Boulder Rim - Llama Trek

• Elevation Gain/Loss: 450-2450 Feet
• Quality of Trails: Good trails, we may encounter some dead fall and other small obstacles
• Physical Requirements: Frequent exercise and good health km
• Backpack Weight: 10-20 pounds
• Daily Hiking Distance: 4-8 miles
• Most Elevation Lost: 2450 feet
• Most Elevation Gain: 1280 feet
• Additional: We'll be traveling off trails at time. This is so that we can see some of the trip highlights
• Distance of Hike: 27-30 mi/ 43 km

What’s Included

• Industry leading guide that is medically trained, energetic, knowledgeable and friendly
• Well trained llama companions to join us on our adventure
• First class meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and organic trail snacks
• Trekking poles to hike with (if desired)
• Use of technical backpack
• Industry leading tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pad
• Bear spray, and bear hanging gear
• Emergency equipment and first aid kit including a satellite device
• Our effort to fulfill our mission statement to each guest to make the trip informational, exciting, informative and memorable. This is your trip, we will do our best to make it special.
• Water filters and purification tablets

What’s Not Included

• Personal items, rain gear, and clothes
• Bug spray, sunscreen, toiletries
• Headlamp, Water bottle
• Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 15-20% of trip cost)

Meals: You can expect the highest quality
The remarkable thing about a pack assisted trip is that allows for a diverse variety of fresh and quality foods that will keep you feeling energized and satisfied during your entire excursion. Meals will contain an assortment of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Many fresh fruits and veggies will be available for snacks and be used during meals. A selection of snacks (protein bars, trail mix, candy bars, etc.) will be provided for your choosing at the beginning of each day to be eaten at your leisure.

If you have specific dietary needs be sure to let us know as we will accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher, non-gluten, pescatarian and other specific diets. Special dietary request may require an additional fee.

Gear We Provide

We provide all group gear which includes the following:

• Industry leading backpacks
• Kelty Or Sierra Design sleeping bags
• Big Agnus sleeping pads
• Kelty or Leki trekking poles
• Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
• GSI Outdoors cookware
• Bear spray canisters and food-hanging gear
• Company-issued first-aid kit
• Satellite device

What Gear To Bring

• Water bottles or bladder, 2 liters total capacity
• A lightweight, high quality stuff sac for your clothes and belongings to fit in while in the llama panniers
• Lightweight, packable camp pillow.
• Contact lenses and glasses if you wear contact lenses please also bring a pair of glasses - your contacts are likely to become dirty and may be difficult to clean
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm
• Bug repellent, preferably a product containing at least 25% “DEET” (some people are sensitive to this product)
• Toiletries, and a small washcloth in stuff sack (bandana can serve as a washcloth)
• Headlamp, spare batteries (preferably an L.E.D. type that works with AA or AAA batteries)
• Camera, spare batteries (optional)
• Notebook or paperback book, (optional)
• Knee braces, if needed
• Prescription medicine, please inform your trip leader of any medications you are taking
• Vitamins, (optional)
• Fly fishing gear, if you want to fish
• Money, for tipping your trip leader (optional but appreciated, generally 15-20% of your trip cost based upon the quality of your experience)

What Clothes To Bring

• Sturdy Hiking boots, mid weight, lug-soled, above the ankle, waterproof and ideally well broken in. Important note: Buy your boots 1/2 size to 1 size larger than your street shoes to allow for feet swelling and thicker socks
• Lightweight tennis shoes or Crocs®, for camp
• Hiking socks, one pair for every two days of your trip, plus an extra pair to sleep in. Recommended brands include Bridgedale®, Smartwool®, or similar padded socks (wearing thin liner socks under your hiking socks is highly recommended). No cotton socks!!
• Gaiters
• Sunhat or baseball cap and bandana
• Mosquito head net
• Warm hat and gloves, sherpa style hat and light-to-mid weight fleece or wool gloves
• Long underwear, one pair of wicking tops and bottoms that are light-to midweight, example materials include capilene, merino wool, polypropylene, etc.
• T-shirt or nylon travel shirt
• Warm top, mid-weight shirt, sweater or pullover, also wicking material such as merino wool, fleece or polypropylene
• Fleece jacket or insulated coat, warm, lightweight and packable fleece jacket or coat insulated with a synthetic material
• Nylon pants and shorts, or zip-offs
• Bathing suit
• Fleece pants (late June, late August and September trips only)
• Rainproof jacket and pants - Waterproof/breathable jacket and pants such as Gore-Tex® or coated nylon - with the pants look for side leg zippers or a style that will allow you to remove them without removing your boots

Where do we meet

We will meet you in front of the Capitol Reef Resort Lobby.

