BY KAREN BOSSICK

They call it “a walkabout,” from the indigenous Australian rite of passage during which adolescent males live in the wilderness for up to six months as they make their spiritual transition into manhood.

The 500-mile, 81-day trek Bob Jonas and Sarah Michael plan to embark on next week eclipses the week-long backpack trips most people boast of.

None other than Ed Cannady, the wilderness ranger who has hiked through much of the Sawtooth and White Clouds wilderness, calls their trek through six mountain ranges in Central Idaho “a trip of a lifetime.”

The Ketchum couple will say their farewells at a brief party open to all well-wishers at 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 5, at Hop Porter Park in Hailey. Then they’ll drive out 10 miles out Croy Canyon west of Hailey to Richardson Summit where they will unload the two llamas that will be accompanying them and put boots to the ground.

They’re hoping to raise money for Wild Gift, an organization Jonas started years ago to develop young entrepreneurs through wilderness treks. They’re asking people to make Wild Miles pledges for each of the 500 miles traveled at www.WildGift.org/wild-miles.html

Hiking wilderness trails are old hat for Jonas, whose careers as a fishery biologist and mountain guide took him throughout central Idaho’s wilderness and Yellowstone National Park and Alaska. In winter he led people on skis to yurts in the Boulder and Sawtooth Mountain areas. And for the past 10 years he led Wild Gift fellows down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River and through mountain passes in the Sawtooth, White Cloud and Boulder mountains as they learned new ways of problem solving.

This trip has been the dream of a lifetime, for Jonas, who turned 75 on June 23. He and Michael, former Blaine County Commissioner, tested llama packing last summer during an arduous seven-day pack trip through the Pioneer Mountains from Trail Creek Summit to Copper Basin.

This time they will travel through the Smokey Mountains, passing near Baker Peak. They expect to reach Alturas Lake on July 15 for their first rendezvous with those helping with their 10 food resupplies.

Two of the resupplies will be airlifted into the Middle Fork of the Salmon River country as they make their way from the Cape Horn Area west of Stanley through the Taylor Ranch/Big Creek area in the Frank  Church River of No Return Wilderness Area to the Big Horn Crags. They’ll travel through the East Fork of the Salmon River area to Trail Creek Summit and across the Copper Basin. They hope to arrive at Snow Cone Campground near Craters of the Moon National Monument on Sept. 22.

Joining them here and there along the way will be former Congressman Walt Minnick and his wife A.K.,  Louise Noyes, Charlotte Unger and Rueben Perin, Frank and Birgatti Lamb  and Beau and Kirsten Baty of Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas of Idaho Falls. Idaho Public TV’s Bruce Reichert and his crew plan to join them atop Trail Creek Summit for a few days as they film a segment of an upcoming “Outdoor Idaho” show focusing on the Pioneer Mountains.

Jonas, who grew up in the Wood River Valley, has hiked nearly all of the terrain he and his wife will be traveling. But last winter’s record snowfall, trail washouts, downed trees and lack of shade from wildfires over the past 15 years will make the route challenging.

“We need to be prepared for unexpected events,” he said.

The llamas, which can pack 70 pounds each, will relieve some of the pressure on Jonas’ aging knee. And the South American relative of the camel will get off easy. Two pairs will be rotated in during the journey to relieve the first.

“The outfitters don’t want to wear the llamas out,” said Jonas.

Jonas and Michael have packed bag upon bag of Tasty Bites pesto pasta and salmon, seven-grain rice,  organic hot oatmeal flax, Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bars with mint flavoring and orange peel.

They also are taken a number of items introduced by Wild Gift Fellows, including Spencer Brendel’s Play Hard Give Back trail mixes and energy bars and the Kuli Kuli bars featuring the superfood Moringa and Green Mountain Tea.

“No Gotham Green” lettuce, though—it would just spoil,” said Michael.

After months of planning, the couple fully realizes that some of the trails that are on the map may no longer exist, particularly in the Salmon-Challis National Forest and areas of the Middle Fork.

“But it will be a delight to be away, having time in nature, seeing our beautiful mountains,” said Michael.

“I’m look forward to being off the log,” said Jonas. “Going into nature where there is a synchronous alchemy.”