Podcast: Little Alpacka Packraft can Play with the Big Kids

[Kenneth Knight]

Companion forum thread to:

Podcast: Little Alpacka Packraft can Play with the Big Kids

[Don Wilson]

Fun podcast, Carol. This looks like such a great way to travel. I gotta stop walking so much and start doing some paddling.

Thanks for more inspiration.

Don

[Carol Crooker]

I just came back from a meeting with the Desert Paddlers group here in Phoenix. A couple of people presented a trip report on their trip through Desolation and Gray Canyons last May. Fantastic! Who's up for a trip next year?

[Robert Hausam]

Carol,

Count me in. I organized a trip through Desolation and Gray Canyons several years ago (1999, actually), and it was a great experience. I've been wanting to do it again ever since, but haven't yet gotten that arranged. I did it primarily in a canoe that time (there were 2 canoes and 1 raft in the group), and that worked out quite well. That was before I heard of packrafting, though, and now that I own one I have been thinking about doing Desolation/Gray again in the packraft–and obviously I'm not the only one. I'm really looking forward to the chance to do that. So, I'm ready to help plan and join in any time.

Rob

[Carol Crooker]

Cool! Ken Knight is also interested. What time of year did you go, Robert? I'm signed up for an early May trip this year with my local kayak group. Their trip last May was ideal, but another group who went down two weeks later had tons of rain.

[Robert Hausam]

Our trip was in late August. That was a pretty good time for it, as the weather was fine (mostly warm to somewhat hot, and sunny), and the flow was low enough to be reasonable for canoes. I don't think I would want to take a canoe down that stretch of river in the late spring, with the typical flows at that time. This year, with the above normal snowpack in Utah (although apparently not quite so much in southern Wyoming), I think the flows are going to be pretty large in May. That might be a lot of fun in a packraft, though, and if Cataract Canyon is doable, then certainly this should be.

Rob

[Craig Lewis]

Elaine is showing some "bracing" with the paddle. She is obviously an experienced kayaker. Several trips to a calm lake or harbor would be recommended for practicing forward, backward strokes and bracing before attempting whitewater.
Notice how the pack is blocking her view in one pic with the bow raised, instead of panic the reaction must be to brace and she does to the right side.
She doesn't lean backward at all, a little forward would be optimal. However, with the pack in the front you have to already tested the limit of lean/paddle stroke before attempting the rapid she did and not spill.

[Author]

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