In the high country, runoff doesn’t always coincide with what we all consider to be backpacking season, where trails are dry and the days are sunny. That being the case, here are some tips for trekking, packrafting, and camping in the spring snow and muck.
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Part 2 in our 3 part series on satellite communications focuses on the currently available sat phones suitable for lightweight backpacking.
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Packing to combine adventure travel and wilderness recreation.
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Part 1 in our 3 part series on two-way satellite communications for lightweight backpacking.
Globalstar phone and Internet coverage map
After too much Type 2 and Type 3 fun, my wife wanted me to be able to call 911, and to stay in touch with her when in the backcountry. I had sent satellite phones with scientists to worldwide locations for more than 10 years, and new devices like the SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger had just reached the market. So I did some market research to fill my needs. At one point, my wife said something like “maybe other people would want this information.” Little did I know how much work lay ahead.
This article is the first in a three part series on two-way satellite communications for lightweight backpacking. This Part 1 is an introduction; briefly describing alternatives, how satellite systems work, and each of the satellite systems you might consider. Part 2 covers satellite phones, and Part 3 covers satellite text-only devices. All the information in this series comes from vendor web sites and online reviews, except for the “Personal experience” sections.
Why might you want two-way satellite communications while backpacking? Ignoring serious concerns about self-sufficiency and disconnecting from the grid, the most common reasons seem to be:
Two-way communications with first responders, family, or friends can mean the difference between life and death, between Type 2 fun and an unnecessary rescue, between saving your own life and unnecessarily risking the lives of rescuers.
The August 2011 Outside magazine article Panic Button describes the search and rescue problems with one-way devices like PLBs and SPOT.
Let’s briefly review other technologies you might use for wilderness communications.
Verizon USA coverage map
Many wilderness areas have little or no cell phone coverage, especially where you are furthest away from civilization. You might want to take a smart phone anyway, see Part 3.
Hughes 9202 BGAN satellite terminal
You may have seen TV journalists sending videos from war zones using portable Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) satellite terminals. The lightest terminals weigh 1-2 kg and cost over $1,000 new, or you can rent one. You must add a phone to make phone calls, and a laptop, tablet, or smart phone for Internet access. Look into these if you really need medium speed Internet access from the backcountry – “up to” 492 kbps – and you are willing to carry the extra weight.
Yaesu ham radio
Ham radios can be light and cheap, with no service charges, but you must pass an exam to get a special license to use one. The range of small, light ham radios can be very limited. You may not use ham radios for commercial purposes.
ACR ResQLink PLB
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) are good for one thing only: rescue in case of dire emergency. On the other hand, PLBs are relatively light, have no monthly cost, you can’t call home or work, and they can’t call you. Recent PLBs send an emergency signal with GPS coordinates through government-operated satellites, and a homing signal to guide rescuers locally. PLBs should be registered periodically with your contact information, to reduce false alarms. Registration is free in USA. Though sometimes used interchangeably, a PLB is different from an EPIRB, and backpackers should not use an EPIRB.
SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger
Several devices can be used to send one-way text messages, track your trip, and notify emergency services, including your GPS position. One-way devices are often lighter and cheaper than two-way devices.
Many one-way devices can send only three or four pre-defined messages – no good for “send more Pop-Tarts” unless you anticipated that message. And one-way devices cannot provide feedback, like “Stay put, we can’t rescue you until the storm clears”, or “Are you sure you want forty cases of Pop-Tarts delivered to Idyllwild?”
Generically, one-way and two-way satellite texting devices can be Satellite Emergency Notification Devices (SENDs), similar to PLBs. PLBs use government satellites, have no recurring fees in USA, and send emergency notices directly to rescue authorities, while SENDs use commercial satellites, with recurring fees, and send emergency notices through commercial monitoring services first.
