A how-to & inspirational Bikerafting & Packrafting Podcast for beginner adventurers
In our new, A Beginner’s Guide to Bikerafting & Packrafting podcast, we’ll talk with our head guides and other experts in the industry about their suggestions for getting into bikerafting and packrafting, plus their gear recommendations and personal stories of learning to packraft and bikeraft. We’ll also share fireside chats and adventure stories. Anything goes in this catch all podcast. So if you have thoughts, suggestions or comments, email us! You can find us on Podbean, and we will be on Apple Podcasts and Spotify soon. Check out the show notes and transcriptions of our bikerafting & packrafting podcasts on our blog
Starting today and through fall 2024 we’ll be sharing stories, podcasts, videos and photos focusing on international packrafting adventures. We’ll explore places we guide or will be guiding, such as La Venta River in Chiapas, Mexico, and Chilean Patagonia. But also some places we are not guiding, such as Tajikistan and beyond.
February 2025, we’re heading over to New Zealand to partner with Huw Miles of Packrafting Queenstown and Deane Parker of Deane Parker Adventure Channel on a specially curated adventure of that country’s finest rivers. So for episode #7 of A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting, we decided to talk with Huw first a bit about his life and his business. But we primarily are focusing on what packrafting New Zealand’s South and North islands is like.
Well spoken and extremely knowledgeable about his adopted country, Huw shares stories about his favorite adventures, the wide variety of rivers available for beginner to advanced boaters, the first descent opportunities for the world’s heartiest packrafters, and the many highlights of paddling in New Zealand.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. I have some serious FOMO right now.
For Episode #6 of A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafing & Bikerafing, we did interview with Julia Yanker, a long-time packrafter, life coach and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, aka trauma resolution specialist. My primary goal with chatting with Julia was to really find out what can be done for adventurers who experienced trauma that now affects the other adventures they partake in.
I had a terrible climbing accident six years ago that increased my levels of anxiety exponentially, no matter the activity I’m doing, but primarily in regards to packrafting. This manifests in an irrational fear of whitewater. For example, I’ve done the Grand Canyon twice. But despite that I have an unreasonable fear of the big waves, though I’ve swam a few dozen times on the Colorado, and I have always been fine. But still, when I even just think about the Grand Canyon now, my heart beats faster, my palms sweat, and I get a constriction in my chest. No joke! I wanted to talk with Julia to see if there was anything I could do about this seemingly irrational fear. And she told me, yes, there is, in fact, a way to deal with it. So in addition to delving into her personal background and packrafting history, we talk about how to alleviate trauma experienced while adventuring. I hope you enjoy this podcast! Check out transcription and listen to the podcast here.
Today we’re talking with one of the most interesting and accomplished guys in the world of packrafting, Luc Mehl. He’s traveled more than 10,000 miles by packraft, ski, bike and ice skates, often utilizing two or more of those tools on the same adventure. He wrote the definitive guide on packrafting safety and skills. Every Packrafter should have a copy of The Packraft Handbook. And he’s one of the world’s best packraft instructors. He’ll absolutely hate that I’m saying these things. But as far as I and many others are concerned, he’s the man.
Luc is also someone I love having conversations with him. I always learn so much. Today he and I are talking about a wide variety of subjects, but mostly focused around culture of safety issues, such as the risks and rewards of “leveling up” in packrafting, what “close calls” actually are and how knowing more about them can help the packrafting community (and other adventure communities) play safer. Plus we review a bunch of tools he uses to be the best partner he can be to the people he adventures with. Read the transcript and listen here.
Today for our fourth episode of A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting, we’re bringing you an interview with Jeff Creamer. Jeff teaches Swiftwater Safety Institute rescue courses and tests and makes boats for Alpacka Raft. One of America’s top packrafters, he’s done numerous remote, challenging expeditions on up to Class V whitewater in the mountains, along with some creative trips pairing boats and skis. He’s also a Level 3 American Canoe Assoc. Packraft Instructor. We are stoked to have Jeff teach an annual Level 4, Intermediate/Advanced Packraft Mastery courses each May, along with Swiftwater Safety Certification courses run through the Swirtwater Safety Institute.
In the first 15 minutes of this episode we learn about Jeff’s previous life as an ocean canoe racer and PhD student. Then he talks about his packrafting mentors Dan Thurber and Mike Curiak, and his early adventures skiing, packrafting and backpacking. Finally, we dive into Jeff’s expeditions, how he plans for them, how he chooses partners, and more. Check out the show notes on our blog. Please note that we edited the transcription with a.i., so please forgive any weird errors. Thanks!
In the third episode of our Podcast, A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting, Four Corners Guides owner Lizzy Scully talks with renown Packraft Instructor Jule Harle. A long-time kayaker and packrafter and owner of Alaska Packraft School, Jule has been instrumental in legitimizing packrafting as a sport through her work as a guide and her work with others to get the American Canoe Association packrafting curriculum in place to accredit packrafting guides across the country. She volunteers with the Alaska Chapter of the American Packrafitng Association, and she was this year’s Golden Paddle winner. Check our all our scheduled women’s courses.
In the second episode of our A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting Podcast (& occasional YouTube video) Series, Tony Miely talks whitewater packrafting gear. While he doesn’t review the full spectrum of boats, paddles and helmets available (that would take hours!), he offers an overview of the gear people need to get started with whitewater boating. And he makes a few solid, high-quality brand suggestions. Tony is one of the long-time owners of 4Corners Riversports, the premier boating store in SW Colorado. He is also an accomplished Class V kayaker and all-around nice guy!
In the first episode of A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting, FCG owner Lizzy Scully interviews Head Guide Steve “Doom” Fassbinder about his packrafting history, his tips for beginners, how Doom got into packrafting and the process he went through as he became an experienced packrafter. He also talks about his gear kit and gear he recommends for beginners, along with the important of swiftwater safety courses (certification or non-certification). He emphasizes the importance of honesty and communication when paddling with others, the importance of seeking guidance and training from experienced paddlers. And he offers advice on how to choose appropriate rivers and trips based on skill level. Finally, he and Lizzy discuss the importance of having fun and enjoying the packrafting experience.
