The last four weeks paddling in Nepal have been amazing, and I've been content with my paddling skills. Yet, it's day five, and self-doubt sets in as we face the most challenging rapids of our 8-day expedition on the Lower Karnali. Yesterday's paddling was a mess, and now, staring at a solid high-volume class 4+ rapid, I question my abilities. The two other packrafters opt for the raft today, leaving me to confront the challenge as the only packrafter. This may also be the first descent of the Lower Karnali in a packraft. Despite the doubt, I can see the line clearly, a hard push across the main flow, navigating a narrow slot through massive wave trains. It's a moment of introspection as I reflect on the journey so far.
About six months ago, I was invited to join the Spade Kayaks team trip to paddle in Nepal. Nepal had been a destination I longed to explore, especially after hearing mystical reports of its amazing rivers. The Karnali River inevitably came up in these stories—the last wild and free-flowing river in Nepal. Its headwaters start at the base of the holy Mount Kailash in Tibet, a unique mountain revered in Hinduism and Buddhism. The Karnali flows through Tibet and into Nepal, passing through class V canyons, gorges, and jungle wilderness before reaching the Lower Karnali, the starting point for multi-day rafting and kayaking expeditions.
Just six days before the Karnali expedition, space opened up for more participants. I quickly invited friends Tom and Tommy, who, having been on previous trips with me, promptly booked their flights. We met in Kathmandu, skipped the cultural experience of a 16-hour bus trip, and opted for a flight followed by a six-hour jeep ride through the rugged Nepalese countryside. Arriving to the sight of the Karnali river carving its way through the mountains was awe-inspiring.
As we inflated our boats, we could sense the adventure unfolding. Paddling down the river, we witnessed local life—families washing clothes, fishermen by the river, and children running down from villages, shouting "Namaste" with big smiles. After navigating unexpected rapids on the first day, we camped by the river, sharing stories and relishing a Nepalese meal. Days blended into a routine of Paddle, Eat, Sleep, Repeat, with the scenery alternating between idyllic landscapes and traces of modern civilization.
I am staring at the line. The rest of the team has already paddled the rapid and are waiting for me at the bottom.
I ask myself three questions: 1) do you see the line? Yes. 2) Can you paddle the line? Yes I have the skills to paddle the line. 3) Can you get out of your head and let your body do what it needs to do? I don't know… So, in this situation, I do what I always do, I sit in my boat, fit the thigh straps, put on the spray skirt, and paddle out to where the line starts and now I am committed. I am in the flow and heading down river towards the hole. My mind freaks out, an inner voice quietly says, shut up and get it done, the mind goes silent, the body does what it needs and I clean the line with style and with ease. Being the first rapid of the day this gives me the necessary confidence to take the day back and even though the rapids got harder and more technical I was able to get back in the zone. Sometimes in life we just need to commit, when we can see the line, and know we have the ability but the mind is freaking out.
This trip has left me with a deep desire to protect and promote the Karnali. Unfortunately, this river is under threat and may not be here for much longer. Every other river in Nepal has been dammed, killing local ecosystems and impacting livelihoods. Pessimistic thoughts say the dam will be finished within a year, optimistic thoughts say perhaps we have another five years. Yet, this is truly one of the last great river wonders of the world, deserving protection and UNESCO World Heritage status. This river, a true wonder, should be protected for future generations.
Our eight days on the Karnali immersed us in its breathtaking beauty, exposing us to the raw and untouched wilderness that defines its essence. The journey unfolded against the stark contrast of local villages peacefully coexisting with nature, yet tinged with the subtle signs of encroaching modernity.
The event started as usual with Whitewater Rescue Courses taking place on the days leading up to the event, both for recreational paddlers but also for professional packraft guides.
Photo @Fagus Outdoor
On Monday the first workshops started and groups of packrafters headed to the river. On this day and the following days, we covered sessions on River Safety (throw bag, whitewater swimming (with/without gear), wet re-entry) and Paddling Technique (Eddy catching, Ferry glide, Boofing, Paddle strokes) as well as a repair workshop.
Of course there was also a lot of just fun paddling and hiking along Soca and Koritnica river. A repair workshop was held, as well as a bikerafting session!
On Friday evening we did a Q&A session and movie night. And every night except the very first (very rainy) evening on Monday saw us sitting around the fire.
But I will just let the photos speak for themselves and also thank David from Sweden for the nice movie!
Huge Thanks to all the paddlers to volunteer sharing their knowledge on and off the river and to every single participant for your donations to River Protection!
It was awesome to have Jen & Mark Oates joining the Meet-up again, thanks a lot for the photos and of course for all the volunteering and helping people to improve their paddling skills! A big pleasure to be paddling with you guys again! Also in the photo Max Clemencon who first started to create the Meet-up, special thanks to you Max for being such a good part of the packrafting community!
Katja & Caj Koskinen travelled from Finland to join the Meet-up again this year!
Looking for fish was also part of the game.
See you again next year latest, dates for the 2024 Meet-up are June 10-16, 2024!
Michaela & Seon
Co-Founders Packraft Europe
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What can we say - our expectations were not only met, they were vastly exceeded! We felt and still feel deeply impressed, not only by the breathtaking beauty and wilderness of Norways nature but also the friluftsliv culture and the hospitality of its people.
Let's start at the beginning - the first Nordic Packraft Roundup took place 3 years ago in Sweden (you can read about it here). The idea was that each year another Nordic country would host this Packrafting Meet-up. Due to Corona, a couple more years had to go by before the next round took place, this year in Norway.
The Meet-up location was at a campground right on the shore of Lake Femunden, Norways second largest natural lake. Indeed it was massive, but also very natural, along most of its shore all you could see was a vast extension of pine trees and untouched wilderness. A very different view compared to living in central Europe where the shores of most lakes are occupied by roads and expensive houses.
The campground has good amentites and provided lots of space, both for social gathering, but also a quiet place if you wanted. It has been really inspiring to be apart of and watch the packrafting community grow over the years and we immediately felt welcome among friends both new and old, some of which we hadn't seen since the last Nordic Round-up 3 years ago!
The lake provided the perfect warm up and training grounds for basic safety practice on the first day, so everybody could check their gear, practice wet exits and re entry (Flip Drills), and assisted rescue techniques. Water levels on the surrounding rivers were very low and on the following days we paddled two rivers - Femundselva and the shorter run of Gløta. The upper part of Femundselva was very beginner friendly and we also took our 3 kids on the river in the Alpacka Forager.
As usual, knowledge was shared on and off the river, and Seon ran some basic safety training, a comprehensive packraft and drysuit repair workshop, and provided some personal coaching on the river. The Norwegian Paddling Association also ran a Beginner Packrafting course during the weekend.
Seon explaining paddling strokes.
Much too fast Sunday came around and the international crowd of packrafters returned home to their usual paddling grounds. It was so nice to spend time with old and new friends while paddling and socializing on and off the river.
But there was no time to be sad as we continued on to paddle Sjoa river next, and what a river this is! Certainly deserving of a place amongst the top 5 whitewater rivers in Europe. Even in August water levels were pretty good - to be honest, I wouldn't have wanted any more water on my first runs of the "play-run" section (II-III), nor did Seon feel the need for higher flows for his first runs on the more challenging Åsengjuvet run (IV-), or the class IV-V Åmot gorge. Sjoa really has it all - beautiful nature and technical whitewater for all levels, and very clean in terms of the usual river hazards such as siphons and strainers.
Be warned that Norways rivers are typically rated half a grade above what they would be in Europe Eg, a Norwegian Class III would be graded as a Class III+ in Europe. A lot of paddlers (ourselves included) have to re-evaluate their personal paddling level after a trip to Norway.
After so much whitewater, we decided to explore some calmer waters and took the kids for an overnight packrafting trip on Nærøyfjord. Just stunningly beautiful, although a bit busier with ferrys and small tourist boats than we expected, but the mornings and evenings were pure magic.
Seon then got the chance to kayak some of the rivers surrounding Voss with the locals and was blown away by the amount of quality whitewater rivers, runs and paddlers in the area. Unfortunately no photos from these runs but some great memories and new friends made.
Eventually we had to head back to Austria, but this certainly won't be our last trip to Norway :-)
We would like to send out a huge heartfelt THANK YOU to the packrafting and paddling community. It is an honour and a privilege to paddle with you all and share our mutual passion and love of water, rivers and nature!
Michaela & Seon Crockford-Laserer
Founders of Packraft Europe
Photo Credit: Torkel Pettersson, Michaela Crockford-Laserer
]]>Photo @Jan Zdansky
Most sections of Soca and Koritnica could still be run, especially during the first days and for less experienced or intermediate paddlers, less water actually meant they could packraft sections of the river that otherwise would have been above their paygrade :-)
Photo @Katja Seidel
The first packrafters arrived at the Camp Liza campground already on the weekend before the meetup, and day by day more and more people arrived. Both the Beginner Course from Packrafts Explorers and our Whitewater Rescue Course on Monday & Tuesday were fully booked.
Tom & Laura from the Packrafts Explorers in action!
While the first few days were just a relaxed come together, on Wednesday, the official part of the Meet-up started with a Welcome Briefing and the first workshops, mainly aimed at Beginners. Many experienced paddlers volunteered to share their knowledge and this greatly helped the people relatively new to packrafting to be able to paddle with groups on the following days. They practiced wet re-entry, whitewater swimming, throwbaging, ferry glides and eddy catching.
But also advanced packrafters had new things to learn and train - paddle technique, river reading & trip planing, bikerafting, cargofly maintenance, packraft repairs, hydrology - these were some of the workshops held during the following days!
Paddling technique workshop with Seon, Packraft Europe.
Cargofly Maintenance Workshop with Garreth from Alpacka Raft USA. Photo @Jan Zdansky
Small groups organized to run different sections on Soca and Koritnica river every day. Many people also decided to test different packrafts - boats from Alpacka Raft and Current Raft were available for demo.
Following 3 photos @Jan Zdansky
Tim & Lisa from Current Raft enjoying some time on the river after running workshops in the morning.
But the event is not only about packrafting - there are many great hikes in the area and one group also decided to go canyoning one afternoon with canyoning Guide and Packrafter Fabian from fabcanyon.
Most packrafters are very multi sporty people after all :-)
Saturday was certainly a highlight for a few of the most experienced people at the event, who went paddling the cataracts - classified as class lV-Vl. Only Seon from Packraft Europe had paddled it before and the low water levels allowed to paddle it again and take a few other paddlers with him.
The main risk on this stretch are syphons and the the 3km section is full of them, so it is critcal to stay on line (!!!). On the same day a group of kayakers paddled the cataract, as a memorial ceremony for a kayaker who had passed away in that section the previous year.