Attaching a message to a Signal Corps carrier pigeon, circa 1917-18, from NARA via Wikimedia
Carrier pigeons can be used for communication up to 1,600 km. Pigeons weigh 300 g to 450 g, and need about 50 g per day of feed, plus a cage. You can use a pigeon just once per backpacking trip, making them impractical for lightweight backpacking. Some commercial photographers routinely send 256 GB SD cards with photos and videos by carrier pigeon. A carrier pigeon with a 4 GB memory stick was faster than DSL in a 2009 race in South Africa. For return messages, you must train another set of pigeons to fly to pre-arranged spots along your trip. You can access the Internet over carrier pigeons, using well-defined standards (see RFCs 1149, 2549, and 6214), but you will have problems with high latency, and high packet loss due to hawks and other raptors. I don’t recommend Skyping over this connection.
Iridium phone, satellite, and ground station (not to scale)
Satellite signals must travel in a direct path between your device and a satellite, and between a satellite and a ground station, which is connected to the phone system and the Internet. Satellite signals are even weaker than cell phone signals, blocked by buildings, mountains, canyon walls, trees, and sometimes, heavy rain or snow.
Satellites are expensive: Globalstar, Iridium, and Orbcomm lost many satellites due to launch failures or other problems; the original Iridium system cost an estimated $6 billion; and Globalstar, Iridium, Orbcomm, and Terrestar have gone through bankruptcy. With cell phones covering over 90% of the world’s population, the satellite system market is small. Satellite devices and plans are much more expensive than cell phones, and generally have far fewer features.
Two-way satellite systems have three basic designs:
A “bent pipe” satellite immediately retransmits your phone call, text message, or Internet connection, back to a ground station within sight of the satellite. These satellites are relatively simple. Globalstar, Inmarsat, Terrestar, and Thuraya are “bent pipe” systems.
A “space network” system can relay your phone call, text message, and Internet connection between satellites until a ground station is in view. These satellites are much more complex than “bent pipe” satellites, but require fewer ground stations for global coverage. Iridium is the only “space network” system.
In a “store and forward” system, the satellite receives and stores your text message until a ground station is in view, then forwards your message. Messages are delayed for 1 to 100 min each way. You cannot make phone calls or use the Internet over these systems. Orbcomm is a hybrid “bent pipe” and “store and forward” system.
The voice quality of most satellite systems is good to just acceptable. Some systems are consistently better than others, though all vary depending on many factors.
Have you ever used dial-up Internet access? That was blazing fast compared to satellite Internet access for lightweight backpackers. You should be rich, extremely patient, and use special setups designed for low speeds and interrupted sessions.
Commercial communication satellites are placed into two very different kinds of orbits around the Earth: Geostationary orbits (GEO), 35,786 km above the equator, and low earth orbits (LEO), at fixed heights from 772 km to 1,400 km high. If the Earth were the size of an NBA basketball, LEO satellites would be about 4-8 cm away, and GEO satellites would be about 2 m away.
A GEO satellite appears to hover at a fixed position over the equator, more-or-less in the southern sky as viewed from the northern hemisphere. Three GEO satellites can provide virtually worldwide coverage. Each satellite needs just one ground station to connect to the phone system and to the Internet. GEO satellites need large antennas, powerful transmitters, and large solar panels, and they are designed to operate for up to 20 yrs. Satellite TV (e.g. DirecTV, Dish Network), weather forecasting, and missile warning systems use GEO satellites.
What are some of the downsides of GEO satellites?
You need 44 to 66 LEO satellites, plus spares, to provide full-time coverage worldwide. LEO satellites are launched into many different orbits 772 km to 1,400 km high, crisscrossing the sky. Each satellite circles the Earth in about 100 min. Any satellite is visible 9 min at a time on average, even less with local obstructions, so longer connections require hand-offs from one satellite to another. “Bent pipe” systems using LEO satellites require dozens of ground stations to provide nearly worldwide coverage – your device must be within about 5,000 km of a ground station. “Space network” and “store and forward” systems can use just one ground station, but usually have several. LEO satellites have smaller antennas, lower power transmitters, and smaller solar panels than GEO satellites. LEO satellites don’t last long due to atmospheric drag – sometimes less than 10 yrs. The International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope, and Google Earth photo satellites are in LEO orbits.
What are some of the downsides of LEO satellites?
