The Packrafting Life (aka A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting) – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In this ten-minute pod short, Four Corners Guides owner Lizzy Scully & filmmaker Deane Parker discuss the American Packrafting Association's new Be WaterWise series of 10 safety videos, recently launched through the APA Website & YouTube channel. Deane worked with the APA, the Packrafting Assoc. of New Zealand and numerous experts in the industry to develop these 10 short videos highlighting common hazards, practical mitigation strategies, and essential skills for paddlers of all levels. One of the main goals of these videos is to generate conversation. The APA would love to hear about your safety experiences, learnings and answer any questions you have. Join the conversation on YouTube, the APA Forum or Instagram.

In this episode, Lizzy interviews Rodrigo Alfonzo a Level 3 American Canoe Association Packraft Instructor and Level 4 Swiftwater certified, discussing his journey into packrafting and the significance of La Venta River, including its wonders, dangers and realities. They emphasize community involvement, safety and/or ACA training for local guides and communities, and the importance of preserving natural resources while promoting both Mexican and foreign tourism in Chiapas. Rodrigo shares future plans for his cooperative guide service, Packraft Mexico, training local guides and organizing events to enhance the packrafting experience in Mexico. You can also find Rod on @losabuelitoschiapas on Instagram.

Today we’ve got a special episode about one of the most storied and spectacular rivers in Mexico, which also happens to be one of the most misrepresented in social media. I’m here with Rodrigo Alfonso to talk about the wonders and dangers of La Venta River, his work with the Mexican government and environmental conservations agencies to protect the river and make it safer for those who utilize it.  We’ll also talk about his latest project, Packraft Mexico, a co-op guide service that strives to both train and employ locals to guide La Venta and other rivers and to bring training opportunities to the local communities surrounding these rivers. Rod won the American Packrafting Association’s Golden Paddle award in 2025 for building the packrafting community in Southern Mexico. He has single-handedly inspired dozens of Mexicans to not only start packrafting, but also get the training they need to work on the rivers they already love and utilize. The guy is enthusiastic, fun to be with and highly motivated. Please meet one of my favorite new paddling partners, the dynamic Rodrigo Alfonso.

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

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

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!

 

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. 

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.

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.

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!

In celebration of Pride Month, I dedicate this episode of The Packrafting Life to queer folks. ~Lizzy Scully, CEO Four Corners Guides

And according to AI (but with some edits )... In this episode, host Lizzy Scully dives deep into the intersection of queer identity and the great outdoors. Joined by guests Justin Yoder, founder of LGBTQ+ Outdoors, and Justin Bickley, an ambassador & packrafter, the discussion explores how packrafting serves as a unique, meditative, and engaging way to connect queer folks with nature.

Beyond just exploring the serene beauty of rivers, the conversation highlights the vital role packrafting plays in building a supportive and inclusive LGBTQ+ community. Through personal stories and adventure plans, the episode sheds light on the inspiring initiatives like the Armida Horta Adventure Fund and LGBTQ+ Outdoors, which are focused on creating safe and welcoming spaces for queer people and women of color in nature.

Listeners will gain insights into the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in outdoor activities, common misconceptions about queer people in the outdoors (like straight people don't think queer people like the outdoors! Except lesbians, who all drive Subarus. Seriously) and the transformative power of packrafting as a profound means of fostering connection, healing, and authenticity. The episode also touches upon how allies can contribute to creating a more inclusive environment and the importance of representation and visibility in the outdoor industry. Plus, how the outdoor industry can not only help increase participation, but also rake in the dough… 10% of Americans identify as queer... that's billions of dollars, people!

Finally, we touch on some serious dangers facing queer folk in the outdoors and in general... such as  how our government is currently trying to erase and dehumaninze trans people and what can we do as part of the LGBTQ+ community to help them feel more welcome.