Photos @Katja Seidel
If you are keen to see more of this very advanced paddling session, check out the video of Packraft Explorers! Prep some beers as it is an hour long ;-)
Sunday was departure day and those who were not in a hurry went for a last paddle. The Packraft Europe family went for an easy float with the kids from the campground to Cezsoca, accompanied by some other paddlers who were happy to enjoy relaxed time on the river, soaking up one last time the outstanding beauty of this river and valley!
Last but not least, River Conservation is an important part of the Meet-up every year and we want to say a big thank you for the funds raised both through registration and also with the sales at the garage sale (Packraft Europe donated 30% of anything sold that morning to river conservation).
With this being the 5th European Packrafting Meet-up, together the packrafting community has raised over 12,000€ for river conservation in total! And maybe not by accident, just during this weekend it was announced that dam endangered Vjosa River finally got green light for a river national park!!! You can find more info and how to join the action here!
We are so excited about this news and thanks again to all participants of this and previous meet-ups to contribute to river protection!
See you again next year, the dates are June 5-11, 2023 with courses taking place on June 3+4. Workshops will focus on the first few days (June 5, 6, 7) next year, so make sure to join the full week :-) Current information can always be found here.
Photo @Katja Seidel
Happy paddling & stay safe!
Michaela & Seon Crockford-Laserer
Founders of Packraft Europe
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Since we arrived in Venzone in the evening, we set up camp next to the river and started paddling downstream the next morning. The landscape was stunning, with the big riverbed of the Taglimento in the middle of high mountains that gradually opened up more and more.
Anybody driving from Austria to Italy probably has seen the Tagliamento and it’s wide riverbed, and it was exciting to do a change of perspective and be on the river. We paddled about 20kms that day, the current was fast and only a couple of times we needed to portage artificial steps on the river.
For the night camp, you could just pick the spot you most liked, there was plenty of choice! Unfortunately heavy thunderstorm forced us into our tents early that night, but the next morning was clear and sunny again.
Breakfast time
The next day, we continued towards the ocean, until the little village of Dignano. With the current flow, we knew that the Tagliamento would go underground just a bit after Dignano, so we decided to take out and cover that part by bus and get on the river again on the last bit before it joined the Ocean near Lignano. You can check the flow at Venzone here. During our trip, the flow was between 0,31m-0,25m.
Lunchbreak! When you come throught this narrow part under a bridge, there is a campground with a tasty restaurant on river left!
After the rain of the previous night, this evening recompensed with a breathtaking sunset sky!
Paddling the last bit on the Tagliamento was different again, almost no current required strong paddling. The mountains were far away and the heat was heavy. The idea was to paddle until the river mouthes into the sea, but otherwise I think the upper parts are certainly more worthwhile paddling :-)
Considering that there seem to be trails and small roads next to the river, and that the river goes under surface for a stretch most time of the year, we want to take our bikes next time and repeat the trip as a bike rafting trip!
Happy little packrafter :-)
Packrafts used: Alpacka Forager 2 Person Packraft and Alpacka Gnarwhal Whitewater Packraft.
If you want to read more about packrafting with kids, check our Family Packrafting Guide.
Blog Post by Michaela Crockford-Laserer
Co-Founder Packraft Europe
]]>The Valkyrie will be officially released in spring of 2022, and is nothing short of a quantum leap forward in terms of packraft design and performance. Due to its complex design and manufacturing process Alpacka Raft is only able to produce the Valkyrie in limited quantities. All of the pre-release boats built for 2021 were immediately snatched up by Alpacka Raft Ambassadors and a few lucky individuals. We were fortunate enough to get a couple of boats for Nouria to paddle, and one for myself.
This high performance “inflatable” whitewater kayak is fast, agile, carves like a kayak, boofs and rolls. The weight for a high volume version is just under 8kg. It is better to compare it to a kayak than a packraft as there is not a single packraft on the market that comes anywhere near the performance of the Valkyrie.
With the 2021 Packrafting Meet-up taking place at Soca river in early June, and Nouria on her way to the "King of the Alps" kayak race (which she won!) this would be the perfect opportuntiy to paddle with Nouria and put the Valkyrie thru its paces. Tom from the Packraft Explorers, and Tin (Kayaker, Packrafter and Head Raft Guide) from Raftrek Croatia joined us for an epic day on the water.
Having seen Nouria previously only on videos, I was blown away by watching her paddle: Skill, passion, style, commitment and a LOT of energy! But beyond that, what really stood out was the sparkle in her eyes. It is clear that she loves rivers, she loves paddling, and she is happy to share the stoke with anyone who feels the same.
If you are want to be one of the first to be notified when the Valkyrie becomes available in Europe, be sure to sign up to our newsletter (sign up field is at the bottom of our home & start page).
You don't need to be a professional kayaker like Nouria to paddle the Valkyrie, however the more experienced and skilled you are, the more fun you will have. If you are new to packrafting in whitewater we recommend you look at the Alpacka Gnarwhal and Alpacka Wolverine that are currently in stock and available.
Big thanks to Nouria, Tom and Tin for a great day on the river ;)
Words by Seon Crockford-Laserer founder of Packraft Europe | Photos and videos by Tom Thaller from Packraft Explorers.
]]>We started the event with an arrival day on Tuesday and also Whitewater Rescue courses. The weather was fantastic pretty much all the way through the roundup and the flows were high too, what better conditions could we ask for :-)
On Wednesday, Pro Kayaker, Red Bull Athlete (and part time packrafter ;-) Nouria Newman came for a quick visit to test the new Alpacka Valkyrie. It was pretty amazing to watch her paddling. Be sure to look out for the short videos to be released soon of Nouria packrafting the new Alpacka Valkyrie!
The European Packrafting Meetup has always focused on 2 main elements: Safety & River Conservation. This year is was great to really see #CultureOfSafety on and off the river. It is rewarding to see the progress of many packrafters over time and the use of proven safety and communication techniques on the river. It was also perfect timing with the launch of Luc Mehls new book, "The Packrafting Handbook".
The main workshops concentrated on Thursday and Friday, and ranged from repair workshops, training the use of throwbags, self rescue and team rescue techniques to basic and advanced whitewater swimming.
With Covid making travel still a bit more complicated than usual, we were less people at the Meet-up this year, making it a very familiar event. It was actually really nice to get a chance to talk to everybody and spend time with old and new friends!
Remi, who has been almost on all Meet-ups even decided to celebrate his 50th birthday with us!
On Friday and Saturday, people formed groups to paddle different sections of the Soca. Depending on skill level and flows, Soca and Koritnica have good sections for everybody :-)
Less people made it also easier to do more walking and less shuttling and it was a pleasure to enjoy the nice trails along the rivers right from the campground!
One day, both Remi with his family and us with our family went for an easy kids paddle! It is great to see the next generation of paddlers enjoying the stoke.
Thanks to all participants for a great time and of course for the donations to river protection projects! It is always a surprise to see just how much money this event raises to help protect the rivers we all love. The event is 100% volunteer run and all monies raised go directly to the "Save the Blue Heart of Europe" Campaign and "Balkan River Defence". These Non-Profits are fighting hard to protect what little wild and freeflowing rivers remain in Europe. We are extremely gratefull for the work they do and are humbled by the support from the packrafting community. A huge thanks to everyone for supporting the protection of our rivers!
Thanks also to all of the volunteers for sharing their knowledge in workshops on and off the river and for helping to set up and take down infrastructure. You know who you are and we truly appreciate all your work to help make this event happen.
Thanks as well to the Packraft Explorers Tom & Laura for helping with the organisation and the great photos!
If you have missed this meet-up or want to go paddling together soon again, here are a few events you might be interested in:
- The Durance Festival in France (July 30 - Aug 1).
- We are preparing another come together at the Austrian Isel river during the Take it Isel Kayak & Packraft Festival from August 25-29! Stay tuned and maybe see you soon again!
- Packraft Summit of the Packraft Explorers on Saalach river (October 14-17)
Happy paddling in the meanwhile and looking forward seeing you on the river soon again!
Seon & Michaela Crockford-Laserer
Founders Packraft Europe
Here some more photos!
Nice photos take some work, thanks to Laura from the Packraft Explorers :-)
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10 jours (possibilité d’itinéraire plus court)
Auteur: Joseph Clergue
L’itinéraire décrit ci dessous peut être bien évidement perfectionné et ne fait pas office d’un topo finit.
Je vous recommande de bien vous renseigner sur le niveau des eaux et également des risques de montées brusques de leurs niveaux engendré par les barrages hydroélectriques
Certains rapides décrits ci dessous peuvent êtres compliqués pour la pratique du Bikeraft et il vous faudra être préparé/équipé à l’éventualité de boire la tasse.
tel: barrage hydroélectrique du Refrain: 0381965521
Octobre 2020
Départ de Mandeure au sud de Montbéliard pour 5 première journée de vtt en suivant l’itinéraire de la GTJ.
Le parcours est dès le début assez technique du aux conditions plutôt humides avec des dénivelés importants surtout si l’ont doit porter son packraft en plus de son équipement. certains passages se feront donc en poussant le vélo.
Une première étape est possible à Fessevilliers ou un refuge avec cuisine et douche est ouvert pour 9euros/nuits. Cette étape est parfaite pour une grosse demi-journée.
La suite du parcours VTT est tout simplement le cheminement du balisage GTJ VTT -très bien balisé -
La partie traversant les gorges du Doubs est magnifique durant cette période automnale, de plus, le long des gorges, de nombreux emplacements de bivouac avec modules en bois (chaises/tables) et parfois grilles de barbecue sont à disposition ainsi que de nombreux refuges et abris- très arrangeant quand il s’agira de descendre cette portion du Doubs avec le Packraft.
L’arrivée à Morteau après un passage au saut du Doubs marquera la transition entre le Doubs et le début du Jura.
Il est possible et peut-être recommandable d’utiliser l’itinéraire « route » pour cette partie plus urbanisée et gagner ainsi du temps.
Une autre option (Peut être la plus intéressante) pour un parcours plus cours est, d’initier a partir de Morteau un retour jusqu’aux alentours de Fessevilliers par la descente du Doubs en Kayak depuis l’écluse du Châtelot. (Partie Kayak expliquée plus bas).
La partie Jura de cette GTJ sera (fin octobre) très humide et froide, les nuits parfois plus compliqués que dans le doubs et les abris/refuges moins nombreux et moins bien indiqués à mon gout.
Je sortirai enfin mon Packraft sur "les Pertes de la Valserine » juste avant Bellegarde. Pour pouvoir naviguer dans les pertes de la Valserine, il faudra crapahuter un petit peu entre les rochers pour trouver un endroit adéquat pour la mise à l’eau.
