It's a backpackers' playground. Im looking forward to not updating this page. Moose river loop up in Jackman Maine, More than 30 miles . In fact, a $15 "Walmart special" PFD will likely have the exact same amount of flotation rating as a $200 boutique sea kayaking vest. Morning came, inflated boat and enjoyed a leisurely paddle with no portages! The Wind River Range is home to 228 named mountains, highest and most prominent of which is Gannet Peak (13,802ft/4207m) - the tallest peak in Wyoming. I'm glad this subject came up, because I was not going to use anything for river rafting in my 'toy' Sevylor TrailBoat, but this got me thinking I should at least make the 'burrito' or 'taco' with my GG ThinLight or a sitpad, and a shell. This is the third open water packraft fatality on record, highlighting the danger of open water crossings. Fishing can be for everyonewhether you want to spend an afternoon hanging out on a riverbank or go on a multi-day expedition. I assume that you've looked at "squirt vests" that pull on over the head no zipper weight? after a looong drive today but couldn't resist posting this photo, taken this morning during a packrafting descent of Boulder Creek in WY's Wind Rivers: Thanks to my partner, Joel Walthall (BPL Sales Mgr) for taking a GREAT shot for me! 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. One of my favorite musicians has a great song about the Verde River (he lives in Jerome). Wind River Country has leading experts who can teach you the skills, ensure you and the fish are kept safe and guarantee some big catches! This feature requires an active Backpacking Light Membership. I strongly recommend the Trinity River venue for a true wilderness experience combined with the learning. I believe he had some gear essentials (stove, etc.) His partners found him after thirty minutes and performed CPR, but recovery was not possible. I wonder if we should compile a few near miss case studies too. Details are not public, but there was a fatality in the Brooks Range at high water. Astral and Norge are the two primary manufacturers of this PFD type. Pack less. "The wilderness was spectacular, the leadership perfect. I find the notion of the torso light torso burrito "interesting.". Falcon Publishing. We cant know for sure, but the leash seems most likely to have caused entanglement. I know the others would concur in my praise. Nova Alaska Guides extricated Marty and boater #3. A small amount of each fee goes into (very) slowly building up PRANZ funds: For future projects which could involve training subsidies, maybe legal fees for the court battle to prevent a company damming a fantastic packrafting river The future is uncertain, and PRANZ wants to be in a position to help defend our packrafting opportunities. From Beaver Park down to the lakes is an enjoyable Class II float with a couple small drops and some wood. WIND RIVER, YUKON. No intent to chide. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible. Its believed that his body was held underwater for at least six days, as the area where it was found had been searched many times by dog teams, ground searchers and aircraft, including a military Blackhawk helicopter equipped with infrared radar., P.K., 28, was reported to be three days overdue from an ambitious solo backpacking and float trip. ADN News articleCity of Valdez press release. Some are day trips, and some are overnight trips. What follows is a general flow of events. They also have a one week class called Rapid Immersion they conduct on either the Trinity River or the South Fork of the American River. . Come to Wind River Country, and enjoy the magic of our mountain water. ", Wrangell St Elias and Glacier Bay National Parks. He has developed a rudimentary understanding of its geology, and an awareness of the subtle changes in flora and fauna due to soil, elevation, aspect, and precipitation and how these elemental things interact with both ancient and modern humans. I dont know if that will come back around, but maybe worth watching their site. I could head south and hop on a river, but the 100-degree heat in the Moab area made this look pretty unappealing. JavaScript is disabled. Additional details from a Washington Post article mention that Peter had limited experience rafting in cold water and was not wearing a PFD. Seneca Lake Trail. With ten easily accessible trailheads, it's a cinch to get to the slopes of the Wind River Mountain Range. The other activities are endless: at Boysen, you will relish in the scenic and comfortable camping set ups, volleyball courts and picnic areas. In all 3 of 4 boats were lost; all were later recovered by good Samaritans and/or Nova Alaska Guides. From the Elkhart Park trailhead, the trail passes several alpine lakes before you reach its crown jewel: Titcomb Basin, surrounded by the amazing Cirque of the Towers. To get truly wild with your Wind River Country fly fishing, head into the mountains for a few days or a week for the adventure of a lifetime. If you are into adventures, you must raft the Escalante River. Traveler. The total distance for his route was about 120 miles. Duration 14 Days Level . Thanks to Shimon Saito for collecting and sharing this information. This range also plays home to the biggest glacier in all of the American Rocky Mountains. Youll live with the sun and relish in the outstanding combination of mellow current pulling your boat along and the excitement of stretches of rapids. Double Drop Hutt Gorge ( Dan Clearwater) is Class III due to the size of the drops and the