Packraft Safety... Greetings from Scullbinder Ranch

Packraft Culture of Safety Month

It’s the last day of the packraft community’s Culture of Safety Month! So we thought we’d chat about, well, safety.

Swiftwater Rescue Courses

First, swiftwater rescue courses. Why are they important for every packrafter? Because it’s imperative to be equipped with the skills you need to rescue yourself and your friends on river trips, not to mention holding onto your gear.

When I had my first major swim in the Animas River kayak play park, I lost my boat and paddle. I also cartwheeled through a bunch of drops, before managing to drag myself into an eddy just before Smelter, which has a big phat hole that can pull you under water at 2500+cfs. Exciting. Sort of. Not.

On the other hand, would a swiftwater rescue course have helped me keep my gear and successfully do a wet re’entry? Apparently not, as I had just finished an Alpacka Raft-sponsored women’s non-certification course, my first ever two days in a packraft.

Be Prepared

Still, what I learned in that course did, in fact, prepare me for that swim. I learned:

Aggressive and defensive swimming positions (so I kept my feet up, pointed downriver).
Swimming & general water confidence (so I felt comfortable in frigid whitewater).
How to deal with currents and eddies (so I could swim out of the main current and into an eddy asap and at least get myself to safety so my partners would not have to worry about me AND my gear).

What I Was Unprepared For…

My main problem was a lack of paddling skills and insufficient time on the water. This is a common issue for newbies to any sport. So to address this, we are now implementing a Level 1-4 curriculum that systematically develops your swiftwater safety and paddling skills.

From your first Level 1 course to the Level 4 intermediate-advanced course, you’ll build a solid foundation of knowledge that will empower you to do bigger and more exciting adventures on your own, safely.

We designed this curriculum based on the American Canoe Association Packraft Instructor courses and from Doom’s training as an International Rescue 3 Whitewater Rescue Technician Professional. Upon completion of his Rescue 3 training, he will be also be able to certify others in swiftwater rescue.

However, because the Swiftwater Safety Institute already does certification really well, we’ll continue to partner with them and our newest guide, Jeffrey Creamer, to run certification courses for aspiring professionals here in SW Colorado. Stay tuned! We’ll be scheduled a third cert course later this year with Jeff.

Want to learn and/or hone your swiftwater rescue skills, check out our course offering by clicking here. We hope you’re enjoying the spring snowmelt!

~Lizzy Scully, Co-Founder of Four Corners Guides