Après les magnifiques mais cependant très courtes « pertes de la valserine », il faudra passer un petit barrage. juste ensuite, le cours d’eau se fera beaucoup plus technique avec des passages de rapide engagés en Bikeraft (selon moi) ou il faudra être préparer à boire la tasse si le vélo coince un petit peu entre les rochers. Pour ma part je me retourne à deux reprises consécutives et avec une météo plus que moyenne, ce n’est pas forcément la meilleure idée. Il sera probablement plus sage de naviguer directement sur le Rhône après Bellegarde pour se mettre en jambes d’une façon plus progressive.
Il est ensuite possible de naviguer sur le Rhône jusqu’au barrage de Génissiat.
Cependant, il est important de noter que cette partie (navigation sur cette portion du Rhône) n’est pas d’une grande beauté et je pense qu’il est intéressant de travailler sur un itinéraire bis en rejoignant bien plus en Amont le Rhône, quitte à ne pas respecter le tracé de la GTJ sur la Partie Jura et couper plus tôt pour rejoindre le Rhône bien plus en Amont vers Genève (par exemple)
Pour La suite du tracé et donc, la remontée de cette traversée en Packraft, il faudra ensuite rejoindre le Doubs à Hauteur de Morteau soit par la route, soit en mettant le vélo dans le ter.
*Si la partie Jura de cette traversée est selon moi et à ce stade, moins intéressante ou encore au stade d’ébauche dans une optique de Bikerafting, la partie à suivre qui est la descente par les eaux des gorges du doubs est, elle à ne pas louper.
Depuis Morteau, je roule jusqu’à une position légèrement en aval du saut du doubs ou je tâtonne pour trouver une zone adéquate de mise à l’eau. Je jette mon dévolu sur L’écluse de Châtelot (visible sur maps.me) située juste après le barrage du châtelot et donc le lac de Moron, lui même navigable si le temps vous le permet.
L’accès à l’écluse se fait par le village « Le pissoux » il vous faudra descendre la route en direction du Doubs après le village et suivre les indications « écluse » qui vous feront emprunter un GR escarpé ou il faudra a quelques reprises porter / pousser votre vélo.
Cette première partie de la descente du Doubs est très sauvage et splendide, les petits rapides du débuts s’intensifieront rapidement avec quelques passages techniques sur les premiers kilomètres ou j’aurai le privilège de boire la tasse encore plusieurs fois avant que le parcours de l’eau ne se calme pour laisser place à une longue portion de navigation beaucoup plus tranquille ou mes yeux en profiteront pour admirer un paysage sauvage et magnifique.
Ma première journée de navigation s’arrêtera assez tôt au niveau de « La Rasse » juste avant Biaufond ou je profite des derniers rayons de soleil pour faire sécher l’équipement qui n’a pas été ménagé en amont.
Je reprends ensuite le vélo pour passer la courte portion du Doubs entre Biaufond et le barrage du Refrain qui est selon moi sans grand intérêt.
Arrivé au barrage, je me rend vite compte que la portion entre celui et la central juste en aval est elle aussi non navigable et je décide de passer la nuit dans la chapelle abandonnée de la Centrale hydroélectrique du Refrain.
Le lendemain j’effectue une mise à l’eau une centaine de mètres après l’infrastructure pour naviguer dans un décor toujours aussi unique jusqu’à « La Goule » ou il faudra sortir le kayak pour le remettre à l’eau juste derrière et ce, jusqu’a hauteur du « Theusseret » ou il vous faudra à nouveau porter votre équipement de Bikerafting pour passer un petit barrage.
Rapidement après ce portage vous trouverez une zone slalome de kayak très amusante selon le niveau d’eau et qui, était passée sans trop de problème pour mon équipement et moi-même après un petit repérage à pied (très utile) pour visualiser le tracé le plus optimal entre les rochers et ainsi ne pas coincé votre vélo sur les passages escarpés.
S’en suit après la traversée du « Goumois » et quelques kilomètres plus loin, le passage d’un petit barrage qui, si vous l’attaquez par la droite devrait passer.
Ce dernier passage marque pour moi la fin de la portion navigation sur le Doubs. (il est bien évidement possible de continuer plus en aval)
Ce débarquent me permet de rejoindre l’auberge de Fessevillier avant la nuit (malgrès un dénivelé positif important pour rejoindre celle ci ) ou je pourrai recharger mes batteries avant ma dernière journée/ demi journée de VTT pour rejoindre mon point de départ et la l’arrivée de cette traversée : Mandeure.
]]>It was the 3rd edition of the European Packrafting Meet-up, and it feels like it just keeps getting better and better every year :-) The 2020 Meet-up united around 50 participants from 10 nationalities at Salza river in Wildalpen, Austria, which turned out a to be a perfect location for running different workshops and clinics right in front of the campground.
]]>It was the 3rd edition of the European Packrafting Meet-up, and it feels like it just keeps getting better and better every year :-) Most likely due to such great packrafters & people attending, some of which have been joining since the first event and become close friends; others participating for the first but certainly not the last time!
The 2020 Meet-up united around 50 participants from 10 nationalities at Salza river in Wildalpen, Austria, which turned out a to be a perfect location for running different workshops and clinics right in front of the campground, without losing any time for transport or waiting for people to get ready. Salza river offers different sections for all levels, but you could quite easily spend a couple of hours playing and training on the section right at the campground and walk back up.
Photo @Packraft Explorers
Although the event officially only started on Wednesday, quite a few participants took the whole week off and had already arrived at Wildalpen the weekend before. Tuesday and Wednesday saw some professional courses - on one hand the Beginner course of Packraft Touren and on the other hand our Packraft Europe Whitewater Rescue course. Both were certainly an excellent preparation for the Meet-up and participants could share and practice the newly learned skills with other paddlers on the days to follow.
Packraft Europe Whitewater Safety Course, Photo @Packraft Explorers
On Wednesday, most of the remaining people arrived and set up camp in stunning autumn weather on the nice grassy area of the Naturfreunde Campground in Wildalpen, right next to the Salza on a river stretch with many eddies, waves and lots of features to play and train.
Photo @Packraft Explorers
Photo Laura @Packraft Explorers
Thursday morning the action started, first all people who had volunteered to run workshops and trainings came together for a quick meeting and then we started with a general briefing for all participants. Different stations were set up on the river section next to the campground and small groups could learn and train basic skills at each station, with the help of an experienced packrafter that supervised the training.
Photo Tom @Packraft Explorers
These were the skills trained on Thursday morning: Whitewater swimming with the Packraft Explorers Tom & Laura, as well as Manfred; re-entering your packraft with Robert; Eddy turn & Ferry glide with Rob from Robfin, and throwbagging with Tommy & Remi.
Pretty much everybody rotated through those 4 stations, spending 1 hour at each and within the space of one morning, this meant that most people could learn and train these basic skills, before going packrafting in the afternoon.
Photo @Packraft Explorers
We split into several groups for the afternoon paddle with a maximum number of 6 people per group and an experienced packrafter who would lead the tour, or 2 group leaders if there were more than 6 paddlers. People also used the opportunity and tested available demo packrafts (Alpacka Raft from Packraft Europe, Robfin or Kokopelli provided by Packraft Touren).
Photo @Packraft Explorers
Friday saw us keen on a longer packrafting tour and after enjoying a great cup of coffee provided by the Villach roastery La Mattina (hint - order some online with the discount code: packraft ) - we split into groups and different skill levels once again, some of us starting right at the campground and packrafting downriver, others heading upstream to do the easy but very scenic Klausgraben section, with perfect sunny autumn weather.
We took the kids for a paddle at the Klausgraben section :-) Photo Martin Zilka
Just before the daily evening BBQ campfire was lit, Seon did a short presentation about Expedition Preparation, a topic that was raised in the morning by a few participants who wanted to learn more about it.
Expedition Planing workshop with Seon (Packraft Europe), Photo @ Packraft Explorers.
Saturday morning, more workshops proposed by the participants took place: A field repair workshop, by Seon from Packraft Europe and Rob Fin, with the help of Craig who gave some great bad weather repair tips. And later on, a boofing and paddle technique workshop, run by Seon. Whoever was not attending the workshops, went paddling one more time.
Repair workshop with Seon (Packraft Europe), Photo @ Packraft Explorers.
Boofing workshop with Seon (Packraft Europe), Photo @ Packraft Explorers.
Photo @Packraft Explorers
On this last evening, Manfred prepared a movie screening of The Undammaged, and set up a small stand with Balkan River Defence merchandising to raise funds.
Contributing to river protection has been part of the European Packrafting Meet-up since the beginning, and we want to thank every participant and also those who registered and donated and then couldn't come. We have raised close to 2.000 Euro that were entirely donated to river conservation projects. BIG THANK YOU!!!
Once again it has been a lot of fun, some new things learned, old things practiced, great people and we already look forward to next years Meet-up planed for April 28th - May 2nd, 2021 at the Soca once again.
Photo @ Packraft Explorers.
Thanks to everybody for coming and special thanks to those who have volunteeered their time and shared their skills with less experienced paddlers by running workshops and tours!
We truly enjoy being part of this anual gathering, and are very grateful to once again with all your help having raised a decent chunk of money for the river protection projects that we are passionate about. You can watch this video to learn more about our mission, and why we use our business as a tool to raise awareness and funds for the conservation of the last free flowing rivers in Europe!
Enjoy and see you next year!
Michaela & Seon
Founders of Packraft Europe
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The Carretera Austral is today what should be on every cyclist’s radar: a gem. The 1240 km of asphalt and dirt roads lead you to areas of incredible scenic beauty, from lush forests to snow-covered peaks, waterfalls and lagoons, while these images spark within you a sense of adventure like only such remoteness can arouse.
]]>Guest Post by Alexandre Gorski
I first heard about Packrafting some year ago as I came across an online video: guys bikepacking upriver through mountains and forests, carrying within their gear tiny, ultralight inflatable boats that would help them pump up their adrenaline while rafting all the way back down to wherever they had come from... and it just shook my world... I had finally found a great way to spice up my adventures.
I have always been more of a hiker, but it goes without saying that from the very beginning, to me, packrafting seemed to be inherently linked to bikepacking. Of course some will say that the bike requires some well-trodden trails and therefore hinders access to a lot of hidden rivers… and they might be right. But the mobility that the bike offers, this capacity to cover large distances, to painlessly carry more weight, to pop off the grid and still be able to reach any place within a few hours for shelter or supplies… this just opened up a whole new spectrum of opportunities, and that combination seemed perfect for an extended trip in the wilderness.
Altogether, the sense of self-sufficiency the bike and packraft provide, that’s also a sense of freedom I must say I had never experienced until I tried it myself…
Of course, I’ve had my share of mishaps until I could tame that beast. I guess I managed to turn it upside down in all imaginable ways before I could learn to paddle with confidence. Understanding how to glide down moving water bodies without losing your shit is no small feat. I guess it’s all part of the usual learning process, but just try to picture that with a bike on top and you’ll see that I broke into cold sweat more than once. However, after carrying my new toy around Europe during a whole summer, I felt I was (or thought I was) ready to take on a bigger challenge. And that’s when I felt drawn to the “Carretera Austral”, for the second time.
