Two mornings ago, we woke up to one of those classic Montana surprises — fresh snow covering the pastures and alpacas dusted in white from head to toe. We received somewhere around 2–4 inches overnight, and the herd looked completely unfazed as they wandered through the snowy fields looking for breakfast. It’s always amazing how well alpacas handle changing weather. Their fleece is incredibly insulating, which helps keep them comfortable during spring snowstorms like this one.
Fast forward to today, and it feels like an entirely different season. The skies are bright blue, the mountains are standing tall in the background, and temperatures are expected to reach nearly 70 degrees. The pasture has turned green almost overnight, and the alpacas are happily spread out grazing and soaking up the sunshine. Montana weather really does like to keep everyone guessing this time of year.
We’ve paused shearing for a few days and won’t begin again until Monday because rainy weather and wet fleece simply do not mix well. Alpaca fleece shears much more cleanly and safely when it’s dry. In the meantime, Memorial Day weekend is keeping us busy at the store as summer visitors begin making their way back to Red Lodge. We’re looking forward to a fun weekend, meeting travelers from all over, and sharing plenty of alpaca smiles along the way.