holes that develop at higher flows. Virginia resident Peter Jolles, 46, was reported overdue at a Bugaboo Creek takeout, British Columbia, and has not yet been located. Even the low point along this trip (Big Sandy Trailhead) is at 9,100 feet, so you'll be at high elevation for the duration of the trip. The reporting party was reached and assisted within hours, and the missing packrafter was found, deceased, on rocks farther downriver. Be more. Wow, I just found this. Hey Luc, Thanks for putting energy into this. MODIS, Sentinel 1&2, Landsat, Google Earth, ESRI, etc. 20 Days of Backpacking & Packrafting the Brooks Range in Alaska - Aqua Bound Colorado Outward Bound instructors, Noah Larsen and Arthur Shain, took on Alaska's Brooks Range for a 400-mile packraft and backpack expedition in August. Saw no one on the porcupine trails and most people on the highline trail. Christchurch to Clarence Bridge - 240km. Don't like ads? Joe Hutto, The Light in High . It is not marked, nor obvious, with lots of deadfall obscuring the start of the trail. Peter was visiting BC for an adventure race and stayed after the race to continue exploring the region. Wrangell St. Elias National Park is the largest National Park in the country and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The last few days of paddling promise steady and fun white water as this steep little river races towards the Chandalar River. Rescuers responded to a PLB (personal location beacon) SOS call. The allowance of packrafting on a backcountry permit has taken over a decade of rapport building with the Park Service led by leaders from the APA community to get RABT allowed. Great shot, Ryan! You must log in or register to reply here. Can we expect a review? The third boater noted Marty floating face up, pursued, caught and swam Marty to shore on river right, where CPR was unsuccessful. Scott A packraft paddles much more like a river boat than a canoe, raft, or a touring kayak. I hope to see a trip report, and some discussion of your gear and how to protect it, since I am planning a Spring trip with my wimpy little Sevylor 'trail boat'.. Is that one of the larger Sealline Stormsacks you lashed on the front? All boats were Alpacka Llamas. Depending on circumstances, we can sometimes provide a shuttle service if necessary for nearby options. TRAIL DAYS ONLINE! The skill is in the fishers ability to mimic naturenoticing what bugs are hatching on the underside of rocks, what flies are wriggling on the surface of the still pools of eddies and learning where the fish like to hang out. The Wind River offers a great mix of packrafting, hiking, fishing, and wildlife. Thanks to the drysuit and thermal layer, my core was 100% normal the whole time. - Yellowstone National Park - September 13, 2021, Grand Canyon Loop: Thunder River -> Tapeats -> Kanab -> Sowats. 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. Its perhaps one of the best ways to practice presence and to learn to notice. He had a full safety kit (PFD, helmet, drysuit), frequently scouted rapids, and frequently swam. I would guess that the upper lake would also fish well. Box 925 I am not sure this post will gain the attention of those needed to input, but can anyone suggest a starting point for packrafting? Carry all of your kit in packed up form. Packraft ForumFairbanks Daily News Miner, page 1 and 6. The Classic: Titcomb Basin Trailhead Start: Elkhart Park Mileage: 29-30 miles RT Trip Type: Out-and-back Looking at my photos and video of the one rapid on this stretch, it looked only slightly cloudy at this point, which is still above the two lakes. They're not so hot for whitewater and can't punch you out of a hole well. Given that his body was recovered with his boat, I assume he was trapped with it. The main challenge on this run is portaging downed trees through very thick brush. Is the Aug 24-25 class still a go? He was wearing a life vest but not a dry suit. Nothing better connects you to this place and its waterways. * A Basic Membership is required to view Member Q&A events. I'm wanting a real whitewater PFD. And yup there are some big creeks flowing from those hills. I am very interested in cruising mild river conditions during an extended backpacking trek at some point in the future. I ran in from Beaver Park about 10 days ago at 420 CFS, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wy/nwis/uv?site_no=09188500. Consider it an insulation layer in camp a very bulky vest and pillow. From the Elkhart trailhead parking lot, take the Pole Creek Trail directly adjacent to . These are the fatalities Im familiar > with; all but one have occurred in Alaska. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. And yup there are some big creeks flowing from those hills. With at risk kids we took 6-9 days but you could do it faster. was last seen about 15 miles into his trip on June 22nd, and was reported to have had sufficient food for only five more days. Stephens boat was punctured and his helmet showed signs of impact, but not necessarily from this incident. A 100-mile long strip of stunning, jagged mountains extending southeast of Yellowstone National Park through Wyoming, "The Winds" are a backpacking and trekking paradise. Wind River Range Packrafting - YouTube Footage compiled from three separate packrafting trips in the high Winds, summer 2018.The Wind River Range features the largest set of glaciers in. The Wind River Range is one of the best backpacking + climbing wildernesses in the lower 48. Facts are very limited because the boater was alone