Initiated in 1976, the Carretera Austral is a still partially unpaved road that provides access to the remote communities, valleys, rivers and fjords of Southern Chile. Originally foreseen as a strategic road to ascertain the country’s control over these large expanses of land, the Carretera Austral is today what should be on every cyclist’s radar: a gem.
The 1240 km of asphalt and dirt roads of the Carretera Austral lead you through areas of incredible scenic beauty, from lush forests to snow-covered peaks, waterfalls and lagoons, while these images spark within you a sense of adventure like only such remoteness can arouse.
Countless glaciers are also lurking in the valleys along the way, including the “Campo de hielo”, one of Earth’s biggest freshwater reserves. I guess you caught my drift: Southern Chile is indeed criss-crossed by a massive network of lakes and rivers, some of which flow along the Carretera Austral and therefore make it a bikerafter’s heaven.
Starting in Puerto Montt, a mid-size, bustling port town at the Northern end of Patagonia, most choose to progress at the rhythm of the few villages, bakeries and camp sites they come across on the way. But with a packraft strapped on your bike, there is nothing that keeps you from escaping what’s left of civilisation. Grab your fishing rod, pitch your tent on a beach, embrace a Pionero’s lifestyle… the possibilities are endless. From a few hours spent on Rio Yelcho to multi-day trips on Rio Palena or Rio Baker, you can easily pack over 350km of rafting while slowly progressing, past mountains and wetlands, towards your destination: the small, isolated, end-of-the-world-like town of Villa O’Higgins.
But before going any further, you should keep in mind that packrafting bears its share of hazards. A split second of inattention in a gentle rapid or even just high wind on a lake, that is all you need to get your head tossed upside down in icy water, with the dramatic consequences it would have, were you not prepared. Therefore, do not plan a trip out there without a proper set of equipment (PFD, drysuit, a helmet in rapids…) and a minimum set of skills. Going solo should also somewhat have you trim your river bucket-list, as the poor cellphone coverage in that area and the remoteness of some valleys could turn an otherwise small incident into a serious ordeal. As a consequence, only Class I/II rivers were considered on this trip.
Now without further ado, I hope you’ll feel somewhat inspired by the following video series. And if you are, I’d sure be glad to meet you down the road the next time around… because I’m pretty sure I’ll be back.
Bikerafting trip along the Carretera Austral from Puerto Montt to El Chalten, over the Argentinian border. Section from La Junta to Río Mañihualues. Click here for the complete video series.
Featured products: Packraft: Alpacka Raft Caribou, Paddle: Aquabound Manta Ray Hybrid
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]]>We often get asked about packrafting with kids and packrafting as a family. So we decided to share a few of our experiences and some recommendations in order to make it a little easier for you to get started, or perhaps help improve your family packrafting experiences. Our first family packrafting trip was when our eldest daughter was less than a year old and many other adventures have since followed.
Especially when children get too big to carry and they are still too small to walk longer distances, a packraft is the perfect tool to get to places otherwise out of reach. The packraft is stable, stores all the gear inside with the Cargo Fly internal storage system and packs down small & lightweight. So it's easy to return to your starting point by bus or train.
Packrafting & camping gear for 2 adults and 2 kids!
As with all plans with kids, it will never work out exactly as you planned. You will stop more often, not in the places you would have liked to, and everything just takes longer. That's just the way it is and it's better to embrace it rather than stress about it. Keep distances short, much much shorter than on a solo paddle!
Its a good idea to lay out all your gear so its all clearly visible and think through the different stages of your trip. What will the kids wear when? How many nappies do we need? What if the kids get wet?
Additionally, there is of course our personal gear, safety gear, camping gear, cooking gear and food.
Daytime kids gear:
Nighttime kids gear:
Additionally, we always have at hand:
What we DON'T take:
When paddling, make sure you have the emergency layers accessible, and an emergency blanket or similar to wrap everybody up in the case of an involuntary swim. Bothy bags work great. Firelighting & fishing skills are also welcome.
As you learn very quickly with a baby, there are 3 main reasons why a little kid is unhappy - tiredness, hunger and a dirty nappy. Same applies when paddling with kids. Snacks and nappies are mentioned above. But sleeping is probably the biggest challenge on packrafting trips with young kids.
Finding a position where they can fall asleep but at the same time you can keep paddling will take some time. If you can't make it happen, stop and take a rest on land. With both you and the kids wearing PFDs, it's often really awkward to hold them close to you, which is sometimes a good reason to take a nap on land.
In terms of which packraft is most suitable for family packrafting, keep in mind that sometimes only one adult will be able to paddle while the other one entertains / feeds / comforts or keeps the kids out of trouble. A full 2 person packraft like the Alpacka Oryx that you see in most of the photos in this blog provides loads of space and comfort. But we have also done trips in a single person packraft like the Self Bailing Gnarwhal with one little kid (that's the multi-colour boat in the photos). The Forager also works well with its self bailing floor so the kids are never sitting in water.
Another option we have tried when our eldest was around 5 months old, is to combine hiking and packrafting. I would hike along the river with the baby in a carrier, while Seon was packrafting with all the heavy things and camping gear in the packraft. This way, multi day trips were easy and it's also a good option if one of the parents is not (yet ;-) a keen packrafter or the baby is just too small still. Some rivers with a hiking trail next to it, like the Slovenian Soca for example, are ideal for this. Make sure to suscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this website, our next post will be about the best packrafting tours in Europe!
Take the packraft with you to the lake or on your beach holiday. Let the kids get comfortable with it, paddle a bit, go back to shore. Let them play around on the beach, but make sure once you get in the water, they wear a flotation device or swim aid.
You can do a daytime packrafting trip next, then a short overnighter and once you have streamlined the logistics go as long and as far as you want! We highly encourage everybody to follow the 'Leave No Trace' principle so that the next packrafter who finds this sweet little spot finds it untouched! E.g. if you light a fire like in the photo below, dig a hole, and on the next morning make sure the fire is complety out and cover it.
The longest family packrafting trip we did was a 2 week backcountry trip in New Zealand with our eldest when she was 16 month old. This trip will forever be in our memories as one of our favorite packrafting trips!
Thanks for reading, have fun on your family packrafting trips, subscribe to our monthly newsletter at the bottom of the website and feel free to contact us if you have questions!
Do you want to share further advice or is there something important not mentioned above? Comment below, we love to hear from other packrafting families!
Michaela Crockford-Laserer
Co-founder Packraft Europe
Featured products: Alpacka Oryx, Alpacka Gnarwhal, Hyperlite Mountain Gear Porter 5400 (85L), Hyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 4 Ultralight Pyramid Tent
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That’s what I thought of packrafting when I first heard of it: weird. That was only a couple of years ago, and even in that short time, it is becoming more popular and mainstream. Here in New Zealand where river exploration once waned, new sections are being paddled and forgotten rivers make for great multi-sport experiences with access by hiking and biking.
Packrafting has led to wholesale changes in the adventure racing scene. It’s a no-brainer for race organisers to include packrafting gear as part of the mandatory equipment required by teams, making race logistics simpler and reducing the amount of boats the race needs to supply. In a way, bikerafting is a bit like an adventure race, or more like an adventure challenge. Take a bike, a boat, and all the gear you need for multiple days and plot a route… just about anywhere.
Part of the appeal, at least for me, is that I don’t have to stray far from the nest and family and farm commitments. Bikerafting makes me look at familiar country or terrain with a totally different perspective. Joining the dots between rivers and trails makes for an interesting navigational exercise.
How many times have those of you with some paddling experience ridden beside a waterway and been distracted by the thought of being in a boat and almost crashed? Story of my life! Bikerafting allows that mental and physical diversity that lets my middle-aged endurance keep going. Saddle sores and fatigued legs recover faster when in a cooler, less abrasive environment, and I still marvel at the yin and yang of the passive activity of drifting on a river, or lake as opposed to the aggressive energy required to tackle mixed terrain on a bike.
I understand that it’s daunting to less experienced boaters and bikers. I highly recommend trying something easy at first. Try a day trip, meaning less gear to lug, with a lake or grade 1 river. Especially when the biking section makes a loop, not needing to rely on a vehicle to return to where you started is the bikerafting advantage. It’s heaps of fun, and a totally unique way of traversing a landscape.
1. Experience
Ensure you are competent and comfortable paddling on the type of waterway you will bikeraft on without the bike on board first. If you have no experience, I highly recommend you find a packrafting-specific instructional course or group with more experienced paddlers you can learn from over the space of a few trips. Rivers, lakes, and oceans all have their own inherent risks; gaining the knowledge is easy, paddling experiences should be gradual and build confidence as you go.
2. Rigging the bike and boat
If you rented a packraft for your bikerafting trip or you haven’t rigged for bikerafting before, take the time to do a complete dry run of your pack and rig on the boat and vice versa on the bike in a relaxed fashion. Will the rolled boat and 3-4 piece split paddle be carried on the bike in a handlebar harness or in a backpack? Packrafts are slippery little suckers when rolled, so make sure your on-bike carrying system will stop it from jiggling round too much. Same with your paddle: ensure your system is secure and you couldn’t lose a piece of it when riding.
There are multiple ways to strap the bike on: some use Voile-type straps, some use short cam straps. I prefer the lightest most minimalist option. I’m not exactly sure what they’re called, but they consist of a 4-5mm bungee cord and a plastic cam buckle. I use four and ensure that each grabs some frame and wheel before fastening. It’s important to rig the bike as far forward as necessary so as not to impede your paddling range of motion.
What direction you orient the bike is also up to personal preference and can be trialled during dry runs. Because I’m taller (around 6’) and ride a large bike generally paddle a white-water-specific large packraft, I need to separate my handlebars and stem so I can tuck the handlebars into the rig so they don’t stick out to where my paddle stroke starts. My teammate Rose is a lot shorter and rides a small bike and medium boat, so doesn’t have the same problem. There are models of packraft that have been designed to carry a bike or moose on the bow – these boats tend to be longer and more suitable for flat or slow-moving water and easy rivers.
Once on the water, be prepared to pull over and readjust the load before you truly get going and start pulling in the miles. Your paddle stroke will appreciate it. Transforming from a biker to a packrafter and back is a time-consuming business, so give yourself adequate time for rigging.
3. Equipment
Bikerafting trips, even just for the day, need expedition amounts of equipment. Set everything out before packing so you can check it over, otherwise you’ll be ferreting around in your well-stuffed seat bag when you can’t remember if you put your head torch in. The best bikepacking gear systems are a harness with a separate dry bag, as this saves time rigging/de-rigging because the harness can be left on the bike on the packraft. Also, the dry bag can preferably be chucked inside the pontoon if you have a dry zip/cargo fly for storing gear internally. If not, be prepared to be uncomfortable with gear stuffed around you in the cockpit.
