From Paddle Strokes to Multi-Day Adventures: Learn to Packraft

This Learn to Whitewater Packrafting Skills course includes one night at Scullbinder Ranch, all meals front and backcountry, one day of skills building on the Animas River, and an overnight adventure on the San Miguel and Dolores rivers.

On your first day of this basic whitewater packrafting skills course you’ll meet your guide at 10a.m. in Durango for a full-value day of training on the Animas River. See below for a list of skills you will work on. And then you’ll practice those skills in the backcountry on an overnight excursion on the San Miguel and Dolores rivers. No packrafting experience required. But basic backcountry skills are necessary. Can you cook your own food and set up your own tent? If so, this course is for you. Email us to sign up!

What’s Included

This course includes an open packraft, PFD, paddle, helmet, all food for the duration of the trip starting with lunch on day one and ending with lunch on day three, permits, wag bags, sanitizing kits, and camp permits.

What’s Not Included

Lodging the night before the course (which is $75 extra), whitewater boats, drysuits, river knives, whistles or throw bags. As well you will need a drysuit for at least the first day of this trip. Rent drysuits locally at 4CornersRiversports.com (they only have four). Or get a 15% discount if you order them online at BackcountryPackraft.com. We will give you the discount code once you pay your deposit. You may also rent packrafts from Kokopelli Bike & Board in Cortez.

Price: $1275

A 25% deposit is required to secure your space. Another 25% deposit is required within 90 days of the course. The remaining balance will need to be received through 30 days prior to your course. The remaining balance is due immediately if you are registering inside of the 30 day window.

Minimum age: 18

Instructor: Steve Fassbinder is one of the country’s first Level 3 American Canoe Association Packraft Instructors, as well as a Level 3 Kayak Instructor. He is also certified in Advanced Swiftwater Safety and Wilderness First Responder. An early adopter of packrafting, he has guided for three years and done remote packrafting expeditions around the world for over a dozen years.

What You Will Learn:

We base our learn basic packrafting skills instructional courses on confidence and skill progression. The course starts with the basics. And then we push you a little harder as the days progress, tailoring the experience to your own personal abilities.

For Beginner to Intermediate courses, you’ll learn a wide variety of skills, from the basics to more advanced river reading techniques. This is a list of some of the things you will learn:

• ✔️Equipment (use and care)
• ✔️Swimming and general water confidence
• ✔️Self-rescue & buddy assistance
• ✔️Dealing with currents
• ✔️Aggressive & defensive swimming position
• ✔️Decision making
• ✔️Hazards & river dynamics
• ✔️Basic paddle strokes
• ✔️Using eddies
• ✔️Field repair-tips & tricks
• ✔️Swift water re-entry
• ✔️River commands
• ✔️Spacing on the river

About The Animas River

Most of the intensive training for this course will take place on up to Class II on the Animas River. We spend a lot of time spent on the Animas City Kayak Play Park. And we’ll do various sections of the Animas to and from the play park.
Length of Play Park: 1.25 miles
Length of Daily Adventures: 5 to 8 miles
Gradient: 30ft/mile
Difficulty: Class II III at 500-2000 CFS
Class III to IV 2,000 CFS and up.
High Water Flows: May-July
Flow: below 500cfs is low; 1,000-2,000cfs ideal for this course. Water Flow please see water levels
Length of Play Park: 1.25 miles
Length of Daily Adventures: 5 to 8 miles
Gradient: 30ft/mile
Difficulty: Class II+ III at 500-2000 CFS. Class III to IV 2,000 CFS and up.
High Water Flows: May-July
Flow: below 500cfs is low; 1,000-2,000cfs ideal for this course. Water Flow please see water levels

Full 2023 Packraft Course Schedule:

✓April 15-16—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – Course is Full
✓April 21-23—3-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓April 28-30—From Paddle Strokes to Multi-Day Adventures: 3-Day Learn to Packraft – No Frills
✓May 5-7—2-Day Intermediate Packrafting (includes night of the 5th at the Ranch)
✓May 13-14—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓May 25-29—5-Day Beginner/Intermediate Whitewater Packrafting Course
✓June 2-4—3-Day Learn Basic Whitewater Packrafting Skills
✓June 3-4—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓June 6-11—5-Day Packraft Expedition Training & Advanced Paddling Skills Course
✓June 14-18—5-Day Beginning/Intermediate Whitewater Packrafting
✓June 24-25—2-Day Intermediate Packrafting Course

Click here for a schedule of Utah Packraft courses to Dark Canyon and the Colorado River.

Email us for details.Visit our Instructional Course – Packrafting page for more details on the curriculum for all our courses.

Cancellation Policy

Please review our cancellation policy, which you will find on our Terms, Conditions & Cancellation Policy Page.