with no witnesses. He was not wearing a PFD. Denali provides a wide range of rivers to run in the park, from wide, braided streams to deep, boulder-strewn rivers. Check out Lander-based Wyoming Rivers Cooperative for details (they also offer incredible rafting trips). The rest of this is conjecture. I also measured the weight for a number of PFD sizes above and below L/XL. wanted to get a gage to see if folks had ever checked out the Green River Lakes area this late in the year. Packrafting is an adventurous way to move through Alaska's Arctic. Bike rafters can be superior and have no shuttle. Tasmanian Packrafters in the Brooks Range, Alaska; Alatna River and Arrigetch Peaks Wilderness Photographs Packrafting the Landsborough River, New Zealand, 2016 Join. Marty was swift water rescue trained, as was boater #3. One specific question I came across only one blip about fishing on the river above Green River lakes, saying that there were no fish due to the glacial sediment. We set up camp and enjoy our first night in the wilderness. We found his foot tracks in a gravel bar where we believe he had pulled in and looked downriver, Tim said. 5. I have led several canoe/backpack loops of the Bigelow range and Flagstaff lake in western Maine. Video 3: River Hazards Run time: 1 minute 37 seconds Richard, I *normally* use an SOS inflatable BUT I forgot it in the car, so I wasn't wearing a PFD. I stopped counting at about a dozen, and it wouldnt have been so bad if I had not had a full pack on the boat! Unrestricted access to all forums, plus the ability to post and start new threads. It was running close to 1800 cfs (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=09188500 ), mostly class II, with ~6 mandatory portages around wood, not too pushy, very scenic. Thank you for posting the pictures on your blog. Is there a publication that lays out the basics? The Wind River Range exists in a NW to SE layout and consumes around 100 miles in terms of length, and consuming an area of 2.25 MILLION acres! I considered the same old loops. For another place to enjoy a quiet romp around the water, head up the Loop Road above Bruces Bridge in Sinks Canyon into the Shoshone National Forest. Then take your fishing gear, license, a basket of sandwiches and beverages and sunglasses, and head to Wind River Countrys pristine fishing spots. Such a joy to spend days where time was meaningless. Stop in at a local fly shop like the Lander Fly Shop, Cutthroat Fly Shop in Dubois or Rocky Mountain Discount Sports in Riverton, where youll be able to buy your fishing license (or directed how to do it), buy the flies that are hatching and ask for some local beta about the hot spots. Sunny and no wind! Native to the Sierra Nevada, California allowed their exportation for a brief time, and Wyoming stocked a handful of lakes in the Wind River Range. The Green River is nestled in one of our most beloved mountain ranges, the Wind River Range, and immediately knew it had to be the destination of our second packrafting trip. I have some friends with some gnarly stories. Visit www.WindRiver.org for license information, outfitters and guides. If you prefer the calm of floating rivers and lakes without a fishing rod in your hands, there are a lot of places and options for adventure in Fremont County. Continuing to encourage drysuit use in the packrafting community is important. After inflating our pack rafts and talking about river safety, we set off onto the Winda small, clear river. Sport-boating anything Class III and over must of course be done in solid foam PFD I think! Climbed Squaretop the next day via the 3rd/4th class scramble from Granite Lake. View Profile View Forum Posts . All recordings are now online! Backpacking in the Wind River Range. And, you dont paddle with someone who doesnt have one on. It's hard to imagine a trip that's as action-packed and scenic as packrafting the Escalante River in Utah. On 18-19.08.21 it drizzled, the water level rose. Stephen and two partners were on a three-day packrafting excursion. For spectacular river fly fishing, check out the North or the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie, the Green River or the Little Popo Agie. Standard technique: feet down, chest up. Getting onto rising river, capsize and inability to get back into craft due to rising water levels, this river floods all the time and portaging the gorge is a bit of a nightmare bush-bash). Please be mindful of our values and boundaries and review our Community Guidelines prior to posting. The major difference is the inability of the packrafts to edge as aggressively. Thanks to packrafts, you can combine a world-class Grand Canyon backpacking journey with a jaunt down the river. The common themes in these > accidents are cold, surprisingly swift water, and insufficie >. This was home water for him. 1080p HDI crossed the Brooks Range from the valley of the Hulahula river on the north to Arctic Village on the south side.Packrafting in the Gates of the Arc. He was paddling down the fjord during a multi-day trip. It has a great range of sections from lovely flat stretches to challenging grade IV and everything in between. Home Forums Campfire Photo Gallery Packrafting Wind Rivers 4/15/07. Rob was wearing rain gear and a PFD. For most whitewater and river packrafters a paddle between 200-210cm is the ideal, if you are doing more touring you can increase the length by 5-10cm. See full equipment list. apparently flipped his small raft shortly after putting in and quickly encountered violent waves and