You’ve heard of service dogs, but how about service llamas?

For those with disabilities, regaining access to the trail systems surrounding Boulder is a life changer, but it takes a huge amount of work. With the help of a llama, however, those with disabilities can venture further, go faster and stay longer.

Tuesday afternoon Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks and Pack Animal Magazine held an event to try and raise awareness about the benefits of llamas as service animals in the backcountry. The Center for People with Disabilities — whose mission is to “provide resources, information and advocacy to assist people with disabilities in overcoming barriers to independent living” and has locations in Boulder, Longmont and Broomfield — also helped put on the event.

“It means a lot to, say the least,” said Vijay Viiswanathan, a community outreach specialist for Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks , who was paralyzed in a repelling accident his freshman year at the University of Colorado. “I’ve always been an avid outdoors person and when I was paralyzed I thought that a lot of those activities weren’t going to be possible anymore. But Boulder is one of the places where folks are pushing the bounders of adaptive sports.”

With the help of llamas, those in wheelchairs can use hand cycles to access backcountry locations while using a llama to carry their wheelchair or any other additional weight. This allows them to climb aspects of 16 degrees or more, with the help of a power assists similar to an e-bike.

“One of the reasons we’re having this event is just to get them used to being around wheelchairs and the hand bikes so we can possibly go for a camping trip next year,” said Topher Downham, the outreach coordinator of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, who also created the department’s first accessible trail guide earlier this year . “If the llamas can carry a wheelchair then you have a way to get around the campsite and not be completely exhausted towing it behind you.”

With the full support of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Downham is working to upgrade more trails to allow better access for those with disabilities; currently there are 30 .

“Most of my camping is limited to car camping,” Viiswanathan said, “but I would love to go on a multi-day camping trip with llamas and bikes only. I’m really excited about human-powered trips so that potential is definitely exciting. This could be a really valuable resource for people to help broaden their horizons and promote better access to trails.”

Having llamas carry all of the weight creates a comfortable situation in which people can fully appreciate their surroundings.

“My parents got into pack animals when I was a kid, so they could take me backpacking,” said Alexa Metrick, the editor of Pack Animals Magazine who provided the llamas for Tuesday’s event. “We would take big inflatable mattresses and Dutch ovens, and eat bananas flambeaus and shrimp alfredo pasta. It’s kind of like glamping, but you really get out into the backcountry. It’s a really exciting opportunity for someone with a disability.”

John Spina: 303-473-1389, jspina@times-call.com or twitter.com/jsspina24