If you’re using an internal dry zip for gear storage, think carefully about whether you have everything you need for the river trip before inflation. On white water rivers this means lugging a small dry bag for snacks, warm clothes, boat repair kit, first aid, and electronics, including satellite tracker or PLB.
Always use a personal flotation device (PFD). On flat water, lakes, tidal estuaries, etc., an inflatable PFD is suitable. On swiftly moving rivers, an approved closed cell foam model is a necessity. It’s bulky to carry, either strapped to your backpack or alternatively on the top of the handlebar load. Look for lightweight freestyle kayak models that fold flat, fit well when paddling, and have easy access pockets for lip balm, tether strap for towing weaker paddlers or recovering equipment from a yard sale, and maybe your PLB. The model I use also has a pouch on the back for my throw bag, which I prefer, meaning in the case of a rescue I don’t have to spend extra time getting it out of my boat.
Extra thermal and waterproof gear deserves serious consideration in cold climates. I carry a complete set of gear I know is going to get wet. The weather, water temperature, and type of waterway will determine what layers you’ll need. I prefer a pair of lightweight (1.5mm) neoprene long pants and a lightweight paddle/splash jacket, merino/fleece layers on top, remembering most of my bikerafting is on rivers. If you’re a cold person, consider a full wetsuit or drysuit on rivers. A good tip is a pair of neoprene socks inside your riding shoes. On the flip side, in warmer climes, sun protection will be as equally important.
Bikerafting could be the solution to a route you’ve dreamt of that’s cut off by a river or lake, or maybe it could be a major expedition down a remote coastline. Whatever it is to you, bikerafting allows more exploration, access, and ability to move through backcountry self-sufficiently all while enjoying the diverse landscapes of track and torrent or bodies of water. Start small, build up, and don’t be put off packrafts by any negative experiences you’ve had in kayaks or canoes. Packrafts are highly technical crafts that are super stable, manoeuvrable, and durable – the perfect tool for the part time paddler.
A short film shot on the Waimakariri River in Canterbury. Learn a few tips about how to carry your bling bike on a tiny inflatable raft on a turbulent river.
Follow Deane Parker on Instagram (@deaneparkernz) and Facebook (@deane.parker.nz.adventure) for more bikerafting and outdoor adventures!
Check out the Caribou, a packraft Alpacka specifically designed for bikerafting and our bikepacking section!
]]>Guest post by Carmen Kuntz, originally published on Alpackaraft.com #ThisIsPackrafting.
A boat, paddle and some basic whitewater skills can lead you through some incredible landscapes and into some amazing river experiences. You can access remote stretches of river, inaccessible fishing spots and exotic canyons. You can seek out adventure, getting away from the daily grind to “refill the tank” with adventure…and misadventure.
A packraft can give you access to the places that fuel you. And can also be a tool to protect the rivers and water systems that nourish you and nourish our earth. Right now, more than ever, those wild places need help. They need protection. They need paddle-wielding warriors.
Packrafting Romania during the first stop of the BRT4. Photo by Katja Pokorn
As paddlers, we are privileged to experience the wilderness that a boat and paddle take us to. But this access also means we are the first people to notice, discover or identify the threats to our waterways, like dams, pollution or resource extraction.
Balkan River Defence (BRD) was founded on the simple premise that people who paddle the wild rivers of the world also have a responsibility to protect them. Seeking a way to take action in defence of rivers, professional kayaker, ex-Olympic rower and biologist Rok Rozman turned a simple idea into the biggest river conservation movement in Europe.
Photo by Jan Pirnat.
Rok had enough of listening to complaints about the funding, organisation and bureaucracy needed to stop 2.700 proposed dams from being built on the last free flowing rivers of Europe – in his backyard, the Balkan Peninsula. He wanted to do something simple and effective that would give people an option to join in and get involved directly.
So, he took his kayak and his friends (some cameras and beers too) and paddled as many of the threatened rivers of the Balkans as possible, naming it Balkan Rivers Tour (BRT).
Photo by Mitja Legat.
Over the course of one month in 2016, they paddled 23 rivers in 6 countries; through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania. BRT created an atmosphere where a fisherman and a farmer, a scientist and packrafter, could join together – around the bar, around the fire or around the river – to develop solutions to the threats their rivers face. What was created was a wave of momentum that prompted the involvement of Patagonia in what is now their biggest global environmental campaign of 2019: Save the Blue Heart of Europe.
BRT also caused a huge surge in international media coverage, helping to spread the word about the wild rivers that still exist in Europe, the dangers they face from hydro development and the locals fighting to protect them. From Germany to the US, Canada to Albania, the word was getting out. The last wild rivers of Europe are in danger and paddlers are helping to protect them.
Photo by Katja Jemec.
Today, Balkan Rivers Tour has turned into an annual paddling action, and the river conservation movement has evolved into Balkan River Defence (BRD) – a registered NGO in Slovenia. It is a version of grassroots activism where science and river conservation blend with kayaking and adventure sports.
Their mission: Reveal the remaining free flowing rivers and intact ecosystems of Europe; Support a community and network of local river activists; Expose hydropower as an unsustainable and destructive form of energy production; Provide alternatives using science, education, creativity and adventure sports.
Carmen and Rok lead the team of crazy artists, activities, paddlers and partiers who make up Balkan River Defence. They spend a few days on the river each year, so that they can spend more time behind the computer, organising events, protests, petitions, and paddling actions.
Packrafting Romania during the first stop of the BRT4. Photo by Katja Pokorn
The duo has created a formula that makes nature conservation inclusive, fun and light. And effective. Together with a greater network of river conservation NGOs throughout the Balkans, they have helped stop dams. Just 2,693 to go. And along with Alpacka ambassador and all-around badass, Andrew Burr, have just completed their first multi-sport packraft expedition, paddling, skiing and fishing British Columbia’s Coast Mountain Range this last March.
They are also touring with the feature-length documentary that BRD has created, telling the story of the rivers of the Balkans. The Undamaged takes viewers on the wild ride that is Balkan Rivers Tour and shows them the rivers and villages of the Balkans, from the seat of a whitewater kayak.
Photo by Andraž Fijavž Bačovnik.
That’s simple. Join us on tour! Book your holidays in accordance with one of the three weeks that will make up Balkan Rivers Tour 4 and paddle, protest and party with us in Romania (April 15-20), Slovenia (July 7-13) or Bulgaria (Sept 24-29). Help us show local, regional and nationals decision makers that there is more value in attracting paddling tourism to their wild rivers, than damming them. That tourism can be a sustainable source of income for their economy. But it requires respect and conservation of their rivers.
Or, you could start your own grassroots river conservation action. Imagine if everyone came together to protect their home river, home watershed or lake? If everyone started their own river conservation movement. All the mini river defence actions would link up to create a big web of locally-enforced, river defences. There are no rules. There is no template. Show the world what makes your river special and tell decision makers that you won’t give it up to pollution, hydropower or development. Not ready to dive in head first just yet? Then stand with us, support the work we are doing and through donations and support.
Photo by Jan Pirnat.
Imagine if each little group of packrafters banded together to protect their local watershed?
Imagine the web of river defenders that could connect across the states and the world?
I imagine the rivers would say thanks and that each day spent out there on the water, would taste and feel sweeter. The rivers give us so much, it’s not hard to give a little back.
To learn more about BRD, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, or check out the videos on Vimeo where the atmosphere and personalities of the Balkans are reflected. Check out the dates and locations for Balkan Rivers Tour 4. Packrafters, kayakers, hikers, bikers and river-lover are all invited to join!
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]]>Swedish Wilderness. Photo by Patrick from Hikeventures.
Seon was packrafting in Finland last year and absolutely loved it. So this year we decided to make it a family trip and brought our two little daughters who are 1 and 3 years along. Since it was still quite cold and rainy in Särna, where the Roundup would take place, the smartest option with two small kids was to rent a campervan. But of course we also took our camping gear so we could do overnight packrafting trips and camp on the river :-)
We arrvied in Stockholm a week early and went exploring along the route from Stockholm to Särna. First stop was in Färnebofjärden National Park.
Then a trip to the coast, with a stop at the Gränsfors Bruk Axe Forge. Seon has owned and used one of their axes for years, and there was no way we could travel to Sweden without visiting the forge and get a chance to see them made by hand. Gränsfors Bruk is a small family run business with a strong commitment to quality, design and doing as little harm as possible to the environment. After a self guided tour and watching the different production stages, we left impressed not only by the quality of the axes they produce (and another axe :-), but also inspired by them as a value driven family business.
Now the tourist things were over and packrafting was the plan! Jeremie and Jacob from the Swedish Packrafting Association had highly recommended a stop at Voxnan river, at the campsite next Vinströmmen class III rapid, surrounded by sand dunes and wilderness. We absolutely loved it there and went for an overnight paddle down to Voxnabruk.
Our Alpacka Oryx has become our favourite packraft for family paddling. It easily fits two adults plus 2 kids and all the gear needed for a mulit day trip. It was perfect for the mostly flat and slow flowing waters of the Voxnan River. There is a very beautiful campsite half way at Frostkilen, but it was occupied by a school group, so we continued on to find our own private spot for the night. A little further down we came across this very stunning river bank and made camp there. We saw all kinds of tracks on the sand, moose, deer, and smaller ones too. In the evening lots of beavers played in the water, it was just idyllic. You can find a river guide of Voxnan river here (made for open canoes).
The following day, we kept paddling downstream and once we got to the take out, it was time to continue on to Särna for the start of the Nordic Meet-up. The first day was arrival day and everybody was setting up their tents and some people went for a paddle right in front of the camp.
Katja Koskinen getting her Wolverine ready! Photo by Caj Koskinen.
On Friday the official part started with a welcome and safety briefing by Jacob, Jeremie and Johan from the Swedish Packrafting Association. We were between 40-50 people and divided into 3 groups according to paddling level for rescue workshops that were lead by Jeremie, Seon and Mark Oates.
At noon, we all went for a paddle together on Storån river (at 28m3), forming five groups and mixing levels. Our group ended up with 2 first time packrafters, so Mark decided to give them a few tips before we started heading off.
The river was maybe not as easy as expected, with some III rapids, but also many other tricky smaller rapids that needed scouting. No problem for the more experienced paddlers, but it took some time for beginners and of course we also were portaging a bit since we had our little kids in the Alpacka Oryx. We probably would have chosen the more stable whitewater 2 person Forager raft, had we known the amount of rapids!
Family packrafting with the Alpacka Oryx. Photo by Mark Oates.
In the evening we were all back at camp enjoying the saloon and bar area prepared by the deliverance people! Time for a beer and a chat, catching up with old friends and meeting new friends.
The following 4 photos are from Caj Koskinen.
