Meet Sarah and Ethan

We are Sarah Cuddy and Ethan Wolston, owners of Wallow Llamas. Our goal is to provide you with a unique and memorable wilderness experience. Together, we bring 25 years of guiding experience from our time leading wilderness trips for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). We started packing llamas 5 years ago after our daughter, Quinn, was born and we realized we could no longer carry everyone and everything in our backpacks! We now have two daughters, Quinn (5) and Maeve (2) who have been on many llama trips and are eager to become ‘llama farmers” themselves. 

Sarah is a certified Wilderness EMT and NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor who has taught classroom wilderness medicine since 2012. She is passionate about outdoor education and currently works for Oregon State University Extension Service – Outdoor School Program supporting outdoor school experiences for 5th/6th grade students in eastern Oregon. 

Ethan has a deep background working with pack animals in the mountains. He began his career in 2006 packing mules for the Forest Service on a backcountry trails crew in Wyoming. After transitioning to NOLS in 2013, he worked as a horse packing guide leading expeditions in Wyoming’s Red Desert, Absaroka, and Wind River Mountains. Ethan also worked for three years at Three Peaks Ranch in Wyoming as a horsepacker. When not outside in the summer Ethan is a Social Studies teacher at Baker High School.

Sarah and Ethan live in Baker City, and when not working, chasing their daughters, or packing llamas, they enjoy skiing at Anthony Lakes, going on rafting trips, camping, and traveling. 

History of Wallowa Llamas

Since 1985, Wallowa Llamas has led guided tours through Oregon’s largest wilderness area, the Eagle Caps. Our llamas carry the amenities, allowing hikers to enjoy the rugged beauty of the Wallowa Mountains with ease and luxury.

Founders’ Story

In 1983, Raz Rasmussen and Steve Backstrom, inspired by a backpacking trip, decided to raise llamas and offer pack trips into the Wallowas. Their vision came to life through hard work and exploration of new routes and camps. In 1991, Louise Antaya Rasmussen joined the team, bringing her culinary skills to the backcountry with exquisite, organic meals.

In 2024, Sarah Cuddy and Ethan Wolston purchased Wallowa Llamas and currently operate the business out of Baker City, OR.