A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting

Packraft Fly Fishing in Colorado & the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, Plus Tips on Packraft Fly Fishing with guide Thad Ferrell

In Episode #9 we dive into packraft fly fishing with guide Thad Ferrell. Thad was an early adopter of packrafts, and a longtime cyclist, rock climber and fly fisherman. He recently packrafted the Kongakut River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to fly fish for char. In this episode we talk about how Thad got started with fly fishing and guiding, his multi-sport adventures, his new venture to teach packraft fly fishing on the Dolores and Animas rivers in Colorado in 2025, some tips and trips for packraft fly fishing and, of course, his trip to the Refuge. Stay tuned because in episode #11 we'll be chatting with Thor Tingey. Thor and Sheri Tingey spearheaded the development of the world's first fishing-focused packrafts. We hope you enjoy episode #10!

Whitewater Bikerafting New Zealand with Deane Parker

In Episode #8 of, "A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting," Deane Parker talks about how he got into pairing bikes and packrafts on pretty hardcore whitewater from the get-go, in addition to his history kayaking and rafting Class V rapids, his raft guiding business in the 90s, his mountain bike adventures, his filming projects through Deane Parker Adventure Channel, and his family farm. One of the most renown whitewater bikerafters in the world, Deane is also an all-around super nice guy. We always have fun chatting with Deane. And after eight years of working with him on various projects, we really look forward to meeting him in person February 15-25, 2025 when we finally visit New Zealand for a 10-day expedition packrafting course Four Corners Guides is running with Deane and Huw Miles of Packrafting Queenstown. (58 views before changing it over to an MP3 for Spotify).

Seeking Wild Adventures? 1st Descents? Good Beer? Try Packrafting New Zealand

Episode #7, A Beginner's Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting
Starting today and through fall 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. 
Read the show notes: https://fourcornersguides.com/2024/08/29/podcast-episode-7-seeking-wild-adventures-1st-descents-good-beer-try-packrafting-new-zealand/
#IfYouSeekNZ

Healing Adventure Trauma: Julia Yanker on How Adventurers Can Get Back Into the Activities They Love

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 6 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 unreasonablefear 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!
#39 views before I changed it to an mp3

Podcast #5: Luc Mehl on Close Calls, & How Knowing More About Them Can Enhance Packrafting Safety ++ His Safety Tool Kit

PLEASE NOTE. WE DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS SHOW ISN'T UPLOADING IN ITS ENTIRETY TO SPOTIFY. PLEASE LISTEN TO IT ON PODBEAN. LINK BELOW. 
 
Luc Mehl on The Risks & Rewards of Leveling Up in Packrafting, What Close Calls Are & How Knowing More About Them Can Make Our Play Safer, Plus His Safety Tool Kit
 
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. He’s also someone I love having conversations with him. I always learn so much.  Today Luc 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. I hope you enjoy Episode #5 of, “A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting & Bikerafting.” (CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE)
 
Buy The Packraft Handbook! 
Listen to the podcast," What to do When Your Adventure Falls Apart Thanks to Another Human." Human’s Outside, with Luc Mehl and Sarah Histand
“PLAN so things go right.
TRAIN for when they don't." Courses with Luc Mehl
The Packrafting Podcast #11, "The Packraft Handbook: Behind The Scenes with Luc Mehl." 
Luc on Instagram!
 

Expedition Packrafting & More with Jeff Creamer, SSI Instructor & Alpacka Raft Boat Tester

Today, for our fourth episode, we’re bringing you an interview with Jeff Creamer, a Swiftwater Safety Institute Instructor and a boat tester and boat maker at Alpacka Raft. Jeff is one of America’s top packrafters, having done numerous remote, challenging expeditions on up to Class V whitewater in the mountains, along with some creative trips pairing boats and skis. We are stoked this year, as Jeff is teaching a Level 4, intermediate/advanced paddling course for Four Corners Guides this spring, May 17-19, 2024. In the first 15 minutes of this episode we learn a bit about Jeff’s previous life as a ocean canoe racer and PhD student, his packrafting mentors Dan Thurber and Mike Curiak, and his early adventures skiing, packrafting and backpacking. And then we dive into Jeff’s expeditions, how he plans for them, how he chooses partners, and more. 

A Chat with Alaska Packraft School's Jule Harle on How Women Learn Differently from Men & More

In the third episode of our Podcast, A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting, Four Corners Guides owner Lizzy Scully talks with renowned 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 Packrafting Association, and she was this year’s Golden Paddle winner. Jule is coming to the Four Corners June 15-17 to teach a women’s packrafting clinic for beginner/intermediate boaters.
In this episode, Jule and Lizzy take about a variety of things, including: 
 How Jule got into teaching and why she started the Alaska Packraft School
What she loves about teaching
How she teaches women and men differently
And did you know that women have a significantly bigger part of the brain that processes things through talking? Unsurprising!
How when Jule started, her boat was too big for her and she couldn’t get back in, and how she’s come up with some hacks to help women with that particular skill and other skills.
Jule doesn’t think men have an advantage because of their strength or willingness to take bigger risks. Rather, she says women and men just learn differently, and she has techniques that make some of the things that seem easy for men easier for women.
Different ways to deal with PTSD and stress if you’ve had a bad boating or other traumatic experience
Finally we discussed what we’ll do in our first annual women’s beginner/intermediate course this June, including running scenarios where we “practice controlled chaos,” wet exits and re-entries, and boat fittings to optimize your performance on the water.

Whitewater Packrafting Gear: Recommendations From an Expert

In the second episode of A Beginner's Guide to Packrafting (& Bikerafting),  Tony Miely talks whitewater gear for packrafters. While he doesn't review the full spectrum of gear available (that would be a 5-hour video!), he talks about some of the basic gear that people need to get started with whitewater boating. Tony is one of the long-time owners of 4Corners Riversports, the premier boating store in SW Colorado.

A Chat With Steve ”Doom” Fassbinder About All Sorts of Packrafting Things

In this episode, Four Corners Guides Head Guide Steve Fassbinder discusses his packrafting history, how he gained experience & his packrafting kit (boats, PFDs, helmets & drysuits, etc). Doom offers tips for beginners, emphasizing the importance of honesty & communication when paddling with others, plus advice on choosing appropriate rivers & trips based on skill level, the benefits of seeking guidance & training from experienced packrafters & the importance of having fun!