Bill Clugston, PD hiker blog post for NW Parkinson’s Foundation
When PasstoPass began in 2016, pack horses were used but they could not cope with the mountainous terrain. Then they tried using llamas for the job and struck pay dirt! The llamas, native to the South American Andes, had no trouble adapting to the North American Cascades and the Sierra Nevada. The llamas have an additional advantage – they are great ambassadors for PasstoPass. Seeing a South American pack animal in the Pacific Northwest mountains is very unusual!
Even though the llamas will carry most of your camping gear, you will still need to be in the proper condition for a strenuous hike in mountainous terrain. My PasstoPass trip was to the Pacific Crest Trail. It is an area of majestic cliffs and peaks interspersed with meadows of wildflowers and deep blue mountain lakes. I will be forever thankful for PasstoPass assistance in allowing me to see these sights despite my Parkinson’s!