THE JOURNEY IS WORTHWHILE Story by Sara Fry. Photos by Steve Fassbinder. Class III rapids scare me. A lot. Class II rapids used to scare me. Now I actually enjoy them. Sometimes, as I enter a rapid, I remind myself out loud: “This is supposed to be fun!” I often even say, “Yippee!” to encourage…
Details
show notes In episode #16 of The Packrafting Life, Lizzy Scully chats with Packraft Maine owner Alejandro Strong about his love of bikerafting, the new route he is establishing across his adopted state, the growth of the sport on the East Coast, the plethora of opportunities to packraft within a few hours of where he…
Details
Article by Jeff Creamer, with photos by Jeff and Steve Fassbinder. In a rocky river like the Piedra in Colorado, having a whitewater-specific packrafting helmet is VERY important. Duck! Paddling rivers with snow bridges is not uncommon in Alaska. What To Consider When Buying Packrafting Helmets The world of protective helmets is vast, rapidly evolving…
Details
WOMEN’S WEEK OF RIVERS IN ALASKA! ++ MORE FCG COURSES FOR WOMEN Hey Crew! So I have a lot of fun news for the ladies now and in 2026. We’ve got a really cool new 🎧The Packrafting Life podcast, “Gender Differences in Learning, Teaching & Course Creation with Sarah Histand and Jule Harle.” These two…
Details
Wow, so we’re all the way up to episode #15! Hey! This is Lizzy Scully, host of The Packrafting Life podcast. Welcome to episode #15. In this fascinating episode we look at scientific reasons behind the differences between how men and women learn, teach and how and why courses designed specifically for women or non-binary…
Details
5% OF DECEMBER REGISTRATIONS TO BE DONATED TO THE APA We deeply appreciate the work of the American Packrafting Association (Join the APA here!). The organization builds community through their RoundUp and Ambassador Program, advocates for packrafter access to rivers around the United States, and works to increase safety awareness and education in paddling. The…
Details
Episode #2: Whitewater Packrafting Gear 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 …
Details
Bikerafting Greenland story & photos by Huw Oliver, film by Annie Lloyd-Evans. This story is one of one of the “Pirates of Packrafting” stories published in The Bikeraft Guide, a community multi-media project and book written and published by Steve “Doom” Fassbinder and Lizzy Scully in 2021. Read more on The Radavist. Bikerafting Greenland: Even…
Details
packrafting communication When running a packrafting (or any) guide service or just doing paddling trips in general, communication with clients, instructors or your fellow paddlers is one of the most important skills to master. When paddling rivers, there are various forms of communication new paddlers need to consider. As part of the American Packrafting Association’s #BeWaterWise…
Details
Diné (aka Navajo) Youth Go Bikerafting! Story by Jon Yazzie, photos by Steve Fassbinder It was a quiet dusty drive up the Moki Dugway. We passed Kane Gulch Ranger Station with the last of the evening’s sun thrusting the Bears Ears in full view when it dawned on me that I had no idea what…
Details