The group had committed to portaging all of the gorges, but Stephen re-assessed and decided to run the first gorge, alone. Use the links below to share this content: Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 39 total). For fisherman an Alpacka in the Winds is an ideal way to fish some of the remote alpine lakes in search of the elusive goldon trout. Insufficient safety equipment (PFD and/or drysuit) was common in the earlier incidents, and perhaps less so more recently. You mention "a few weeks back", and "fall colors". This sub Class warrants mention as packrafts can often tackle tight creeks at low flows that are quite technical in nature with lots of manoeuvring required. As part of the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic, Rob Kehrer (44) and Greg Mills portaged the Tana River Canyon (Class IV), putting in below the technical features. Jaymes overturned his boat and was quickly separated from his partner. Two packrafters swam in Eagle River (you can get a sense for the nature of the river from this video taken a bit upstream), with overnight equipment. Recommend bringing a fishing rod for the slow meandering sections. Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light! So rather than get on a high-horse about it, could someone just describe the experience of swimming rapids in this rig? I cancelled a river trip the next day on that note and went day hiking instead. A 3/4 length pad works better for flotation but tends to roll you, where the short length of the torsolite keeps you chest up, but making it harder to do an aggressive swim if needed. We found his foot tracks in a gravel bar where we believe he had pulled in and looked downriver, Tim said. Click here for more info. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week. Once born, his explorations have taken him all over the west, but especially the canyon country of the Colorado Plateau. So I guess it had been a while and a world ago since Id experienced that area. It is likely that a dry suit would have made a huge difference. CCK has a three weekend series which will safely teach you the basics on the South Fork of the American River's class 2 sections. Wrangell / St. Elias NPS Incident reportsWashington Post article. This feature requires an active Backpacking Light Membership. The first two gorges feature Class III/IV drops and frequent wood hazards. Seneca Lake Trail. Then carry on, this time using your arms not your legs. Whether youre looking for a beautiful picnic on an alpine beach or a 10 day expedition in the Winds, we have the adventure for you. Ever had the shell balloon while swimming if so what happened? After the climb we packrafted back to the trailhead, awesome! I underestimated the river and capsized in a river-wide ledge. Scott - A packraft paddles much more like a river boat than a canoe, raft, or a touring kayak. Based out of Fort Washakie, Wind River Fishing Adventures fishes the Popo Agie, the Big Wind River and Bull Lake. It is size large and weighs 2lb-4oz or 1024g on my scale. He had a paddle leash attached to his spray skirt pull loop. A man was found submerged under a packraft, trapped in an undercut rock, mid-river. Thanks to Shimon Saito for collecting and sharing this information. The Wind River offers a great mix of packrafting, hiking, fishing, and wildlife. 09-09-2016, 08:05 #7. Login or become a member to post in the member forums! He had a perimeter line in addition to bow and stern painters. P.O. However, as the water makes its way out of the mountains it negotiates deep granite gorges. Looks like a lot of fun. We've been wanting to packraft the Crooked River through the popular climbing area, Smith Rock, for some time. 3 miles of this was really fun class II+ starting just before Moose Creek Rd junction. His experiences on the land, whether triumphant or thwarted by events either in or out of his control, have provided the foundation for the work he does. It can be found at the south end of Beaver Park. About 2 minutes into this run he went over a hole and flipped. You can expect to learn about local fauna, see magical sights and catch some really big fish! If AW isnt a good fit, maybe APA would host something? So, I like PFD's with pockets.