Theoretically, each satellite system can cover the entire Earth, or a major portion of the Earth. In practice, satellite systems restrict coverage for technical, economic, or legal reasons. Most satellites use “spot beams” to focus power on limited areas, and they can determine your position close enough to allow or deny service as desired. Iridium and Globalstar do not work in several countries for legal reasons. Terrestar could cover most of North and South America, but limits coverage to most of the United States. Be sure to check the latest coverage maps and local laws before you choose a device, or take a device into a new area.
A weak satellite signal will degrade phone call voice quality, reduce data speeds, or stop connections entirely. Some of the factors that affect signal strength are:
You can avoid obstructions and orient your antenna correctly; all the other factors are determined by your device, satellite system, time, and location.
Satellite phones and text-only devices are locked to one satellite system by patents, technology, and physics. For example, you cannot switch an Iridium phone to call using Globalstar satellites. When you buy a device, you are locked into one system, with very limited choices on plans and prices. Choose wisely.
Globalstar
Globalstar covers most of the world with phone, text, and low-speed Internet services, using 48 “bent pipe” satellites in LEO orbits 1,400 km high. Several phones use Globalstar, but Globalstar is better known for providing service to SPOT devices.
Some Globalstar satellites have problems affecting phone calls, two-way text, and Internet services, resulting in spotty coverage and dropped connections. Globalstar provides a web site that predicts coverage times for any location. You should prepare tables of locations and times just before heading into the backcountry; predictions go out only 3-4 days.
Predictions for my home town from calltimes.globalstar.com over a 3.75 day period in January 2013 showed 148 interruptions, 84% time coverage, 1 min to 107 min coverage windows, and 30 min average coverage window.
In February 2013, Globalstar launched the last six replacement satellites needed to fix these problems. Globalstar expects to put these satellites into service by summer of 2013. Check www.globalstar.com for the latest news.
One-way messages from SPOT devices are not affected by these problems.
Globalstar phone and Internet coverage map
Inmarsat
Inmarsat covers most of the world between latitudes 70 S and 70 N, with phone, text, and Internet services, using three “bent pipe” satellites in GEO orbits. Inmarsat works with just one handheld satellite phone – the IsatPhone Pro. Inmarsat does not support any text-only devices. Inmarsat also supports BGAN terminals.
Inmarsat coverage map
Iridium
Iridium covers virtually the entire world, with phone, text, and Internet services, using 66 “space network” satellites in LEO orbits 780 km high. Iridium works with several handheld satellite phones and text-only devices. The US Department of Defense is a major user of Iridium, owning and operating their own ground station in Hawaii. Iridium is prohibited by US laws from operating in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Sudan.
Iridium coverage map
Orbcomm
Orbcomm covers selected areas of the world for short message service only, primarily for tracking trucks, ships, and shipping containers. Orbcomm has 29 hybrid “bent pipe” and “store and forward” satellites in LEO orbits 774 km high; 29 satellites are not enough for full-time coverage. Recent Orbcomm devices switch between satellite service and cell phone service automatically. No currently manufactured Orbcomm devices are suitable for lightweight backpacking, though the Magellan GSC-100 was an interesting early device still available on the used market (see Part 3).
Orbcomm coverage map
Terrestar
Terrestar covers most of USA except parts of Alaska, with phone, text, and Internet services, using one “bent pipe” satellite in GEO orbit. Terrestar works with just one satellite phone – the Terrestar Genus. Terrestar does not support any text-only devices. Terrestar service is supplied by a combination of DISH Network and AT&T, so you can switch a Terrestar Genus phone between satellite service and AT&T cell phone service.
TerreStar coverage map
Thuraya
Thuraya covers Europe, most of Asia, most of Africa, and Australia with phone, text, and Internet services, using two “bent pipe” satellites in GEO orbits. Thuraya has a variety of small, light phones, and good airtime prices – useful if you are traveling in their coverage area. Thuraya also supports a BGAN-like satellite terminal.
