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Friday Q+A: Packrafting

November 22, 2019

Q&A with Teacher, Packrafter, and Alaskan Adventurer Tony Perelli
In 2019 Traverse Alaska partnered with Teacher, Packrafter, and Alaskan Adventurer Tony Perelli to provide Packrafting 101 courses in the Denali area. Traverse Alaska sat down with Tony to chat about his packrafting experience, and advice for people new to the sport.

TA: What made you want to get into packrafting?
Tony: Back in 2005 or so, my friend & trip partner, J.T. Lindholm started insisting I get a packraft. We had done tons of climbing and hiking trips together and had established a great partnership. I trusted him when he said I had to get a boat, that I wouldn’t regret it or look back.
I had also been to a couple of Roman Dial’s slideshows during that time, hearing about his adventures in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Hike-boat-hike-boat…to me these trips are still the best.
Finally, I was invited to go on a Packraft date with a real cute adventure girl…So many reasons to get a packraft!

TA: Who were your mentors?
Tony: Most of my first packraft adventures were me just trying to keep up with J.T. and Brad Meiklejohn. Both of these guys already had a huge depth of experience in the wilderness, and it was a real gift to learn how to travel in the wilderness and packraft with them. I’m still learning from both of them today.
The circle of mentors and trip partnerships expanded to include Roman Dial, Luc Mehl, Timmy Johnson, Eric Parsons, Matt Rafferty, Becky King and others. I’ve always felt lucky to learn with and simply be a part of this crew.

TA: How has the sport evolved in the last decade?
Tony: The scope of what you can do in these boats has expanded hugely and it’s generally become much safer. There was a period of time when we began to turn up the amplitude, learn from the kayak community, boat more whitewater and even modify the equipment. Alpacka Raft, at that very same time, was also evolving and upgrading their boat designs to increase their performance. These days, experienced packrafters are routinely running rivers and doing trips, safely and skillfully, that a little more than a decade ago felt anomalous.

TA: What is the most important thing to understand if someone wants to get into packrafting?
Tony: The access and fun packrafts provide is awesome, but the risks associated with it can be real as well. Acquiring a foundation of knowledge, experience and skills is wise. Then, use that foundation to bend the rules later, if needed.

TA: What is a common mistake you see new packrafters making?
Tony: Maybe the assumption that skills will just show-up and the boats will automatically keep them out of trouble, but I really think this is changing for the better.
More technically speaking, I would like to see new packrafters being more intentional with their moves on the river. Sometimes when approaching a hazard, I see people freeze up, grip their paddle, and wait to see what happens.

TA: New packrafters can enroll in a Packraft course, what additional resources are available in Alaska?
Tony: There are some awesome people, blogs & books out there.

People: I love the concept of mentorship in life. If you are among quality experienced people (friends, instructors etc.), it’s good to be honest, quiet and open to learning.

Blogs: I think it’s natural to use the experience of others to learn from and be inspired by. However, I don’t think it’s the right idea to treat blogs like standard routes or trails. They often are not. Be inspired, learn a little and then plan your own trip to match your preference, style and abilities.

Books: there are tons out there, but these are the ones I have on my bookshelf:
Packrafting! by Roman Dial
Fast & Cold by Andrew Embick
Alaska Whitewater by Tim Johnson
Alaska River Guide by Karen Jettmar
Packrafting by Molley Absolon
Most importantly, The Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer

TA: What are some ways for new boaters to experiment with the sport?
Tony:
I suggest getting in a lake or slow-moving river if you’re brand new, just get to know your boat. Flat water, class I water, class II if you have some guidance, and begin to progress. As you gain real skills and comfort you may want to look at more demanding stuff if that’s your interest.

TA: Anything else new boaters should know?
Tony:
I never am tired of the good words that the Water Rat said:
“There is nothing–absolutely nothing–half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”

To learn more about upcoming Packraft Classes and Trips, contact Traverse Alaska.

Filed Under: Blog

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Traverse Alaska Philosophy

We are dedicated to providing experiences that build meaningful connections with Alaska. Our team works diligently to immerse clients in educational exploration. Each and every adventure is personalized to challenge clients while discovering the last frontier at their own unique pace.

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Client POV on a 4-day Traverse Alaska / Tonglen La Client POV on a 4-day Traverse Alaska / Tonglen Lake Lodge trip package: 
Watching the sunset over a glassy Tonglen Lake after an introductory walk in the entrance area of Denali National Park. Tonight the chef served delicious halibut, and we’re going to listen to some music later in the lodge. Tomorrow we’re going on a full day of adventure, hiking and river rafting with our team of private, local guides. After exploring we’ll enjoy the mountain views at Tonglen, and sip wine and tasty appetizers until dinner. The following day we’re going on a bus trip into the national park, and are planning on hiking on our own (thanks to our new skills from our guided hike) and soak up the views of the Alaska Range mountains. Our final day we plan on going for another walk with our private guide, before we get a private ride to Anchorage, for the next portion of our 2-week-long Alaska adventure. 
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Interested in seeing this client POV for yourself? Traverse Alaska and Tonglen Lake Lodge still have some availability for our 3, 4, 5, and custom itineraries this summer. Contact us to learn more.
Happy solstice from Denali! ✨ Tomorrow we shift Happy solstice from Denali! ✨ 
Tomorrow we shift toward the light.

Sunrise: 10:42am
Sunset: 3:06pm
4hrs 23min of daylight
2022 Summer highlights: August. ✨ Bush planes, h 2022 Summer highlights: August.
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Bush planes, hiking and backpacking in fall colors (and pouring rain), river rafting trips, and taking in midnight sunset views of Denali.
#traversealaska #privatepersonalcustom
2022 Summer highlights: July. ✨ Packrafting, ri 2022 Summer highlights: July. 
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Packrafting, river rafting, hiking in the alpine and the ice, having fun with Iditarod champions, and enjoying the warmest month of the year with a big group of dall sheep rams. 
#traversealaska #privatepersonalcustom
2022 Summer highlights: June. ✨ Whales breachin 2022 Summer highlights: June. 
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Whales breaching, backcountry backpacking trips, day hiking, whitewater rafting, overnight packrafting trips, and teaching and learning with the next generation of naturalists. 
#traversealaska #privatepersonalcustom
More highlights from May of this summer—packraft More highlights from May of this summer—packrafting courses! For the fourth year, we hosted @lucmehl / @swiftwater_safety_institute for another Packraft-specific Swiftwater Rescue Training in Denali. These classes teach us important skills that are vital for backcountry travel, and help build a #cultureofsafety for our river community in Denali. 
🌊
Packrafts have been a part of Traverse Alaska since we started in 2013, and is one of the main reasons why this adventure business was even created. Excited for more packrafting classes and adventures next year!
#traversealaska #thisispackrafting #swiftwaterrescue

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