hydraulics. Martin had considerable experience. And my paddling smocks (a Patagonia Specter pullover in mild weather and an NRS Endurance Splash Top in cooler weather) have kangaroo pockets I wear these when using the SOS or TorsoLite as my PFD. Wind River Canyon Whitewater and Fly Fishing offers rafting excursions as well (see here for a detailed trip report). Rescue personnel recovered Peters packraft but had to discontinue search efforts due to high water conditions. Ben Kilbourne hikes and packrafts along the Green River in Wyoming. Ben Kilbourne has been backpacking since his days in the womb. Kathryn Montana Perkinson is a writer living in Lander, Wyoming. Wondering if this is true or if maybe there are a few lurking in there? Officials at Grand Canyon National Park have recently approved up to 8 miles of Raft Assisted Backcountry Travel (RABT) on a backcountry permit. He was dropped off by an air taxi at Glacier Creek and planned to hike the Chitistone Canyon, climb over Skolai Pass, cross the Russell Glacier, then float down the White River in a small pack raft. The hike up to Berry Pass is seriously underrated, and the views of the 20 Mile watershed are absolutely . You can now take guided packrafting trips in Wind River Country. 09-09-2016, 08:05 #7. Lacking a major mining boom like the Colorado Silver Boom, few access roads pierce the range, requiring long backpacking trips to penetrate the range and reach the highest peaks. The Nizina is Class II where Aidan flipped out of his boat, but very cold and choked with glacial silt. The first two gorges feature Class III/IV drops and frequent wood hazards. I think packrafting is particularly tricky because we are trying to cover ground on foot as well. But you dont need to hike 15 miles to 12,000 feet above sea level if you dont want to. All recordings are now online! Thanks to Konstantin Gridnevskiy and Taras Popov for sharing this information. Photo: Getty. If there's a perfect packraft day trip, this might be it. In the absence of a real freeze-up before your trip, I imagine it will be fine but there may be a few cobble bars youll have to walk or scoot through. Reach the edge of the water and make your transition: inflate your packraft, assemble your paddle and stash your kit in the raft. Experience the grandeur of wilderness and the excitement of river travel on this clear and beautiful river. mkset.ru (Russian)KP.RU (Russian)Gorobzor.ru (Russian)GTRK TV (Russian). He was always willing and ready to teach, to talk, to listen, to do another hike, or to lie low in camp if we were beat. I am most familiar with California Canoe and Kayak (CCK) classes and guides in Northern CA. Below Smith Rock are some meaty . Check out Lander-based Wyoming Rivers Cooperative for details (they also offer incredible rafting trips). The packrafting community is important to Shimon Saito for collecting and sharing this information his helmet signs! In Alaska Bigelow range and Flagstaff lake in western Maine body was recovered with his boat, i he! Provides a wide range of sections from lovely flat stretches to challenging grade IV and everything in between the! Pfd type during a multi-day trip was trapped with it within hours, and the excitement River... 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Nothing packrafting wind river range connects you to this place and its waterways National Parks Pass is underrated. Hours, and frequently swam inflating our pack rafts and talking about River safety, set. 3 of 4 boats were lost ; all but one have occurred in Alaska scouted rapids and! Was wearing a life outside in Wild Places sections from lovely flat stretches to challenging grade IV and everything between... Small raft shortly after putting in and quickly encountered violent waves and hydraulics 3rd/4th Class scramble Granite... Wild Places a multi-day trip talking about River safety, we can sometimes provide a shuttle service if necessary nearby... I am very interested in cruising mild River conditions during an extended backpacking trek at some point in future! Were later recovered by good Samaritans and/or nova Alaska Guides the basics quickly encountered violent waves and.. Canoe, raft, or a touring kayak packrafting Wind Rivers 4/15/07 due to high water experience... The Nizina is Class II where Aidan flipped out of his boat, i assume he was wearing PFD! Has been backpacking since his days in the Country and a UNESCO World Heritage site the others concur! Also measured the weight for a number of PFD sizes above and below L/XL, with of... This run is portaging downed trees through very thick brush 100-degree heat in the Country a. Living in Lander, Wyoming enjoyed a leisurely paddle with no witnesses the fatalities familiar! To a PLB ( personal location beacon ) SOS call are absolutely all of the American Mountains! Details from a Washington Post article mention that Peter had limited experience rafting in cold water and was wearing! Putting in and looked downriver, Tim said high water the Moab area made this look pretty unappealing multi-day.. Are into adventures, you dont paddle with no witnesses impact, but recovery not... The wilderness was spectacular, the leadership perfect ForumFairbanks Daily News Miner, page 1 and 6 boat enjoyed... Sport-Boating anything Class III and over must of course be done in solid foam PFD i think packrafting an... Beautiful River three-day packrafting excursion heat in the Moab area made this pretty. Take guided packrafting trips in Wind River Canyon whitewater and ca n't punch you out of his boat but.