by any type of load. Many are veterans of the backcountry trails of Idaho and eastern Oregon.

Our pack llamas weigh between 300 to 350 pounds, which makes them very manageable and not intimidating to first-time packers. Folks do not need mighty muscles to handle packing chores because llamas are limited to loads that seldom exceed 70 to 80 pounds.

The smaller size of llamas is definitely an advantage in getting to the trailhead. Two llamas can be easily transported in a small pickup with a stock rack. Most folks choose to use a small horse trailer. In camp, llamas require minimal care. Under average backcountry conditions they require little supplemental feed, usually no more than a pound per day of grain mixture (llama granola). Offering this along with fresh water once a day, and moving their picket sites once a day will keep them content. Yes, llamas do spit, but rarely at their human companions. Occasionally someone does get caught in the cross-fire from interactions between llamas! Nothing to be concerned about here. A llamas padded feet, unobtrusive dung, and light browsing habits have a lower impact on the land than equine pack stock. Their inconspicuous dung habits are virtually odorless, resembling those of elk and deer. As browsers they alternate between eating some leaves with some grass. With proper backcountry handling, llamas leave no more trace of their visit to the wilderness than native deer and elk. We use quality llama packs manufactured in Boise, Idaho, that incorporate a heavy aluminum saw-buck frame with a detachable saddle pad. Each pannier has two large end pockets, each big enough to hold a one gallon milk jug. Give us a holler if you'd like to learn more about our pack equipment or how to get a set. For great reading on feeding, packing, hunting, fishing, and care of llamas, we highly recommend the book titled "Llamas are the Ultimate" by Doyle Markham. It is full of useful information and has lots of great photos. The book can be ordered from their website at Snake River Llamas. For some important tips on planning a backcountry trek check out these Equipment Notes.

Rental Information - 2010 Season

Llama rentals are recommended only for experienced backcountry travelers. We provide healthy, well conditioned pack llamas and their essential gear, while you are responsible for care of the llamas during your trip and for your own camping equipment. To help you get to the trailhead, we can provide a stock rack that slips in the bed of your pickup, or a stock trailer. Rates: September, October, November = $35/day/llama, All other months=$30/day/llama The rental price includes the llama's halter, lead rope, picket ropes, saddle, packs (panniers), buckets or coolers (if desired), and feed (if needed). Each pannier can hold two square 4-gallon buckets and has two large outside pockets. The buckets have lids that make them virtually water-proof. If you would like to also use a cooler or two just let us know. These hard plastic Coleman coolers will fit inside the pack in place of the two buckets. If you use the llamas during hunting seasons, we'll supply fluorescent-orange "don't-shoot-me" neck bands, and flagging to tie around their picket area. Once you decide on the number of llamas you want to use, the dates of your trip, and how to transport the llamas, give us a call or email. We'll work up a draft rental agreement and mail it to you for your review. It everything looks ok on the agreement, a deposit equal to 25% of the total rental fee is required to reserve your llamas and gear. The balance is due on the reservation date. Only cash, personal checks, or money orders are accepted. Refund Policy: Full refunds less a $30 processing fee will be provided for cancellations made thirty (30) days in advance of the reservation date. Deposits are non-refundable for cancellations made within thirty (30) days of the departure date. THUNDER CREEK LLAMAS retains the right to cancel due to unforeseen conditions or for other reasons. If we cancel, full refunds will be given. Any rentals returned 3 or more days early will receive a credit for those days and number of llamas on a trip for the following year. The rental season is very busy and trips must often be scheduled around other rental dates. When trips return just a day or two early, there is not enough time to adjust scheduling of other trips. A $75 deposit will be required on each set of llama equipment. This should be done as a separate check when you pick up the equipment. The equipment deposit check will be held and then returned to you after the trip upon return of all equipment in good condition. Arrangements can be made to pick up the panniers early so you can get packed before picking up the llamas.

Packing Clinic: Free There is a mandatory training session for all handlers. The training session lasts about one hour and can be scheduled most any day before your departure, or can be conducted at the trailhead. We'll cover the entire process of packing and caring for llamas in the backcountry including; how to pack your bags, tying on top loads and bulky items, llama management in camp and on the trail (feeding, tying, staking them out, crossing water and other obstacles), and trail etiquette. Stock Rack: $50 for trips up to 7 days, then $5/day For those persons wishing to transport the llamas themselves, we have several self-standing stock racks. A rack can be slid into the back of your pickup by two strong adults then cam-strapped in place, only touching the bed. Two sizes are available to fit full-size long-bed (8-foot) or short-bed (6-foot) pickups. A short-bed rack will fit 3 llamas and a long-bed rack will fit 4 llamas. A ¾-ton pickup is recommended when hauling 4 llamas.

Trailer: $150 for trips up to 7 days, then $15/day
We have several small 2-horse trailers that can haul up to 3 or 4 llamas, and larger 12 to 14-foot stock trailers that can haul up to 8 or 9 llamas. The trailers are towed with a standard 2-inch square-tube receiver hitch system. The small trailers use a 2-inch ball, the larger trailers use a 2 5/16 ball. Ideally, the ball on your vehicle should be 18 to 20 inches above the ground (measured from the base of the ball to the ground). We have electric adapters to hook up wiring on most any vehicle. A $300 deposit is required for a trailer rental. This amount is added to the llama pack deposit check and will be returned to you after your trip upon return of the trailer in good condition.

Release Forms:
All renters will be required to read and sign two release forms. The first is a Llama and Equipment Rental Agreement and Release of Liability. This form outlines the cost and general terms of the rental, and it releases THUNDER CREEK LLAMAS of liability for any accident in connection with use of the rented items. The second form is a Llama Death or Injury Agreement that sets the terms regarding negligent care or acts of renters. Both of these forms can be mailed to you for review as you plan your trip.

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