2600 E Highway
Torrey, UT 84775
Resort Phone Number: 435-425-3761

Your guide will be there with the llamas waiting for you at a predetermined time.

If you pre-booked in advance your trip your guide will reach out to one week prior to your arrival to confirm your trip and go over any questions you may have. They will also give you a weather update and verify and food allergies you may have. Your guide will request that you meet at 6:00 pm the evening before your trip to go over the trip details and itinerary. For private and custom trips, you have the option to originate your trip in Boulder Utah or Teasdale Utah. If you have any questions or need help with travel resources please just let us know.

Day 1

Shuttle time to Trailhead: 65 minutes
Hiking Distance: 7.5 miles 4-5 hours of hiking
Elevation Gain: 1560 feet

After meeting at our origin location, we will make up and caravan to our trailhead destination. We will unpack the gear and load up the llamas. Before we take off we will take a moment to go over the trip, safety and Leave No Trace details. Once we are all loaded up we will start climbing the rim on an old cattle trail. This trail takes us to the top of the Rim where we get 360-degree views of the Grand Stair case, Capitol Reef National Park. Once we get to the top of the rim we take a short break and enjoy the vista we worked hard to get to. This is one of the few areas that offers such a broad spectrum of landscape from one outlook point. After another 2 miles of trekking along the rim we will stop above the lake and enjoy a hearty lunch prepared by your guide. After we are full and well rested our journey continues just a few miles until we reach our campsite where we will rest and enjoy the solitude of the backcountry together.

Day 2

Hiking Distance: 5 miles 4-6 hours of hiking
Elevation Gain: 895 feet

Don’t be in too big of a hurry to wake up, as today is a layover day that starts with a handsome breakfast where no expense was spared. If you are an early riser then don’t miss the morning sun as it rises over the valley floor where you can see for miles and miles across the pine trees and desert floor in the valley. The forest canopy helps welcome the morning as the birds fly and sing while the sun greets us at our lakeside camp. Once everyone is full and packed for the day we will leave our tents on the lake shore and head out on an adventurous day hike visiting a few different lakes and highpoints along the rim. If the group would rather stay at the lake we can fish, swim and swap stories for the day. This is your day, we will make it special for you. Lunch will be served around noon, make sure to tie the llamas up away from your lunch site as they might sneak a fresh carrot, lettuce or even a slice of bread from you.

Day 3

Hiking Distance: 7 miles 6-8 hours of hiking
Elevation Loss: 1800 feet

This is a day to remember. This is the day we hike the highline portion of the Boulder Rim. The Highline is a long stretch of trail that overlooks everything below 10,000 feet. The Basalt rock formations allowed for the formation of the Highline trail. This is the breathtaking portion of our trek together. Typical we see a great deal of wildlife in the early morning on our trek. The history of the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys will astonish you. Make sure to ask your guide about the places you see once you get to the Highline trail. If this is your last day with us you get to see the landscape change as we hike off the Boulder Rim Trail and down into the valley. Is really something to see. For those of you staying with us for the 4th you are in for a real treat. After another gourmet and fresh lunch, we will see our second camp site at the shores of Meeks Lake. The llamas are fond of this lake as it has diverse types of vegetation, wildflowers and grasses for them to eat.

Day 4

Shuttle time to Trailhead: 65 minutes
Hiking Distance: 6 miles 4-5 hours of hiking
Elevation Loss: 2200 feet

We venture on trails that get little to no use during the summer season today. At the end of our day we will trek down a stunning mountain pass that few have hiked before. We carved this route out over one full summer season as it was abandoned for many years. Bringing life back to the Boulder Rim is something special to us and we feel honored to be able to share this historic route with you. Adding a 4th day to this trip is not something you will ever regret. One more day in the wild of Utah’s famous Boulder Mountain really does the heart and soul good. The fresh air of 10,000 feet with interpretation of the flora and fauna from your guide will rest assured be something you carry with you for years. At the end of our journey we will say our goodbyes and give our llamas hugs and then head back to the Capitol Reef Resort for some much-deserved rest.

Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary park restrictions, campsite availability, weather, road closures, guest ability/injury, and natural events like fires and flooding.