Anyone who has carried a backpack into the pine- forested Uinta Mountains or has hoisted self and supplies down the sandstone ramparts of a soaring canyon in the San Rafael Swell could probably relate to the somewhat unremarkable seed of the 14th Annual Llama Fest, which is being held today in Spanish Fork.

The llama fest is held at the Utah Valley Llama Farm on property adjoining Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, where Das is temple priest. Unlike the other public celebrations held at the temple -- Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, is a local favorite -- the Llama Fest has no direct religious connotations.

"We conceived it as a secular event," Das said.

On the other hand, visitors often ask about the temple and the beliefs of those who worship there, and Das said that there will be chanting at the temple, as well as temple staff available to answer questions, during the Llama Fest. And you could say that llamas played an important role in helping Utah Valley's only Krishna congregation become established.

"In the '80s, there was a lot of demand for llamas," Das said. "We got three females, which was quite an investment." One that, for a number of years, paid handsome dividends. Das and his wife, Vaibhavi Devi, bred and sold llamas, with the revenue from sales gradually providing an important chunk of the temple building fund.

Because of greater availability and a leveling off of consumer interest, a trained llama today might fetch a price starting in the range of $300. In the '80s heyday of the market, however, Das said, "we routinely sold females for $5,000 or $6,000. Males for anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000."

And the Llama Fest does have a gently religious undercurrent. Encouraging interaction with llamas promotes the value, espoused by Krishna followers, of respect for animal life. "The species of animals with which we don't have any interaction, it's so easy to write them off," Das said. "We want everyone to have a hands-on experience. We want people to get to know llamas."

From the original two llamas, Rama and Sesh, Das has gradually increased his llama ownership to the point at which he now has a herd of about 50. After interest in purchasing llamas declined, Das began to hire them out to hikers and packers, and regularly draws interest from around Utah, as well as from such llama-packing hotspots as Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Range in Wyoming.

"Between June and November," Das said, "we usually have anywhere from three to 15 llamas out."

Shirley Weathers, who lives in Fruitland, east of Heber City, first learned about llamas while living for a year in Chile and Peru. "I found them very gentle, very curious," she said, "a very quiet, calm animal."

After moving to a 40-acre ranch in Fruitland from Salt Lake City, Weathers and her husband, Bill Walsh, both experienced backpackers, decided to purchase and breed llamas. In 1998, three years after making their first purchase, the couple began offering guided pack trips to remote points in Utah, billing themselves as Rosebud Llamas.

Training a llama to accompany hikers, Weathers said, is mostly a matter of trust. "They know how to do almost all of the things we ask them to do," she said. "Cross streams, carry loads, go up rubble, be calm and polite. We just have to teach them that it's safe to follow us."

Once trained, llamas are very well behaved trail companions. As Das put it, "A trained llama, you'll have it on a lead and the lead will be slack the whole time. You won't even know it's there."

Unless, as sometimes happens, they see something that you don't. Because of their keen senses, Das said, a llama may notice "a hawk flying overhead, or a herd of elk on a nearby ridge. They'll make you aware of a lot of things that you otherwise would have missed."

Llamas are also surefooted, which doubtless comes from being indigenous to the Andes Mountains of South America (the species originated in North America approximately 40 million years ago, but llamas were extinct here for thousands of years before being reintroduced in the late 20th century).

And, although they might not look it, llamas are extremely agile. "Any of our llamas can jump into the back of a full-size pickup truck from a stand," said Weathers. (You do have to teach them to do it, she said, but they've got the springs.)

Visitors to the Llama Fest will have the opportunity to see for themselves what the nimble "camelids" -- llamas are from the biological family Camelidae, which also includes camels, dromedaries and alpacas -- can do. Part of the fun is an obstacle course, with prizes for the top finishers. There are also llama races, a "beautiful baby" contest (llama young are called "cria") and show events in which llamas and handlers interact.

And that's just on the llama side of things. Springville resident Edgar Zurita, who owns a business reproducing various media on DVD and CD, has performed at every Llama Fest with his band, Los Hermanos de los Andes, which plays Andean folk music. Zurita, 43, said that the band's main instrument is the Andean pan flute, or zampoña, but that band members also use classical guitars, a goatskin drum and a variety of traditional South American stringed instruments.

Zurita, who is originally from Bolivia, said playing at the Llama Fest "brings back my childhood, my homeland."

Other musical acts scheduled to perform include Kausachun Peru, The Good Karma Blues Band, Nuestras Raices and singer/multi-instrumentalist Leraine Horstmanshoff. There will also be live dance performances, and impromptu dancing by anyone whose feet just can't resist the energy of the musicians.

When they aren't at the Llama Fest, or shlepping camping gear for weary hikers, Das's llamas are sometimes goodwill ambassadors of llamakind around Utah Valley. Das said that Brigham Young University hired two llamas to attend a screening of the llama-friendly Disney movie "The Emperor's New Groove" a couple of years ago.

And, for the last five or six years, Das said, BYU students have hired llamas for the semi-notorious, off-campus live-music-and-dance event Llamapalooza.

If you're thinking of owning your own llama, one thing to bear in mind may be what Weatherly said is a sort of calmly independent streak. "Llamas don't need us as companions, although they are good companions," Weatherly said. "They're herd animals, and their main connection is to other llamas."

And, though gentle, llamas like their space. "I think some days the llamas believe that we're here to serve them, rather than the other way around," Das said. On some days, like Llama Fest days, maybe it's true.

• Cody Clark can be reached at 344-2542 or cclark@heraldextra.com. cclark@heraldextra.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you go

14th Annual Llama Fest

What: Interact with the marvel of the Andes. Llamas will compete and be shown, with prizes awarded. Children and parents can visit mature llamas and cria (llama foals) in a corral and petting area. There will also be dancing and live music, with food and crafts available from vendors.

When: Today at 4 p.m.

Where: Utah Valley Llama Farm, 8628 S. Main St., Spanish Fork

Cost: $3/adults, $1/children

Volunteers needed: If you'd like to help prepare the llamas for the Llama Fest, volunteers are invited to help groom the llamas. Report to Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple (8628 S. Main St. in Spanish Fork) between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Info: www.utahkrishnas.com, www.utahvalleyllamas.com, 798-3559