Thuraya coverage map
| Orbit | Type | Phone | Text | Internet speed | USA coverage | |
| Globalstar | LEO | Bent Pipe | Yes | Yes (1) | 9.6 kbps | 48 states, most of Alaska |
| Inmarsat | GEO | Bent Pipe | Yes | Yes | 2.4 kbps | 49 states, southern Alaska |
| Iridium | LEO | Space Network | Yes | Yes | 2.4 kbps | 100% |
| Orbcomm | LEO | Hybrid (2) | No | Yes | None | Patchy |
| Terrestar | GEO | Bent Pipe | Yes | Yes | Unknown (3) | 49 states, most of Alaska |
| Thuraya | GEO | Bent pipe | Yes | Yes | 160 kbps down, 30 kbps up | None |
The performance of any satellite system is strongly dependent on the devices you use, how you use them, and where you use them. Reviews really compare devices and use cases, not systems. Still, we can compare satellite systems based on design, operations, and available devices.
So in my not-so-humble opinion …
Best: Iridium
OK: Inmarsat, Terrestar
Marginal: Globalstar
Non-players: Orbcomm, Thuraya
OK: Terrestar
Marginal: Inmarsat, Iridium
Alternative: BGAN terminal with Wi-Fi Internet device
Not recommended: Globalstar
Non-players: Orbcomm, Thuraya
About the author
Rex Sanders has been backpacking off and on since the 1960s, and guiding whitewater rafts since 1987. In his day job, he supplied globetrotting scientists with Globalstar and Iridium phones from 2000-2011. But he never got to go on those adventures. He does not own any of these devices, and does not have any relationship with the companies mentioned here.
Ryan shares his ideal gear list for late-winter, early-spring trekking. By utilizing a snow shelter and making a few adjustments to your kit, you can push the limits of your conventional 3-season gear.
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Recent developments in canister stoves have the potential to upset a lot of the industry, as the leadership seems to have passed out of the hands of Western brands and into Asia. Stoves that were trumpeted as the state of the art by well-known Western brands now look a little old, tired, heavy and, well, clunky. We look at a few of the leading edge stoves from 2012 to see where things are going.
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Mainstream manufacturers are catching on, and competition in the ~2lb tent range is fierce. The SuperMegaUL2 is a brilliant addition to this growing field.
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Different upright canister stoves seem to work with differing levels of success in very cold weather, and one wonders why. Claims for pressure regulator stoves are especially problematic, with marketing spin being extreme in some cases. We examine just what is going on here, with an in-depth analysis of some aspects of both upright and remote canister stoves, to unravel some critical factors.
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During a winter storm, strong winds can render your lightweight puffy useless. This article examines the effect that compression can have on various types of insulation, and presents recommendations for staying warm and alive.
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A predominantly well engineered sleeping bag that suffers from a small, yet serious design flaw.
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Ryan Jordan presents some tools and techniques for dealing with wet wood for firebuilding in winter conditions.
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SpotLite Review of Deuter’s new clean, yet multi-featured pack – perfect for thru-hiking in the Alps.
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Gear notes and more from a trek in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness in late October and early November, 2012.
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How do these 3-section poles hold up to the rigors of thru-hiking?
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A merino wool layering system to keep you dry and comfortable on cool summer nights.
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An Introduction to Packrafting in the Yellowstone River Corridor between its headwaters and Big Timber, MT.
The Yellowstone River is a special place for us. It’s home to some of our Montana Packrafting Courses & Expeditions, and being the longest undammed river in the Continental U.S., it’s probably one of the last major rivers in the lower 48 that’s least influenced by human development. Combined with the fact that it’s a big river, with a wide corridor offering plenty of options for camping, it’s a wonderful venue for long, human-powered river expeditions. What better way to explore the corridor, than by foot and packraft?
Packrafter camp between Emigrant and Livingston.
The Yellowstone River headwaters are fed by the snowfields perched at 10,000 feet on the high flanks of Younts Peak in the Absaroka Range, southeast of Yellowstone National Park.
This spot is not only one of the remotest spots in the Continental United States, it’s one of the most pristine. There is no trail to the headwaters. They remain untrammeled by man or horse, and one can drop his lips into the clear water and suckle the clean elixir without fear of a future fever.
For the wilderness traveler, a trip to this region (a.k.a. “The Yellowstone Thorofare”) is the trip of a lifetime.
Packrafting the headwaters region of the Yellowstone River on a tributary (the Thorofare river) in 2008.
