This past weekend the APA (American Packraft Association) held their first packraft roundup at Big Creek Campground near Glacier Park, Montana.
Day 1 Swiftwater Rescue
Swiftwater Rescue sounds a bit intimidating, sort of like something a professional river guide would take. Actually it was a very beginner friendly class but I learned a lot.
Class started on shore with a discussion of safe rigging for a raft and throw bag practice.
We learned ways to free someone from foot entrapment. We also learned how to swim on our back ("Safe Swimmer Position"), how to swim foreward, how to use our paddle to help swim and how to enter whitewater.
Another skill practiced was how to move into water to cross a river or reach a stranded swimmer. Good skills even if you're not packrafting.
We then moved downriver and practiced rescuing swimmers from our rafts (and saving gear).
After running a small rapid we edied out and practice rescuing swimmers with a throw bag.
We finished the day with a short fun run down the North Fork of the Flathead.
Day 2
Day 2 was a trip day with different people on different beginner, intermediate or advanced trips depending on skill level.
After shuttling cars we put in on MacDonald Lake and floated MacDonald Creek to the Middle Fork.
A two man (or one man and a boy) packraft!
The Scout is a perfect kid sized boat.
Dave decided to jump in the river.
After taking out we hiked back a few miles, good practice.
In the evening we held a raffle and Tom gave a slide show presentation on early packrafting in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (not actually in the park where its illegal).
We all stayed up way to late talking. I chatted with Forest and Tom about off trail routes I wanted to try. Doom showed us some prototypes for new rafts. There was a lighter Scout and "Ganoe" or Alpacka Canoe and an inflatable toilet seat call the "Alcrapa"
Day 2
My last trip was a paddle from the campground to the confluence of the North Fork and the South Fork. Most of the group seemed to feel pretty confident after the previous day. With Forest leading the way we took the most aggressive lines.
Coming up on a drop Forest decided to ferry left and made it through. I didn't ferry in time and got pushed in. I tried to power through but flipped.
Several other people made the same mistake and we had a nice floating yard sale for a few minutes. All the non swimmers quickly collected the gear.
Overall it was a fantastic learning opportunity and a ton of fun. I'd highly recommend it.
More pictures and videos are on the APA Facebook page.
After the trip Morgan and I teamed up for an awesome trip down the South Fork of the Flathead… without a real map. But that is another story.
