outsideinsights
Packrafting More than a mode of travel By Michelle Song, Associate Volunteer Development Manager
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ountaineers have a history of changing and adapting with the times. We adjust our courses and activities to respond to new safety practices, revolutionary gear, and the ever-evolving passions of our community. Take packrafting, for example. These inflatable “packable” rafts began to appear in army surplus stores in the 1950s – leftover survival equipment from WWII airplanes. Packrafting has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity as lighter-weight versions have become available. And recently our volunteers got together to create the Seattle Packrafting Committee to share their love with other rafters and soon-to-be-rafters in the Pacific Northwest. Though not as popular as other outdoor activities like hiking or climbing (yet!), packrafting offers a unique mode of travel to explore the waterways of Washington in a way that’s fun and accessible. Packrafts, which can roll up to be the size of a tent and fit in your backpack, are beloved by adventurers of all kinds, whether enjoying a day-only rafting or trying to incorporate rafts into larger, multi-sport trips. Packrafting differs from other water sports like kayaking. A packraft is designed to be lightweight and pack down once deflated. They can be inflated without the use of power, and can accompany recreationists places where larger watercraft would be challenging or less convenient to bring. They are small, durable, and up to the task of long water travel, with many advanced enough to tackle class IV (advanced) and V (expert) level rapids. Even storage is a cinch – with an airtight cargo zipper located in the raft’s tubes, your gear stays dry and helps to provide weight and stability to the raft when in use. Though we will not say goodbye to kayaking anytime soon, we were thrilled to welcome packrafting into our course ranks as a new, accessible, and convenient way to explore Washington’s waters.
The Mountaineers Packrafting Committee Our Packrafting Course began with volunteers Logan DeGrand 14
mountaineer | summer 2022
Packrafters eddying out to strategize a safety plan above a Class IV rapid in the Royal Gorge canyon of the Arkansas River, Colorado. Photo by Logan DeGrand.
and Tom Unger, the founding members of the Packrafting Committee. Logan discovered packrafting as a novel mode of travel to access canyon routes after many years establishing first descents as a canyoneer. He quickly learned that it’s a fun activity in its own right, attending his first American Packrafting Association Roundup five years ago. Logan worked as a whitewater river guide in Moab, Utah, and was excited to bring this new sport to The Mountaineers. Tom joined The Mountaineers in the mid-90s as a climber. He left to pursue other endeavors, but returned in 2015 to join the Seattle Sea Kayaking Committee as a trip leader. He was thrilled to help kick-start the new Packrafting Committee in part to renew his pool of paddling trip partners! Tom and Logan gained their experience thanks to the education and support offered by paddling instructors and leaders over the years. They are eager to pay it forward through the Packrafting Committee, and to share the joy of a day on the water.
River travel The focus of the Packrafting Committee is river travel, which historically has been a primary mode of transportation for wilderness travel. “Rivers are a challenge to move through, but exceedingly fun to go down. That's really what I want to do with packrafting - go down rivers,” said Tom. Because packrafts can carry more gear than hard shell kayaks and are easier to transport, they enable you to embark on multi-
