“That’s what’s particularly appealing about these boats is they really open up entire landscapes,” he added. Montana Packraft Future Travel Adventure Trip Outdoorsy Travel Lake Stevens Wilderness Packraft adventuring through the Montana backcountry BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Montana — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. A packraft allows for adventure and freedom! Being from the desert, the idea of hauling a raft deep into the wilderness was fairly novel. Everybody in the world does not need a packraft. Backcountry adventurers discover ... Packrafting, {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Outgoing AG Barr: 'No reason' for special counsel on election fraud, Biden's son, Chronic wasting disease testing help offered in Dillon, Butte for special hunt, UM survey: Majority of Montanans support grizzly bears, Challenges of social distancing on trails revealed in study, Defying the odds: Father, son draw mountain goat tags in same area, What to do if you're heading back to the gym during COVID-19, Five healthy and delicious alternatives for unhealthy snacks, Try this to help you accomplish your goals, How to cope with pandemic emotional distress. “The thing with (those) was it was not if you’re going to sink, it was when you’re going to sink,” Tingey said. In 2001, she decided to launch Alpacka Rafts. “I just seems like it’s been the best new invention/ technology for wilderness travel that I’ve seen in my lifetime,” White said. Packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a packrafting trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. When White started packrafting three years ago, the sport was fairly unknown in Montana. Tingey was inspired to start her own packrafting company after her son took one of those lake-designed packrafts on a river trip in Alaska. Youngs Creek is a stream located just 23.2 miles from Seeley Lake, in Powell County, in the state of Montana, United States, near Packers, MT. We are based out of Whitefish, Montana nestled next to Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. We know packrafting is a great form of social distancing, however, a substantial portion of our customers come from out-of-state and with the expected decline in visitors to Alaska this year it doesn't make sense for us to operate this summer. Tingey, who worked making ski clothes and other outdoor gear, spent that winter designing a light-weight packable boat made to float a whitewater river. GPS Coordinates. They were backpackers, adventure travelers, climbers or mountain bikers who needed a way to access the areas where they wanted to practice their sport. I wander upriver to fish alone and come upon a narrow run so deep that the water is indigo. 2 log jams on the South Fork. When they reached a spot on Youngs Creek where the water began to look high enough to float, they all set down their packs, rolled out their rafts, inflated them and began their 45-mile float that would take them down the South Fork to Meadow Creek Gorge. BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. South Fork of the Flathead Meadow Creek Gorge Report . Please subscribe to keep reading. Boulder Creek Trail #148. After a good night’s sleep (aside from a few too many mosquitos buzzing in my ear), we put on the river at 7 a.m. Packrafting Montana’s Wild Flathead River. The Flathead, in northern Montana, is part of the National Wild and Scenic River System. While the rafts are great for backcountry trips, they have other uses as well. South Fork of the Flathead Meadow Creek Gorge Report . “People are using these boats in Class IV and V whitewater,” Meiklejohn said. Aug 11, 2015 - Explore Kerry Nehil's board "Packrafting" on Pinterest. Jared White paddles his packraft through a rapid on the South Fork Flathead River in July. “The roots of packrafting are a little hazy but go back quite a ways,” Meiklejohn said. A packraft is a light inflatable boat that can be carried on your back and yet is durable enough for backcountry rivers and creeks. With few roads in the state and a lot of rivers, backpackers inevitably will run into a big body of water. As the mercury rose late morning last Wednesday on an unseasonably mild December day, so, too, did the traffic on Mark Sather Trail, a popular public path with sweeping views of White Bear Lake. For White, packrafting is another way to experience wilderness. Latest info from rafter regarding Meadow Creek Gorge: "Please provide a word of caution for those running Meadow Ck Gorge: I am a regular Class V kayaker and rock climber. "Brown Stain" rapid just upstream from final takeout is running strong pushing hard into a small gap in the rock- tipped some rafters The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. Hahn Creek Trail #125. sings the river and the wall, and the inner little kid accepts the siren's challenge. “I find it tremendously liberating,” Bosse said of packrafting. US Topo Map. BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS (AP) — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. You could make a full day of it in lower water. This page is all about packrafting in Montana! This page is all about packrafting in Montana! 