Saturday we woke up to clear skies and small groups formed to explore the many available rivers in the area. Our team decided for Vegan river (flow was 1,2m3/s), a small creek with class III+ drops. Since Seon usually gets to paddle more than I do, he offered to take care of the kids, so I could take the Wolverine and go packrafting. It was fantastic. Slow peaceful and meandering stretches alternated with exciting drops, the sun was shining and we all really enjoyed the paddle. Mark and Jen saw some moose and we all encountered plenty of sign from beavers - their cut down trees formed many strainers across the river.
Ever smiling Katja in her red Wolverine :-) Photo by Mark Oates.
Rachel managed to save herself from capsizing! Photo by Mark Oates.
Jeremie in his Alpackalypse, making everything look easy! Photo by Mark Oates.
Mark Oates showing how things are done. Photo by Jen Oates.
Myself (Michaela) paddling one of the drops. Certainly got the adrenaline going ;-) Photo by Mark Oates.
One of many beaver strainers!
Packrafting Women! Rachel, Katja, Jen and I. A pleasure to paddle with so many great female paddlers! Photo by Mark Oates.
Jen choosing a great line as usual! Photo by Mark Oates.
Iro almost covered in whitewater! Photo by Mark Oates.
Pyry going for it! Photo by Mark Oates.
Caj in another shallow drop! Photo by Mark Oates.
Jeremie again. Photo by Mark Oates.
Iro sporting great colors! Photo by Mark Oates.
These are just a few photos from our group, if you want to see more photos from the other rivers paddled that day, check out the Nordic Roundup 2019 Facebook group!
Late afternoon, we got back to camp, eager to hear about the experiences of other groups. Slowly everyone came back and the saloon was buzzing once more. Such nice people and vibe, we really enjoy coming to packrafting meet-ups and meeting like minded people, old and new friends, and meeting people in person that we have been in touch virtually before.
The following 4 photos are all by Jacob Kastrup Haagensen / Urbanpackrafter
Johan and his axe. Great style! Photo by Caj Koskinen.
Katja and Peter, who is also part of the Meet-up organisation and somebody we were looking forward to meeting in person! Photo by Janne Marcus.
A long Saturday night, especially for the Finnish crew ;-) Photo by Janne Marcus.
Sunday the weather had changed once more, and during a cold drizzle most people were packing up, exchanging last words and heading back on their way home. The Nordic Round-up was over way too fast!!!
Looking forward to the next edition of this event, next year in Norway!
Together with the European Meet-up, these are probably the biggest round-ups of the season, but certainly not the last ones. There is still the French Alps Meet-up to come, in July, at the Durance river for example! Check out this blog post with 2019 Packrafting Meet-ups and Destinations!
Big thanks to the Swedish Packrafting Association for organizing such a good meet-up, choosing the right place, scouting and making things run smoothly during the event! Thanks to the Deliverance People for providing saloon, drinks and food!
We were sad to leave Sweden but are full of good memories and made new friends. :-)
Last but not least, these are the flow levels of the rivers paddled during the Meet-up:
Storån
28m3/s punkt 16117 24:th of may
Vegan
1,2m3/s punkt 15607 25:th of may
Fulan
22m3/s punkt 14567 25:th of may
Fjätan
13m3/s punkt 16204 25:th of may
You can also find some river maps here.
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]]>Es lässt sich auf die Größe eines Schlafsackes zusammenpacken und wiegt nur um die 2KG. Es gibt verschiedenste Modelle und Ausführungen, vom leichten Einsitzer, über 2 Personen Packrafts zum vollausgerüsteten Wildwasser Packraft mit Spritzdecke und Kniegurten.
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Es lässt sich auf die Größe eines Schlafsackes zusammenpacken und wiegt nur um die 2KG. Daher kann man es problemlos beim Wandern oder Radfahren mitnehmen und somit mehrere Sportarten, sowie Wasser und Berg kombinieren.
Ein zusammengerolltes Packraft und Paddel neben unserer Tochter. Wer ist kleiner?
Zum Aufblasen des Packrafts braucht man keine Pumpe, sondern es wird ein federleichter Nylonsack verwendet, den man mit Luft füllt und diese dann hineindrückt.
Aufblasen des Packrafts mit dem Pumpsack.
Es gibt verschiedenste Modelle und Ausführungen, vom ultra leichten Einsitzer, über 2 Personen Packrafts zum vollausgerüsteten Wildwasser Packraft mit Spritzdecke und Kniegurten.
Wildwasser Packraft Alpacka Gnarwhal. Foto Caj Koskinen.
Erste Packrafts aka Schlauchboote wurden bereits vor gut 100 Jahren entwickelt. Das moderne Packraft hat mit diesen Schlauchbooten jedoch so gut wie nichts mehr zu tun. Im Jahr 2000 starteten Sheri and Thor Thingey mit der Entwicklung des modernen Packrafts in ihrem Keller in Alaska. Sie entwickelten Alpacka Raft, mit dem Gedanken leichte und robuste Packrafts aus dem besten Material, mit innovativem Design und höchster Qualität herzustellen.
Daran hat sich bis heute nichts geändert, es gibt nun dank wachsender Popularität und Nachfrage auch schon viele andere Packraft Marken, die zumeist in China produziert werden, zum Beispiel Anfibio, MRS oder Kokopelli. Auch die in Russland gefertigten Packrafts von Nortik sind für ruhiges Wasser beliebt. Allerdings sind Alpacka Packrafts nach wie vor die Marktführer bei Qualität, Verarbeitung und Design und werden in Handarbeit in den USA hergestellt.
Packrafts in ihrem Ursprungsland, den USA. Foto Caj Koskinen.
In unerschlossenen Wildnissgebieten wie zum Beispiel in Alaska braucht man es natürlich ganz einfach als Transportmittel. Die Landschaft ist mit Flüssen durchzogen, die zu tief sind um sie zu durchwaten. Brücken gibt es weit und breit keine. Sprich wenn man ans andere Ufer will, um dort weiterzuwandern, braucht man ein Boot um den Fluss zu überqueren. Aber auch hierzulande gibt es viele Flüsse und Seen die sich zum Paddeln eignen.
Packraften auf der Salza, Wildalpen, und am Gosausee.
Jeder, der schon einmal eine Mehrtageswanderung mit Campingausrüstung und eigenem Essen gemacht hat, weiss wie schnell der Rucksack so richtig schwer wird.
Im Packraft kann man Gewicht super verstauen, bei gewissen Modellen kann man es einfach in die Schläuche hineingeben und gewinnt dadurch sogar noch an Stabilität beim Paddeln!
Es gibt 2 Personen Packrafts, wo die ganze Familie Platz hat.
2 Personen Packraft Alpacka Oryx.
Packrafts sind auch viel stabiler als Kajaks, daher ist es sehr leicht zu erlernen und einfaches Wildwasser kann schnell jeder fahren. Wobei man in diesen Fall immer gut ausgerüstet (mehr Info unter diesem Link) mit erfahrenen Paddlern packraften sollte und idealerweise vorher einen Wildwasser Sicherheits Kurs macht, denn im Wildwasser liegen natürlich auch Gefahren.
Aber der wirklich große Pluspunkt der Packrafts liegt darin, dass man es so einfach mit anderen Sportarten und Aktivitäten kombinieren, und einfach mitnehmen kann! Es passt in jeden Rucksack und auch daheim nimmt es natürlich keinen Platz ein.
Mal ist das Packraft am Rad.... dann das Rad am Packraft!
Wir betreiben diesen Sport nun schon seit einigen Jahren und freuen uns über Fragen und Interesse! Gerne beraten wir Dich bei der Wahl des richtigen Packrafts und Packrafting Ausrüstung. Auf verschiedenen Events in Europa sind wir auch mit Testbooten vor Ort.
Packraft Treffen an der türkisen Soca in Slowenien!
Du kannst uns, Michaela & Seon, per Email: info@packrafteurope.com, Telefon: +43 681 1052 4240 oder auf Facebook www.facebook.com/packrafteurope kontaktieren!
Zum Abschluss noch eines unserer Lieblings Packrafting Videos!
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Although it is still sunny, the weather forecast didn't look promising this year, with quite a lot of rain on the weekend. Those who arrived early for the Whitewater Rescue Course that Seon and Miha were instructing even drove through snow on their way South. But on the bright side, this meant plenty of water in the rivers and good flows to paddle :-)
Whitewater Rescue Course, certified by Rescue 3 Europe.
Photo by Matthias Stern.
The first day is arrival day with no program, some people go paddling straight away, others arrive later on and join around the fire pit after pitching their tent.
Girl power! Jen & Katja. Photo by Mark Oates.
Welcome Briefing. Photo by Robert Gamweger.
On the second day, we start with a big welcome briefing: safety information, introduction of supporters, organisation of workshops and general logistics. We are around 70 people, too many participants to introduce everybody, but Harold from the Netherlands was so kind to produce a little booklet with a bio of all participants who have sent information and a profile photo. Big thanks to him!
Participants Booklet.
Soon after the briefing, the first workshop starts, by Sebastian from Land Water Adventures, on Expedition (bad weather) packing systems.
Photo by Matthias Stern.
At the same time, another group heads off with Annika from Packraft Touren for a beginners/intermediate coaching on the river.
There are also workshops to practice Flip Self Rescue Techniques with Robert Gamweger, Eddie Runs with Gabriel from Outventurous and paddling coaching with Mark Oates.
Paddling with Annika from Packraft Touren. Photo by Matthias Stern.
Whitewater Swimming and Rescue Techniques are very important skills, best learned and trained in a Whitewater Rescue Course. Remember to keep your feet up when swimming, priotize. Self, Team, Victim and then gear. The best rescue is the one you dont have to perform.
Everybody has seen the weather forecast and makes the best of the still nice weather.
A few dedicated participants sacrifice a last sunny session to set up massive tarps to create a dry spot to gather, eat & drink, and watch the planned presentations and films. Huge thanks to those who helped setting everything up, it made a such a difference for the rainy days to come!
Several tarps and tents will protect us from the rain. Photo by Matthias Stern.
In the evening, we let ourselves be inspired by presentations from Gabriel (Outventurous) on his Greenland trips as well as Konstantin from Hikeventures about his recent Grand Canyon trip.
Incredible Soca colors, even in the rain. Photo by Mark Oates
Eventually the rain starts, but we are all well prepared and most people just continue enjoying the meet-up, go paddling and there are plenty of well attended workshops again. Annika, Gabriel and Mark lead groups to coach them on different packrafting skills, while Seon teaches Whitewater Swimming and Throw bagging. The colors of Soca are still incredible and river flows a bit higher but still great to paddle for everybody. Most of us just stay in their drysuits all day and packraft as much as they can :-)
In the evening, one of the main focuses of the event - river protection - gets presented: Tobias Schäfer from the River Film Fest EU shows a Mini Flow Film Festival with the following films:
# 50 Favorite Things We Love About Rivers
# The Undamaged Documentary Teaser
# Run Wild Run Free: 50 years of Wild and Scenic Rivers Official Trailer
Sven Schelling from the Anfibio Packrafting Store also shows a short film about a Balkan Trip: Biwak rockt den Balkan (German with English subtitles).