Seven hundred (decreasingly glorious) undammed miles later, the river discharges nearly 14,000 cfs into the Missouri River near Williston, North Dakota, home of the nation’s largest current oil shale boom. Up to 25 million barrels of oil may eventually be extracted from the Bakken oil formation here using the highly controversial technique of fracking.
Fracking is not the only risk to the Yellowstone River. After having paddled and fished hundreds of miles of the Yellowstone, here are my observations of the Yellowstone’s major threats:
Fishing a deep run for large brown trout near Springdale. Note the riprap bank on the opposite shore. This man-made structure prevents erosion of land mass – an undesirable outcome of spring runoff if you’re a riverbank property owner. Unfortunately, these structures don’t dissipate river energy and thus, magnify the problem for downstream landowners.
In addition to these relatively new threats, the Yellowstone has suffered a number of other threats for many years, including irrigation diversion and return that increase water temperatures (and alter fish habitat and species distribution) and prevent fish migration, uninhibited grazing practices that contribute to erosion and fecal pathogen contamination, and the invasion of noxious weeds seeded by contaminated livestock feeds.
Trophy homes threaten the visual landscape of the river corridor, but cause other problems as well, including septic systems, which commonly contaminate the river. Note the bank erosion below the home to the left. How long will it be before the homeowner installs riprap to protect his investment?
The Yellowstone remains a beautiful gem of a river corridor for those of us that treasure it, but make no mistake: once the river leaves Yellowstone National Park at Gardiner, Montana, it’s not the river that Lewis and Clark found.
Friday, April 26, 1805, on the Missouri River, near the entrance of the Yellowstone River: “…on the forks … a beautiful low level plain commences … and widens as the Missouri bends north, and is bordered by an extensive woodland for many miles up the Yellowstone river … I saw many buffalo dead on the banks of the river in different places, some of them eaten by grizzly bears and wolves, or drowned in attempting to cross the ice during the winter, or swimming across to bluff banks where they could not get out (and were too weak to return). We saw immense numbers of antelopes in the forks of the river; buffalo, elk, and deer is also plentiful. Beaver are found in every bend.” – Capt. Wm. Clark
Today, one stands at the very spot where Captain Clark penned this famous observation, and while the scenic vista hasn’t changed much, by the time the Yellowstone reaches Williston, ecological diversity and animal populations have been destroyed by two short centuries of perhaps irreverent upstream activity.
Having focused most of my attention on the Upper Yellowstone (where water character is most interesting for packrafters), I’ll leave the lower river (from Big Timber, MT to Williston, ND) for your own research.
The infamous “Thorofare” region of the Yellowstone River is its most remote, accessible only by foot or horse, and is contained entirely within the protected wilderness of Teton Wilderness and Yellowstone National Park. The headwater streams offer challenging and technical whitewater paddling for the determined packrafter. The best floats are the North, South, and Main Forks of the Yellowstone, and the Thorofare River. Use extreme caution below the confluence of the North and South Forks, below Woodard Creek, where a dangerous gorge exists.
The bridge at Hawk’s Rest in the Teton Wilderness makes a good takeout point for the packrafter traveling from the Yellowstone River headwaters down and through Yellowstone National Park.
Many other tributaries provide short stretches of very exciting technical creeking during spring runoff. Check out Woodard, Castle, and Atlantic Creeks.
June is a good time to visit the Thorofare region. Atlantic Creek, behind me, can be floated in its entirety from Two Ocean Pass down to its confluence with the Yellowstone, with a few exceptions – the occasional logjam that needs to be portaged. The first half mile of Atlantic Creek crashes hard down a steep gradient, then evolves into a twisting ribbon through bear-infested willows, and then opens up into the grand meander through Yellowstone Meadows.
Don’t forget to get out of your packrafts at the Yellowstone National Park boundary on the Yellowstone and Thorofare Rivers. Floating is prohibited inside the Park.
Camping in the wilderness is open. Camping in the National Park requires reservations at pre-designated campsites.
