Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/303885
W e s t W o r l d >> s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 15 LOAD 'Em Up some hikers bring a friend. Others their dog. At the recently opened Mallard Mountain Lodge, the trail companions are shaggy, strong and surefooted llamas. "Guests arrive with varying levels of comfort around the llamas," says Derek McManus who, with wife Barbara, owns the newly built lodge in the Rocky Mountains southwest of Valemount. "But even the most hesitant quickly make friends." Good-natured creatures, llamas in the Andes Mountains have hauled human loads for some 6,500 years. For the last 20 years, the McManuses have raised the South American herbivore for wool, so it seemed natural to the couple to have the animals carry the personal gear of their visitors. The helpful llamas accompany hikers exploring the alpine ridges, lakes and meadows near the remote lodge, which is accessible only by helicopter. "Often the experience of llama hiking is less about a particular destination," says McManus, "and more about a spectacular setting and an interesting companion." Daily guided llama trekking excursions are offered throughout the summer as part of three-, four- or seven-day all- inclusive packages. canadianadventurecompany.com – Ryan Stuart book revieW eat on the street it's hard to find a vancouverite — or a tourist, for that matter — who hasn't sampled a Japadog on a bustling downtown street corner. While these tasty Japanese-inspired hot dogs are a local legend, Vancouver now boasts more than a hun- dred street-food vendors, pumping out international fare ranging from flaky Aussie pies to Chinese fried- rice balls to feed ever-growing lineups of hungry fans. In StreetEats Vancouver, local foodie/writer Mijune Pak highlights dozens of the city's most popu- lar food trucks and introduces readers to the inde- pendent spirits behind each one. Plus, this handy new guide serves up the best places to find each vendor on any given day, including social-media links to help you track down lunch in a hurry. StreetEats Vancouver, $16.95, is published by Whitecap Books. whitecap.ca scott smith/Corbis Images NEW HEATED SEAT p12-17_Fresh Trax.indd 15 14-04-15 1:01 PM