This summer, Ty and I are planning a series of back-country hiking and packrafting trips at various locations in Alaska. We plan to complete eight trips: 2-day (2x); 3-day; 4-day (2x); 5-day (2x); 7-day. The trips will generally increase in length as the summer progresses. The primary objective is to gain experience in multi-activity trips combining hiking with rafting using Alpacka packrafts (http://www.alpackaraft.com/), inflatable rafts specifically designed for this objective. Hiking will predominately be off-trail, with distances ranging from 8 - 15 miles per day. Trips will focus on well-travelled and/or documented class I-III rivers.
We undertook a number of hiking trips last summer, but the packrafts were a relatively late addition to the summer, so we didn't get much time to try out the hiking-rafting combo. Yes, we're pretty new to this, so this summer is all about us getting more confident with our gear, and trying to get further out, for longer.
What's amazing to me is just how much planning there is to do! In the past, we have had more of a "slap-dash" approach to trips, but we really want to establish more systematic methods of planning and carrying out trips, so this time, we're spending a lot more time writing lists, reading the forums, and going through our gear with a fine tooth combe! And it's not just the gear... there's the first aid knowledge, emergency rescue situations, insurance, oh, and route planning!
It's all good fun, and it's exciting to take our trips to the next level, in terms of detail, but it certainly is hard whilst I'm holding down a 9-5 job, and while Ty and myself are on different continents! Training has been hard (and not as inspiring as it could be!), what with me being based in flat old Cambridge (UK). I've been having serious thoughts about moving to Scotland when I come back, so that I can actually practice on REAL hills!
Anyway, this is the plan. Keep reading to find out how we get on this summer!
Marielle (June 2009)
We undertook a number of hiking trips last summer, but the packrafts were a relatively late addition to the summer, so we didn't get much time to try out the hiking-rafting combo. Yes, we're pretty new to this, so this summer is all about us getting more confident with our gear, and trying to get further out, for longer.
What's amazing to me is just how much planning there is to do! In the past, we have had more of a "slap-dash" approach to trips, but we really want to establish more systematic methods of planning and carrying out trips, so this time, we're spending a lot more time writing lists, reading the forums, and going through our gear with a fine tooth combe! And it's not just the gear... there's the first aid knowledge, emergency rescue situations, insurance, oh, and route planning!
It's all good fun, and it's exciting to take our trips to the next level, in terms of detail, but it certainly is hard whilst I'm holding down a 9-5 job, and while Ty and myself are on different continents! Training has been hard (and not as inspiring as it could be!), what with me being based in flat old Cambridge (UK). I've been having serious thoughts about moving to Scotland when I come back, so that I can actually practice on REAL hills!
Anyway, this is the plan. Keep reading to find out how we get on this summer!
Marielle (June 2009)
