Seattle Packrafting Committee

A core group of enthusiastic river runners has formed the Mountaineers inaugural Packrafting Committee and is seeking to fill out the ranks.  We are in the process of initiating the following activities in 2022:

• Approve trip leaders
• Provide equivalency 
• Offer courses
• Lead river trips

instruction

We will offer two levels of courses.  The first course, Introduction to Flatwater Packrafting is geared to those who are brand new to the sport and is planned for Fall, 2022.  For those who have some packrafting experience and who have taken the introduction course or equivalency the Basic Whitewater Packrafting Course will take students onto the exciting world of river running and is planned for Spring, 2023. 

Trips

We will offer several types of trips!

• Day trips on local rivers of Class I and up
• Overnight river trips on regional rivers, such as the John Day
• Expeditions that use packrafts on multi-modal trips

See more river information.

Boat Types

We currently limit our trips to packrafts.  Packrafts are unique in their diversity of use and are quite possibly the funnest form of boat on a river.  Due to their design and light weight they are nimble on the water, relatively easy to maneuver, and simple to gear up and gear down. 

Why not other boat types? The skills required to descend rivers in other boat types such as inflatable kayaks or hard shell kayaks are not that different than packraft so it is reasonable to think they may be included in trips.  However, the current committee members do not feel that we have a sufficient base of expertise in use of these boats to take responsibility for use of them on trips.  If people with experience using other boat types join the committee we may expand our scope to include other boats.