5-Day Become an Intermediate River Bikerafter!
Bikerafting Course: Step Up Your River Bike & Packraft Skills
Have you been chomping at the bit to take a bikerafting course from the experts in the field? This course is for you. Taught by expert bikerafter Thad Ferrell, your crew will spend two days on the Animas River and/or McPhee Reservoir (the first in just a packraft and the second doing a micro bikeraft adventure). And then you’ll spend three days bikerafting on the Colorado River and Lake Powell. This is your chance to learn bikerafting skills on moving water with an American Canoe Association accredited Level 3 packraft instructor who has spent a dozen years traveling the Southwest by bicycle and packraft.
Visit this Facebook Photo Album to check out photos from our fall recon mission in 2021!
What’s Included?
Two nights at Scullbinder Ranch in a glamping tent or the cabin with dinner and breakfast, plus all backcountry meals. You’ll may stay either the night before or after the course, though we recommend you come for orientation the night before. If, however, you are flying or driving in from the East to Durango, it might be easier for you to stay there the night before the course and meet us in the morning at the Animas City Play Park in Durango. As well, this course also includes an open Alpacka Classic packraft, PFD, paddle, helmet, all food in the backcountry, permits, wag bags, sanitizing kits, camping, shuttling when necessary (except to and from the airport).
Not Included
Adult beverages, whitewater boats, drysuits, river knives, whistles, throw bags, or Sunday night at the Ranch. You will need a drysuit for this trip. You may rent drysuits locally at 4CornersRiversports.com (they only have four), or get a 15% discount if you order them online at BackcountryPackraft.com (you must let them know you are doing a tour with us).
Difficulty & Prerequisites
This is a Level 3 course due to the mileage you will ride/paddle and the general nature of the course. You must have long-distance cycling experience to do this course. I.e. it would be ideal if you have ridden up to 20 miles in one day. You also must have general backcountry experience for this course. And we prefer you have some rafting experience, all the better if it’s on a single-person craft.
Price: $2100
Instructors: Thad Ferrell is a Level 3 American Canoe Association Packraft Instructor. Also an early adopter of packrafting and life-long cyclist and bikepacker, Thad has accomplished some ground-breaking, multi-week climb-bike-packraft adventures in the desert Southwest. As well, he is an expert fly fishing guide.
**If you would like to stay both the night before and after the course, the additional cost is $75 per night, includes breakfast.**
Full 2023 Bikerafting Course Schedule:
✓April 5-9—5-Day Become an Intermediate Bikerafter (Utah)
✓April 26-30—5-Day Learn River Bikerafting Skills
✓May 6-7—2-Day Learn Basic Bikerafting Skills – No Frills
✓May 11-14—4-Day Intermediate Bikeraft Course
✓June 1-4—4-Day Intermediate Bikeraft Course
✓June 21-25—5-Day River Bikerafting
✓July 1-2—2-Day Learn Basic River Bikerafting Skills – No Frills
✓July 7-9—3-Day Learn to Bikeraft on McPhee Reservoir
✓July 14-16—3-Day Learn to Bikeraft on McPhee Reservoir
Email us to sign up today, or visit our Calendar of Scheduled courses for more information.