Workshop with Mark Oates.
On Saturday, the worst of the rain seems to be over and sun almost peaks out. We get organized in groups to go paddling again, some with Mark or Annika, some in individual groups, and others train rescue skills with Seon.
This is the last evening, and we all come together for a BBQ, followed by a raffle and then a presentation of Rok Rozman from Balkan River Defence.
Seon met Rok during the first stop of the 2019 Balkan Rivers Tour in Romania and we are very grateful that Rok had time to join us this evening and talk about the threatened Balkan rivers.
Check out this video about the first stop of the Balkan Rivers Tour in Romania in April. There will be 2 more stops this year, join them if you can, you won't regret it!
With the 2019 European Packrafting Meet-up, we managed to raise over 2.600 Euro for Save the Blue Heart of Europe, Balkan Rivers Defence and Living Rivers Foundation.
HUGE thanks to all participants and supporters for their contribution. It is only through collaboration and working together that we can protect the rivers we all love.
You can also support the cause without being a participant of the Meet-up, please check out:
www.balkanrivers.net
www.balkanriverdefence.org
www.riverfilmfest.eu
for more information, action you can take and donations!
We really had a great weekend, due to awesome ingredients - a bunch of cool participants from around the globe, a world class river to paddle on our doorstep, highly skilled packrafters keen on teaching and sharing their knowledge, and inspiring presentations, films and people.
Some impressions from the Meet-up below!
Photo by Mark Oates.
Photo by Robert Gamweger.
Jen and Max, who first had the idea of creating this Meet-up! Photo by Mark Oates.
Photo by Mark Oates.
Photo by Mark Oates.
Camping Pizza!!! Very impressive. Photo by Robert Gamweger.
Photo by Robert Gamweger.
Photo by Robert Gamweger.
Patrick and Konstanting from Hikeventures also did a video about their trip: "One week in Slovenia - Packrafting, Piran, Ljubljana and Vintgar Gorge"
And this video is from Outventurous Gabriel: "Packrafting Meet-up Europe 2019: Soca & Koritnica River (Slovenia)"
Notable scenes: Most scenes before 0:50 - Rescue 3 Whitewater Safety Course (organized by Packraft Europe) 1:04 - 3rd canyon of the upper Soca 2:05 - Sorry, friend! :D 2:39 - Practising S-Turns 3:13 - Bunker Run 3:45 - Sofia swimming, then me trying to navigate with 2 paddles 5:46 - Entrance of the Kluze Gorge
And also Tom from Packraft Explorers did a nice little video from the event:
If you weren't there, I hope this gives you an idea what you have missed! And if you were among the lucky participants, I imagine you enjoyed reviewing the event :-)
All good things come to an end and leaving Camp Liza was sad, but I am already looking forward to meet some people at other Packrafting Meet-ups soon again, and we will certainly continue organizing the European Packrafting Meet-up at the Soca around May 1 every year!
Photo by Mark Oates.
Big thanks to those who volunteered their time to run all those fantastic workshops!!!
Thanks as well to the supporters of the event:
If you want to know about all packrafting events (as well as safety and conservation topics), feel free to join the Packrafting Events, Safety and Conservaiton Facebook group or read this blog post about 2019 Packrafting Meet-ups and destinations.
Stay safe and see you on the river!
Michaela
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To make the decision easier, we have written a month by month overview with the main packrafting destinations listed.
Of course, this list will never be 100% complete, there are so many awesome adventures to be had with a packraft, so if we have missed an event or an awesome place to go paddling please let us know or write a note in the comments section.
Worldwide raft guide and rescue instructor Mark Hirst from Lapin Koskikoulu gave us a hand with the destinations that we have not yet had a chance to paddle.
Middle of the winter for the Northern hemisphere means summer is in full swing down South.
NEW ZEALAND is a prime packrafting destination, pretty much from December to March.
Actually, NZ is great for paddling any time of year it just has warmer and more predictable weather in the summer months. Packrafting trips in NZ can be anywhere from a few days to several weeks. It is pretty much packrafting paradise.
The sparsely populated South Island of NZ has massive backcountry areas where you can hike and packraft for days and weeks without seeing any sign of civilization.
A couple of trips worth special mention are the stunning Pelorus River near Nelson on the South Island (2-4days) and the Hollyford-Pyke loop in Fiordland which has become very popular. We have heard of people fast packing it in less than 4 days, however, most people take their time and you can easily spend two weeks or more exploring the area. There are of course many other rivers, just have a look at NZ topo maps, check out Whitewater NZ to research your river or ask the very active and helpful New Zealand packrafting community for some trip ideas.
Seon packrafting from Martins Bay to Big Bay on the Hollyford-Pyke loop, only to be attempted in optimum conditions and with packrafting and ocean experience. A change in wind or current can have serious consequences. If in doubt, best to walk along the shore, avoid the trail, it's hell.
The New Zealand packrafting meet-up takes place in January. It is organized by the New Zealand Packrafting Association (PRANZ). This year's meet-up took place in Hanmer Springs and had over 30 people attaining and a fantastic 50/50 ratio of female/male packrafters :-) You can find a report of the 2018 meet up here. If you have missed the big annual meet-up, you can still join regional mini meetups.
New Zealand is a long flight away from Europe and you will be facing 12h jetlag, so you probably want to spend at least 3 weeks there, ideally more if you can.
The Unbounded crew packrafting across Lake Vidal Gormaz
Other paddling destinations in the Southern Hemisphere with good rivers are PERU and CHILE.
Pucón in CHILE is a great little adventure town, surrounded by a stunning landscape of lakes, mountains of rivers. It has many whitewater rivers nearby that are rafted and kayaked frequently.
Further South, the Futaleufu River, located in northern Patagonia, is a must for those happy on big volume class 3 and above.
For the daring, you can also attempt the Greater Patagonian trail. Some impressions can be found in the journal and film of Unbounded; and - for German speakers - also on this blog post: Greater Patagonian Trail 2018- 9 von Lago Puelo nach Villa Rivadavia. More in depth information on the GPT can be found in The Greater Patagonian Trail Hiker's Manual and on Wikiexplora.
In PERU, the Apurimac is one of the worlds classic rivers. Paddlers attempting this river need to be happy paddling on demanding class 4 rivers.
As with most South America, knowing some Spanish makes everything a LOT easier, so if you don't speak the lingo yet, do your best to learn some of it before you go.
In INDIA, the Ganges river is another option for the intrepid packraft adventurer.
Closer to Europe, MOROCCO and PORTUGAL are good packrafting destinations for January to March.
Not as warm as most of the above, but much more accessible for those living in Europe.
In Morocco head to the Ahansal river in the High Atlas Mountains. Berber Rafting Adventures can offer accommodation, shuttles and logistics.
NEPAL is a mecca for paddlers no matter what your personal standard is.
On April 15 - 20, 2019 the first stop of the BALKANS RIVER TOUR took place in Romania.
Main packrafting season in Europe, USA and Canada. River flows are high after snowmelt and spring rains, but tend to drop over summer.
Great time to packraft rivers in the European Alps, The Balkans, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Georgia or Russia to mention a few. Also a good moment for the Ladakh River in India.
Check out the great blogs of hutkai and Hike Ventures with info on different packrafting trips and destinations, many of them in Finland and Sweden, but other countries as well.
Seon paddling Myllokoski during the Finnish Packraft Meet up. Just a 15 Min walk from Basecamp Oulanka.
In Finland be sure to check out Oulanka National Park, there is some great packrafting to be had from day trips to multi day trips. There is also a good trail network and Lavu (hut/ bivies) set up. Basecamp Oulanka is a great place to use as a base for paddling or to begin / end your trip. The team at Basecamp also packraft so they can let you know about the potential in the area.
For impressions of packrafting in ICELAND, you could have a look at the Land Water Adventures expedition report.
As for the BALKANS, the Vjosa is best attempted in April, since the lower sections especially get very hot from May onwards.
The Tara, with it's second deepest canyon in the World, it has good flows and fewer crowds in May/June and is best avoided in July/August as it is full of commercial raft trips with loads of rowdy clients. If you're planning a trip down there we highly recommend staying at Camp Grab right on the lower section of the Tara and close to the Piva, an awesome class 3 / 4 river. They are also very helpful with local river info and trips in the area.
The Soca river in Slovenia is fantastic all summer and also has a hiking trail running alongside and the Triglav National Park nearby. It makes for a great packrafting - hiking trip, or a trip where some can packraft and some can hike as we did a few years ago with our 5-month-old daughter.
GEORGIA has some great rivers for class 3 multi-day trips. The Rioni river can be tied in with some trekking and of course amazing Georgian food & hospitality.
Paddling together at the 2018 European Packrafting Meet-up at the Soca.
May to September is also when most Meet-ups and paddling events happen. Below a list of 2019 events but just follow the links to find current dates!
May 1 - 5: The annual European Packrafting Meet-up is the first in Europe for the season and is held at the beautiful Soca river in Slovenia.
May 23 - 26: First edition this year, the Nordic countries join forces and organize the Nordic Packraft Roundup in Sweden, close to the Norwegian border in the beautiful region of Dalarna.
June 1 - 2: Kanu and Outdoor Testival in Munich. A great little event where you can usually test Alpacka, Kokopelli and MRS/Anfibio packrafts.
June 9: Vogalonga of Venice. Fancy paddling through the channels of Venice with no motorboats around? The Vogalonga is a 30km paddling/rowing event through the city of Venice and the lagoon up to Burano. There are usually well over one thousand boats, of many types, but all paddle-powered only. The Vogalonga started in 1975 by the local rowing clubs as a protest against the wash and the waves created by the ever-increasing number of motorboats in the city and the lagoon. Nowadays, paddling in Venice is quite restricted during the rest of the year.
June 26 - July 2: The 2019 Canadian Packraft Rendezvous is held at Mount Robson provincial park, British Columbia.
July 7 - 13: Second stop of the Balkans River Tour in Bovec, Slovenia, on the Soca and its tributaries.
July 8 - 14: The French Alps Packrafting Meet-up takes place at the Durance River, joining some days with the Durance Whitewater Festival, that unites all river lovers, with kayaks, rafts, SUPs and of course packrafts!
July 18 - 21: American Packraft Roundup at Payette River at Hot Springs Campground in the Boise National Forest near Garden Valley, Idaho.
September 19-21: UK Packrafting Meet Up 2019 at Lake Tegid (Bala), North Wales
September 24 - 29: Third and last stop of the Balkans River Tour in Bulgaria. Paddle on 2 rivers, fly fishing, hiking, teaming up with local resistance against dams.