2020 Roundup, Idaho; Join APA ; Donate; Links; Forum; Contact; Read APA’s Response to the COVID-19 Situation > Welcome to the APA! Please share trip reports, photos, gear for sale and issues related to packrafting in Montana! Montana Packraft Forum. Holst said he launched the old raft on this trip just below the confluence of Youngs and Danaher creeks because he had always wanted to float the entire river at least one time. companies released packrafts, but they were designed for lakes and weren’t durable enough for rivers, said Sheri Tingey, owner of Alpacka Rafts, a Colorado-based company that makes packrafts. With so many waterways to explore, we realized a need existed in Montana for packraft rentals. See more ideas about Packraft, Rafting, Kayaking. We camped at the junction of Danaher Creek and Youngs Creek, where the river doubles in size and becomes the South Fork of the Flathead, and where the river’s Wild and Scenic designation begins. “Three years ago, nobody recognized them,” he said. Cascadilla Creek – 11 miles down. Usually he could get those to last about a week, patching them each time he hit a stick or a rock in the river and ripped a hole in the thin plastic. It’s good for a long full day from Essex or an easily managed day from Paola. We have decided to close Northern Alaska Packrafts for the 2020 season. Connects To. The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. The Yellowstone River is a special place for us. 1: Youngs Creek, from Hahn Creek to the South Fork. The mediafeliz videos show young indestructible kids in indestructible boats (actually they popped seats and blew out spray decks). BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Mont. “I find it tremendously liberating,” Bosse said of packrafting. Our two-day packrafting courses will blend foundational paddling skills and river navigation as well as safety and rescue you would need to create your own packraft trips. Latest info from rafter regarding Meadow Creek Gorge: "Please provide a word of caution for those running Meadow Ck Gorge: I am a regular Class V kayaker and rock climber. When White started packrafting three years ago, the sport was fairly unknown in Montana. For the previous day and a half, Bosse and a group of five other packrafters had been lugging 50-pound backpacks up and over Youngs … While the idea of carrying a small boat to be able to cross rivers and lakes dates back to native cultures around the globe, the more modern resurgence of packrafting got its start in Alaska. “They were not water people,” she said. 07/12/2018 Montana Packraft Forum . A packraft is designed to be light enough to be carried for extended distances. “In the wilderness, you either travel by land or you travel by water,” Bosse said. He was hooked instantly. Montana Packrafts was born from a personal desire to explore the Bob Marshall Wilderness using packrafts. White got started in the sport three years ago after a friend talked him into trying it. "I find it tremendously liberating," Bosse said of packrafting. Some packrafters can even do an Eskimo roll in a packraft. Several manufacturers have cropped up making packrafts. Blackfoot Divide Trail #278. Packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a packrafting trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness. BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Montana — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. “Because this is a new use, a lot of land managers are struggling to get their heads around it,” Meiklejohn said. Since starting Alpacka Rafts, the business has grown steadily. Jackson Hole Packraft in Wyoming rents boats for the same weekly rate, but adds a $5 a day charge for paddle rental. The biggest-hit packrafting video of all time is the "Alpacka Creek Descent" (above) by mediafeliz. 192 likes. “If you don’t have a boat, that’s the end of the trip,” said Meiklejohn, who lives in Eagle River, Alaska. Introduced to packrafting as a young man in 1982, John participated in the legendary effort to protect Tasmania’s Franklin River from damming. “You can roll it up and put it in the overhead bin and fly anywhere in the world,” Meiklejohn said. After Babcock and Jenny creeks joined to form Youngs Creek, packrafters inflated their boats and lashed their packs to the rafts to begin their float. Adventure Travel // Camp // Clymb Life // Explore // Out There // Paddle. One company makes a packraft so small that it rolls up to the size of a Nalgene bottle. Originally, people bought packrafts merely as a way to get across rivers. "I dare you!" 594 likes. A packraft allows you to get off the beaten path or road and take your floating or fishing adventure into the wilderness. “Who thought you could ever have a boat in your pack that weighed less than five pounds,” Meiklejohn said. Kayaking for dummies and old folks. The opposite is true for rafters and kayakers, for whom land is a barrier. These little boats are a fantastic way to explore hard to access rivers. ... Meagher County, Montana. BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Mont. Especially toward the end of the trip, going into Meadow Creek Gorge. S. Fork Flathead River, Montana – Youngs Creek to Mid Creek (50+ miles) @ 660cfs to 550cfs 660-550cfs Class I-II Creeks were almost too low, Flathead was low at beginning. Packrafting, in and of itself, is a sport for White and Bosse. 