Packrafting
Trips, Custom Guiding, Courses
-
What is a packraft
Packrafting is an outdoor activity involving a lightweight, portable inflatable raft designed for backcountry travel. What makes a packraft truly unique to other boats is that you can pack your gear inside the inflated body of the boat, which makes it so your gear is completely dry and protected within. These rafts easily fit in a backpack, allowing adventurers to hike to remote water and then inflate the raft for paddling on rivers, lakes, or even coastal waters.
-
Advantages
Packrafting combines elements of hiking, kayaking, camping and even mountaineering, providing flexibility to navigate both land and water terrains during a single trip. he entire set up typically weighs 4 to 8 kg (8 to 16 pounds). This versatility makes it popular among outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure in wilderness areas.
-
What experience do I need?
We are here to guide you through every step of the paddling experience! Trevor Boley is an ACA recognized L4 packrafting instructor. He’s certified to teach folks how to paddle in water up to Class 3. If you are a complete novice, we can start you on flatwater and work you up to paddling Class 2 whitewater on a single trip. If you have Class 3 paddling experience, it's also possible to run rivers with more intermediate rapids.
We offer courses at four different levels
Both in Patagonia during southern summer, and Alaska during Northern Summer
At the end of any of these courses we can check you off on these skills. When you head to another place, you can boast that you completed an ACA Packrafting course! The ACA is internationally recognized and one of the oldest non-profits in the United States.
These can also occur during or before a backcountry trip
Level 1
Basic Packrafting Skills
-Making sure you have good technique on flatwater.
-Paddling Techniques: Learn proper paddling strokes, steering, and maneuvering.
-Inflation and Deflation: Understand how to properly inflate, deflate, and pack the raft
- Self Rescue (learning and practicing how to pull yourself back into your boat by yourself or assisted.)
- Packing your gear inside the raft
- Carrying your packraft in your backpack
Level 2
Moving water Class 1
- Boating on moving water with no rapids, “A moving lake”.
- Basic hydrology.
- Identifying basic hazards in the river.
- Self Rescue on moving water.
- Catching eddies.
- Ferrying.
- River Safety.
Level 3
Class 2 Whitewater
- How to navigate and read rapids.
- Surfing.
- Catching faster eddy lines.
- Self rescue techniques in rapids.
Level 4
Class 3 Whitewater
- Scouting.
- Picking a line.
- Recognizing rapid features and forming an understanding of potential risks.
- Further understanding of strokes, safety, and paddling in whitewater.
Customize your own experience
The packrafting courses can be a stand alone course or together with a trekking / mountaineering traverse.
We can customize the adventure for you or you can join one of our packrafting and trekking expeditions.
Understanding Whitewater Difficulty Levels
When rafting, kayaking or packrafting, whitewater is rated based on their technical difficulty and the risks involved if something goes wrong.
These difficulty levels are determined by the strength and size of the water currents and how complex the rapids are. The ratings assume normal water flow for the river. However, if the water flow is very high, the difficulty can increase. For example, a level 2 rapid could become as challenging as a level 3+ rapid with higher water levels. River conditions are always changing.
Class 1: Easy
- Calm river with a smooth current and a few small waves.
- Obstacles are easy to avoid.
- Swimming back to the bank is easy.
- Great for packrafting with loaded raft or first packraft experience
Class 2: Advanced beginner
- Simple, obvious rapids with more irregular currents.
- Waves and water movements are moderate.
Class 3: Intermediate
- Irregular rapids. Moderate waves and obstacles.
- Requires good boat control and balance.
- Swimming back to the bank is a bit more challenging but still manageable.
- For groups with knowledge looking for a thrill with some challenges.
Class 4: Advanced
- Difficult rapids that may require prior scouting.
- Powerful water movements
- Swimming back to the bank may need assistance.
The dry suit dilemna
We do not rent drysuits or neoprene suits. Depending on the trip, it might be mandatory to purchase your own dry suit. Dry suit rentals have a horrible reputation in the industry for all parties involved. The times I have rented them they have never worked correctly and have leaks or gaskets that have been stretched to the extreme.
They are very delicate and super difficult to repair, so it's important to have your own and make sure it is well taken care of. If you have questions on this crucial piece of cold water gear, feel free to reach out to us.
The advantage to having your own dry suit is that it opens up a whole world of whitewater and opportunities on rivers that would otherwise be completely uncomfortable and hazardous due to the risk of hypothermia.
I have worn mine fishing in deeper currents, for fishing in the winter, and on ANY creek or river in Alaska. Patagonia’s rivers are also fed by glaciers and not what most folks would call WARM. : )
If I do not possess a packraft, what are my options?
We can rent you a packraft, paddle and safety gear.
If you feel that you would like to buy your first packraft for the trip, and use it for the trip, we can advise you.
Turbio IV expedition
Mountaineering and packrafting
A unique expedition to a remote valley deep into the Andes.