Learning throwbag techniques during a packraft whitewater rescue training course. Salza River, Austria.
Last but not least, from May to September we run our packrafting specific whitewater rescue courses, certified by Rescue 3 Europe.
We can't recommend whitewater rescue training highly enough. A course provides the knowledge, skills and training needed to identify the risks and hazards involved in moving water and the techniques needed to help avoid these risks, to self-rescue, and to help others in a rescue scenario.
There will be a course after the European Packrafting Meet-up at the Soca, and also during the French Alps Packrafting Meet-up at the Durance. Other courses are taking place at the stunning Salza river in Austria. Courses last from 1-3 days. You can find all the dates here.
The flows in NEPAL in October – December are lots higher due to the end of the monsoon. These flows also coincide with the best season for trekking.
Maybe a hike/ride to the Annapurna base camp then a paddle down the Kali Gandaki River would make for an epic 12 day trip.
In SOUTH AFRICA, the Orange River is a potential 4 day + trip, with class 2-3 whitewater.
Packraft Meetups and Events (2019):
October 5 - 7: Australian Packrafting Meetup, held around the Canberra and Murrumbidgee River region.
October 5: Italian Packrafting Championship at Valstagna on the Brenta River, hosted by the Federazione Italiana Rafting. Possibly there will be also a little Packrafting Meet-up at the same place and weekend! Valstagna is between Venice and Lake Garda and can even be reached quite easily by train, or the cycling path that also runs next to the river.
If you want to stay up to date with all packrafting meet-ups and events, you can also join the Packrafting Events, Safety and Conservation Facebook Group.
We have surely missed some epic packrafting destinations so please leave a note in the comments below, or if you want to add more information to any river or event mentioned in the post. Please share your knowledge, we look forward to hearing from you and hopefully paddling with you soon.
We will also keep updating this post as more events pop up :-)
Have a great year of packrafting!
Seon & Michaela
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You've heard it before, but it is worth mentioning again and again and again.
Packrafting is not backpacking on water!
Packrafting is a paddle sport and needs to be treated as such.
Over the last 30 years and especially during the earlier days as whitewater kayaking and rafting was developing a lot of people died or got seriously injured. Paddling any whitewater is an extreme sport and it needs to be treated as such.
Packrafting is EASY... TOO EASY.
Packrafts are easy to use and give you a false sense of security! People new to packrafting often overestimate the capabilities of their raft and themselves. They lack the basic awareness of the risks involved with moving water. You simply do not know what you do not know.
People have died and more people are going to die packrafting, unfortunately this is a certainty. However, do we need to repeat the same mistakes that were made in the early days of kayaking and rafting?
There is absolutely ZERO need for packrafters to reinvent the wheel. We can copy paste almost everything from the whitewater kayaking and rafting community.
Let's start with the fundamentals. You don't go skiing in board shorts and flip flops, you dress appropriately, why should packrafting be any different.
It is not IF, it is when. Swimming is a part of packrafting so best to be prepared for it.
DRESS TO SWIM!
Face it, it is not IF you will swim, it is when.
So best to be prepared. How cold is the river? It might be a warm day with the sun shining but is the river fed by a glacier or snow melt? What if the weather changes?
Proper PPE starts with your clothing choices and moves on to cover everything you carry on your person while on the river. Test all of your gear in a controlled environment first!
Dressed to swim. Proper Personal Protective Equipment from head to toe.
Shoes - Do they provide sufficient grip on wet rocks? Some hiking shoes are great until they get wet, then they turn into ice skates.
Astral Brewer, low profile to reduce risk of entrapment, lightweight, fast draining/ drying and most importantly super grippy on wet rock. With good shoes you can move with confidence in and around the river.
Clothing choice - NO COTTON!!! includes underwear and bras. There are numerous saying's within the outdoor community about cotton. "Cotton is rotton", "Cotton kill's" etc. The reason being is that once cotton is wet it provides less than zero insulation, it actually cools you down and can quickly put you at risk of hypothermia.
No cotton! Thick wool socks, Thermal polypro long johns and woven merino thermal top to add warmth when wearing a drysuit.
Socks - Thick Wool is best.
Thermal Underwear - Merino, Capilene or Polypro.
Insulation layers - Fleece pants, tops, and insulation to keep you warm.
WetsuitDrysuit
Quality dry suit, Reinforced in the right places, waterproof breathable fabric, sewn water proof socks, latex wrist and neck seals, waterproof zippers.
PFD (Personal Flotation Device) vs Lifejacket. A life jacket is designed to keep you on your back and your head above water if you are unconscious and should be used by someone who can NOT swim. A PFD is a flotation device that provides buoyancy and allows you to have a full range of movement ie. swim & paddle and should only be used by people who can swim. A PFD will not float you on your back or keep your head above water if you are unconscious. 50N (Newtons) is the certified minimum buoyancy for whitewater PFDs in Europe. However, is 50N enough for packrafting in a whitewater environment? We have had a look at what is used in the whitewater kayaking and rafting world and recommend the following as a guide when choosing a whitewater PFD for packrafting. 60N is ok for low flow rivers up to class 2+. 70N or more is recommended for high flow rivers or whitewater class 3 and above. A rescue PFD with a releasable chest harness is recommended for anyone who plans to paddle class 2 and above, and who has taken or plans to take a whitewater rescue course (highly recommended) or anyone who guides or leads groups. An inflatable PFD has NO place in a whitewater environment.
Whitewater PFD = 70N minimum, good fit. Optional: quick release chest harness (rescue PFD) and visible colour. Whistle and Knife both quick and easy to access with one hand.
Helmet - Whitewater Specific for use on Whitewater (CE EN1385).
CE approved helmet for use on whitewater.
Whistle - Pea less so it works when wet, should be easily accessible while paddling with one hand.
Rescue knife - To quickly cut rope, should be easily accessible while paddling with one hand.
This is our sport, and it is growing fast! It is up to every single one of us to be leaders within the sport and help it grow in a safe way. We do not need to repeat the mistakes that were made in the early days of whitewater kayaking and rafting. Let's work together and do our best to keep all paddlers safe. Take a whitewater rescue course, practice your skills, packraft with better paddlers, use common sense, and share your knowledge.
Stay tuned in the next part we will cover how to Rig to Flip and Personal Rescue Equipment (PRE).
Safe paddling,
Seon
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About half the people were expected to arrive on Friday afternoon and it was a real pleasure to start to get to know each other around the first evening campfire, many more were to follow.
The official program only started on Saturday noon, leaving more time for people to arrive. In the late morning paddlers with white water rescue training or significant experience met for a skippers meeting to discuss group safety strategy for paddling the river. Afterwards, we all came together for a group introduction and safety talk were local knowledge about the Soca river, sections to paddle and hazards were shared.
We then headed to a section of the Soca that Seon had scouted early morning that had all the features for some safety training sessions: an easy class 1/2 section of river with a large deep eddy and an easy access large gravel bank just down river. Gabriel from Outventurous ran practice flip and re entry drills in the still water of the eddy, while Annika from Packraft-Touren provided some excellent coaching on techniques for eddying in and out, and Seon from Packraft Europe gave some coaching on ferry gliding.
Once everybody had gone through the 3 stations (Flip, Eddy, Ferry) we moved downstream to the large gravel bank and practised whitewater swimming techniques. After which everybody got back into their packrafts and paddled a short way downstream to the next take out and headed back to camp.
The day was rounded up with a group dinner at Camp Liza's restaurant, after such a full day it was great not to worry about food and just sit down and relax!
Sunday morning we woke up to another day of blue skies, sunshine and warm temperatures, we couldn’t believe how lucky we were with the weather. Time for breakfast, coffee (thanks to LA MATTINA) and gear talk. Annika went over a few paddling tips and the finer details of eddy techniques, and shortly after Seon gave an in depth presentation about "Developing a culture of safety", and demonstrated proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Personal Rescue Equipment (PRE) and explained the need for Whitewater Rescue Training within the packrafting community.
After soaking up all the knowledge, everybody was itching to get into the water again and go paddling. Some people jumped straight into the river at the Koritnica / Soca confluence right next to our campground, others walked downstream and skipped the first bit in order to start paddling on the easier lower section.
We all joined together at the Cezsoca (Prijon) put in, and did a mass packrafting run with 38 paddlers down to the large gravel bank where we had practised whitewater swimming techniques the day before. We enjoyed a riverside lunch and went straight into a throw bagging workshop.
Afterwards, it was time to continue on and it was amazing to watch as people practised and refined their skills, everyone was catching eddies and ferry gliding as we all made our way down river enjoying each others company and the beautiful surrounds. Everyone was smiling from ear to ear :-) It is not often we get to so see so many packrafts together and we certainly got some attention from kayakers and rafters on the river!
Sunday evening the focus was on the third pillar of the event. Besides sharing an awesome time with other packrafters on and off the river and learning about safety, river protection and conservation was a big part of the event. Included in the registration fee was a 5€ per person donation to “Save the Blue Heart of Europe”, which fights for protecting the last wild rivers of Europe from being dammed. Patagonia has recently released a documentary film to help spread the news about what is taking place in the Balkans. The movie was only just released and we were able to screen the film “Blue Heart” on Sunday evening at the campground! Check out the Blue Heart trailer.
By Monday, the third day of the meet-up, everybody knew each other, had paddled together, had practised basic river safety and knew how to look out for each other on the river. So we formed small groups and went off to paddle different sections of the Soca and Koritnica depending on ability.
Some also decided to take a day off and go for a hike to the massive Boka waterfall just West of Bovec.
In the evening, we did a raffle of all the great gear and give-aways provided by Anfibio Packrafting Store , Packraft-Touren and PacKraft after which our thirst for adventure was fueled by a presentation from Gabriel where he shared his experience and knowledge of remote wilderness expeditions, some of the close calls he has had and the valuable lessons learnt. It was an awesome presentation and really helped to round out the whole event.
Finally, Tuesday came around with some people going for a last paddle, others starting to pack up their gear for the trip home. It was 4 fun packed days on and off the water coming to an end. Everybody was stoked, had learned and practised important safety and paddling techniques and we have raised 463€ for the “Save the Blue Heart of Europe” campaign!
This was the first European Packrafting Meetup and it will be hard to beat, but we will try! This is going to be an annual event, every year, beginning of May at the Soca, so if you couldn’t make it this time, make sure to save the date for next year!
Join the facebook group Packrafting Meet-ups, Safety Info and River Conservation to be the first to know about the exact dates for meet ups, and all other packrafting events!
Thanks to everybody for coming, thanks to the supporters of the event and special thanks to Max and Seon for all their efforts in preparing and organizing the meet-up!!!
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More info on the European Packrafting Meet-up and registration for the 2019 Meet-up can be found at www.packraftingmeetupeurope.com!
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