Yellowstone National Park is strictly a paddle-in-your-pack sort of place – floating is prohibited on the Yellowstone River here. Here, I’m overlooking Beaverdam Creek en route to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
OK, so it’s technically not part of the river, but this massive alpine lake (136 square miles) is the largest freshwater lake above 7,000 feet (elevation) in North America. I’ve packrafted the East shore as part of a longer packrafting expedition across the Yellowstone-Teton-Washakie wilderness complex. Even if lake packrafting isn’t your thing, it’s worth a few miles of paddling (especially if a big westerly comes up) simply for the feeling that you’re paddling in an ocean surrounded by mountains.
There are a handful of campsites along the east shore, and require reservation with the National Park.
Paddling the east shore of Yellowstone Lake.
With the exception of the two little drops at Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls (109 and 308 feet, respectively), this is the section that packrafter dreams are made of. Long stretches of big and dangerous Class V whitewater dominate this section through the Grand and Black Canyons, but during low-water off-seasons, this has the potential to be one of the world’s greatest packrafting trips.
The incredible Black Canyon of the Yellowstone River.
But alas, it’s not to be quite yet – remember, floating in the Park is not allowed. But for the long distance expeditioner, one can easily link trails (and Yellowstone Lake) through the Park to enjoy a premier foot-and-paddle experience through the Yellowstone river corridor in the Yellowstone-Teton-Washakie wilderness complex.
The Yellowstone River corridor inside Yellowstone National Park is limited to foot and horse travel only. Even though you have to keep your paddles in your pack, knowing this corridor, like this one through the Black Canyon, is essential if you want to understand the Yellowstone in its entirety.
Camping is allowed only on developed campsites in this river corridor, and require reservations with the Park.
The Yellowstone River leaves the National Park at Gardiner, MT and offers the packrafter an enjoyable Class II+ run through boulder gardens before the river mellows out. Above the canyon, however, you can see the horizon line drop and the canyon walls echoing of what’s to come…
There are a few developed and one or two primitive campgrounds in this stretch that require you to leave the river. River corridor camping is allowed all the way down to the Montana border, as long as you’re not within 500 feet of a residence, you remain below the high water mark, and stay off of private islands. However, places to camp in this section are few and far between, and small – the banks are steep. My favorite camps in this section are little patches of grass tucked away in willow thickets – about the right size for a bivy sack or two.
Between Gardiner and Yankee Jim canyon, the river gradient moderates and Montana’s Big Sky once again starts to open up around you. This stretch is famous for its colorful reflected sunsets. Its proximity to Yellowstone National Park’s high plateau and summer storms create ample opportunities for beautiful skies and water surfaces at dusk and dawn (Photo: Andrew Skurka).
One of my favorite days with Andrew Skurka was spent packrafting through Yankee Jim Canyon. Andrew was a green packrafter at the time, and I recall being sicker than a dog the day we drove over. I opted to shuttle the car, and let him float the canyon. I just wanted to take a nap.
But when we arrived at the put in, I forgot about my sore throat and drippy nose, and heard the siren song of Yankee Jim. I didn’t regret joining Andrew on that float, and still giggle when I watch the goofy video we put together.
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Yankee Jim is home to mostly Class II+ water at low flows, and gnarly Class III-IV when the river is raging. The Boxcar Rapid is great fun at low water (Class III) and offers the beginning packrafter a safe runout for attempting big water without risk of getting stuck in a hole or hitting his head on a rock. At higher flows, the Boxcar feels like Lava Rapids in the Grand Canyon: it’s not about what to do if your packraft flips, it’s about when to do when your packraft flips.
Camping in the canyon is possible – there are a few sandy beaches for small parties of 1 or 2 shelters, but it’s cold and loud down there.
From Yankee Jim to Emigrant, MT, the river is a cruise. At Emigrant, get out and hitchhike three miles to Chico Hot Springs for an old style Montana hot springs experience, then return for lunch at the Emigrant Bar before hitting the river again.
Emigrant to Carter’s Bridge provides the occasional Class II rapid, but most of this section is slower, and scenic, with expansive views of the snowy Absaroka Range. As you approach Livingston, pay attention to boulder gardens and bridge abutments, which have been known to eat a number of boats.
The canyon gives way to expansive views of the Absaroka Range, and the densest population of trout outside of Yellowstone National Park.