2. “You can’t really know a place unless you travel it by river,” he said. “If I treated it really carefully I might milk it through a whole trip,” he said. Based in Salt Lake City, we are a bunch of outdoor enthusiasts who want to provide packrafts to fellow outdoor adventurers! At the confluence of Danaher and Youngs creeks, the headwaters of the South Fork of the Flathead River, 10 packrafters in three separate groups inadvertently converged. Moccasin Creek – Another 8 … And he now gets fewer questions when floating in his bright blue, toy-looking, small boat. An ideal packrafting level is between 2000 and 4000 cfs at West Glacier, higher if you’re skilled, lower if you’re less so. "Brown Stain" rapid just upstream from final takeout is running strong pushing hard into a small gap in the rock- tipped some rafters The South Fork of the Flathead in Montana is perhaps the best packraft river in the lower-48. With the addition of a paddle, helmet and flotation device, the whole set up adds about 10 pounds to a person’s pack. In this July 24, 2014 photo, packrafters hike up Youngs Creek Pass on a packrafting trip through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, in Mont. Packrafts allow adventurers to float wilderness rivers without needing a pack string to carry a full-sized raft, said Jared White, the Wilderness Society’s regional communications manager in Bozeman. View fullsize. “A roadside river can be a great thing to do in a packraft after work,” he said. Youngs is small, clean, fairly technical, and absolutely gorgeous. The only approach is the narrow ledge along the far side abutting a vertical rock face. “They didn’t really float as much as they swam for two and a half weeks,” she said. The APA has more than 1,000 members. The creek started mellow but by late afternoon was continuous Class 3+ white water. These successful efforts included a floating human blockade and several packrafting films that alerted Australians to the wilderness and whitewater at stake. For the previous day and a half, Bosse and a group of five other packrafters had been lugging 50-pound backpacks up and over Youngs … Packrafting isn’t new, in fact it’s been around for centuries, but it is seeing a boom in popularity. Our group of five hiked in fifteen miles and launched on Youngs Creek, a tributary of the Flathead. Youngs Creek Trail is a trail on Youngs Creek, Jenny Creek, Cabin Creek, Delaware Creek, and Marshall Creek in Flathead National Forest, Lolo National Forest, Bob Marshall Wilderness, MT. Alpacka’s rafts weigh anywhere from three and a half to six pounds. An ideal packrafting level is between 2000 and 4000 cfs at West Glacier, higher if you’re skilled, lower if you’re less so. Youngs is small, clean, fairly technical, and absolutely gorgeous. Meiklejohn started packrafting nearly 20 years ago. With the abundance of Montana water and wilderness, what adventure will you come up with. About Us. “I would say it’s exploding,” said Brad Meiklejohn, president of the American Packrafting Association. The rise in the number of packrafters accessing wilderness is something the American Packrafting Association is keeping an eye on. “It’s never going to be a giant niche. This is of an 8 day backpacking/packrafting trip into the Bob Marshall Wilderness starting 7/23/16 at Lodgepole Trailhead. Backcountry Packraft Rentals, South Browning, Montana. A number of other smaller portages on Young's creek. Sin Fronteras; Threats to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; Outings. For the previous day and a half, Bosse and a group of five other packrafters had been lugging 50-pound backpacks up and over Youngs Creek Pass to access the Bob Marshall Wilderness and eventually reach Youngs Creek, a tributary of the South Fork Flathead River. 198 likes. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. 20.08.2014 - BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS, Montana — As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. “Here in Alaska, they’re ideal for our. our expertise. Montana Packrafts in Whitefish will rent you a setup for $200 a week. The following summer, a different raft didn’t hold up any better. See more ideas about Packraft, Rafting, Adventure. Over her 13 years in business, Tingey has seen a shift in her customers. “I came to this from a backpacking background,” he said. Small inflatable rafts expand hikersâ horizons.Â. Successful maiden packrafting voyage on the South Fork of the Flathead river in Montana. As Scott Bosse launched his packraft in Youngs Creek, it felt as if gravity disappeared. With so many waterways to explore, we realized a need existed in Montana for packraft rentals. 3 Star This. Little did I know that my first packraft in the Bob would be the best around. Please share trip reports, photos, gear for sale and issues related to packrafting in Montana! 2 log jams on the South Fork. Rafters stop for a breather on the South Fork Flathead River. “We are apprehensive about the flood of packrafters that are headed out into the wild in these boats,” Meiklejohn said. “Once upon a time, I couldn’t find anyone to packraft with,” he said. 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