A few Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks campgrounds are available in this stretch, as well as some beautiful riverside B&B’s if you need that sort of a break. Wild camping can be challenging as you leave Emigrant and enter the stretch where trophy homes begin to appear.
Expeditioning on a long trip with a big pack, with the Absaroka Range in the background.
Below Livingston, a potentially dangerous bridge passage (with rapids plowing into an abutment that’s often choked with wood) gives way to sustained Class II water until Springdale. Between Springdale and Big Timber, long stretches of windy flatwater exist, interspersed by the occasional and sometimes large and welcome Class II+ wave train.
Camping is plentiful here, with a number of gravel beaches, a handful of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks primitive campgrounds, and beautiful pastoral scenery interrupted by the magnificent Sheep Cliffs and Crazy Mountains.
Expect railroad whistles at night.
Packrafter camp near Springdale, with sunset glowing off the river in the background.
Pileup on the upstream side of the Springdale bridge. I’ve seen the river running so high that not even a packrafter would be able to duck to clear the bottom of the bridge deck. Most boat accidents on the Yellowstone occur in Yankee Jim Canyon, and at bridges
Don’t be put off by the hazard list above. The rewards of tripping down the Yellowstone River corridor are well worth it.
A packrafting trip down the Yellowstone is one of my favorite human-powered trips. Whether by foot-and-paddle in the Teton wilderness, pedal-and-paddle through Paradise Valley, or just a long float in search of big trout, the moods of the Yellowstone will not disappoint.
The Yellowstone is one of our favorite locations for teaching packrafting, and taking groups on expeditions. Stay tuned, we’ll be releasing our Yellowstone River packrafting course schedule for 2013 in the next few weeks!
A Backpacking Light Packrafting Course in the shadows of the Absaroka Range (Photo by Andrew Skurka).
A short film about the challenges we face when trying to expose young men to backcountry experiences.
In August of 2012, my son’s Scout troop planned a backpacking trek across the Spanish Peaks, a unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness in Southwest Montana. You can read the photo essay here.
This trek was an interesting one for me. It was one where I observed the boundless enthusiasm and excitement of crossing a rugged mountain range by one group of boys (the ones that attempted it) and the cynicism and disdain for trekking by others who had no intention of participating in a hike like this.
I struggle to develop a strong thesis for why this is (although I’m rather sure our forum members will rapidly come up with one following the publication of this article!). However, I can’t help but reflect on how our changing culture might be inhibiting backcountry participation by kids:
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list.
I have no delusion about having all the answers, or solving what is probably not the biggest problems in boys’ lives.
I’m not even sure I have the desire to see “all teenage boys go into the backcountry.” But the topic makes an interesting study nonetheless, especially in the context of two roles that I’m playing today: a parent and a Scout leader of teenage boys.
Enjoy!
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The topics addressed in this film are discussed in depth at Backpacking Light’s BSA High Adventure Leader Training Course that we hold each May. Please consider joining us. The discussions we have about boys and backpacking are some of the highlights of our training time. Enrollment is now open for 2013.
Ryan Jordan is an Eagle Scout, former Camp Program Director and High Adventure Program Director (Camp Parsons, Chief Seattle Council), former Scoutmaster (Troop 676, Bozeman), Montana Council BSA High Adventure Committee Chair, and a member of the BSA Fieldbook Task Force providing oversight for the next edition.
Read more from Ryan:
The video in the rain was shot with a Panasonic TS-1. The rest of the video was shot on a Sony NEX-7 using a Sigma 30/2.8 and a Leica Elmarit-M 90/2.8. You’ll see some blobs here and there. We were trekking during a bad fire season and those blobs are ash particles that settled on my image sensor while changing lenses. Most of the video isn’t stabilized, so my apologies for the jiggles!
Photos from a Scout trek across the Spanish Peaks in Southwest Montana, with some insight into how we incorporate an ultralight ethic into groups.
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A 29 oz sleeping bag featuring vertical baffles and Insotect technology… is it worth the weight?
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Superb fit and finish, high breathability, and nice mix of features, but durability insurance doesn’t come with the $280 price tag – and at 9 oz, is it light enough?
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