The Packraft Handbook


Book Description

"A staple for paddlers.... [The Packraft Handbook has] now become the bible for outdoor recreators taking their inflatable rafts into the backcountry." ― Anchorage Daily News 2021 National Outdoor Book Award Winner in Outdoor Adventure Guides 2022 Banff Mountain Book Competition Guidebook Winner Alaska-based author is a leading expert on wilderness travel Emphasis on skill progression and safety applies to wide range of outdoor water recreation Vibrant illustrations and photos inform and inspire The Packraft Handbook is a comprehensive guide to packrafting, with a strong emphasis on skill progression and safety. Readers will learn to maneuver through river features and open water, mitigate risk with trip planning and boat control, and how to react when things go wrong. Beginners will find everything they need to know to get started--from packraft care to proper paddling position as well as what to wear and how to communicate. Illustrated for visual learners and featuring stunning photography, The Packraft Handbook has something to offer all packrafters and other whitewater sports enthusiasts.




Packrafting: A Beginner's Guide


Book Description

Packrafts are rugged, portable rafts, small enough to attach under a rucksack, but stable on the water to reassure first time paddlers. Weighing from 1-3 kilos, they open up a whole new world of amphibious adventuring, from navigating easily accessible waterways to discovering more challenging rivers and lochs only reachable on foot or bicycle. Packrafting: A Beginners' Guide is a perfect introduction to the game-changing recreational opportunities opened up by packrafting. It takes you through the different types and features of packrafts to ensure that you buy a boat that is right for you and have the right gear to use with it. It clearly explains the basic paddling skills and how to safely evaluate risks on the water. It also introduces the different types of adventures you can undertake with your packraft, from paddling a local canal or river to lashing a bicycle over the bow or using a packable sail to traverse open water. The book is comprehensively illustrated with over 120 colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.




Packrafting!


Book Description

"Packrafting! is about exploring wilderness and whitewater by packraft, a light-weight, portable boat. In this book, you'll learn about packrafting gear and technique, as well as the myriad applications for packrafting. Combine packrafting with mountaineering, backcountry skiing, mountain biking, or trekking to create your own wild adventures. Learn the techniques behind running both stillwater and whitewater in a packraft, opening up new possibilities for water travel from Canada's canoe country to vast Alaskan rivers to the steep creeks in your backyard"--Backcover.




Packrafting


Book Description

Don’t Be Left Up a River… Without a PackraftPackrafts are lightweight, inflatable boats that can be carried in a backpack, on a bicycle or in a duffel bag. These compact, tough personal watercrafts are used to float rivers, run rapids, cross lakes, and even drop waterfalls, often as part of a broader wilderness expedition that includes backpacking. Packrafting is rapidly gaining in popularity, with increasingly varied options for gear, ranging by size, cost, and function. With the number of guided packrafting trips on the rise, this is the perfect book for the beginner interested in the up-and-coming sport.




Alaska River Guide


Book Description

The rich tapestry of Alaska is threaded together by 365,000 miles of waterways, from cascading mountain streams to meandering valley rivers, from the meltwaters of glaciers to broad rivers that empty into the sea. This guide profiles a wide variety of rivers from all over Alaska, concentrating on trips for intermediate boaters, and including a few major expeditions for the experienced river-runner. A section on gear outlines what to take into the backcountry.




Inflatable Kayaking: A Beginner's Guide


Book Description

There has been an explosion of interest in paddling right across the world – in 2020, British Canoeing reported a 40% rise in members, with 19,000 signing up in a 3-month period. Much of this interest has been in inflatable kayaks, with the author's own website (inflatablekayaksandpackrafts.com) averaging 1,000 visits a day. The comparatively low cost, the convenience of inflatable kayaks, and the fact that you can just get in and go, all add up to their appeal. And with thousands of miles of waterways in the UK, most are within reach of a river or canal where you can paddle your kayak and enjoy being in the fresh air, gently travelling through the natural world. You see the country from a different perspective and in an eco-friendly way. But, as with everything, a little bit of knowledge and technique makes the experience so much more enjoyable! That is where this book comes in. It provides a perfect introduction to the sport. It takes you through the different types of inflatable kayaks, so you buy the one that is right for you. It shows you the basic on-the-water skills that you will need, including getting in and out, how to paddle straight and turn. It outlines the gear you will need and talks about where to paddle as well as weather, safety, maintenance and repair of your equipment. It covers kayaking in rivers and canals, lakes and lochs, and coastal kayaking. All aspects are heavily illustrated with colour photographs making it easy to understand and clear to follow.




The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping


Book Description

Winner of the 2018 National Outdoor Book Award for Best Instructional Book! The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping introduces new rafters to the skills, equipment, and knowledge required to mount a multiday whitewater rafting trip. Rafting equipment, skills, and techniques have changed drastically in recent years, and this book provides the latest information on equipment selection, care, repair, and use; whitewater rafting techniques; reading rivers; hazard evaluation and basic rescue; camping techniques; river cooking and living; and expedition planning. Written in a clear and comprehensive manner by outdoor educator and whitewater veteran Molly Absolon, The Ultimate Guide to Whitewater Rafting and River Camping is a great tool for novices and an excellent resource for experienced rafters.




Mississippi Solo


Book Description

The true story of a young black man's quest: to canoe the length of the Mississippi River from Minnesota to New Orleans.




Ultimate Canoe and Kayak Adventures


Book Description

A stunningly illustrated book detailing the world′s most breathtaking on–water adventures Whether it′s paddling down mountain chasms or exploring rugged coastlines, navigating a canoe or kayak counts as one of life′s indescribable joys. And in this memorable collection of 100 extraordinary on–water experiences, armchair adventurers and avid water sport enthusiasts are given a taste of canoeing and kayaking in every climate, condition, and geographical location. From the frozen wastes of North America, the rivers and seas of Europe and Asia, to the stunning waters of the Far East and Australasia, each paddle stroke is brought to life. With something for everyone—from the white water adrenalin junkie to the extreme sea kayaker—Ultimate Canoe and Kayak Adventures offers true–life adventurers useful, detailed information telling you exactly how, where, and when to attempt any on–water expedition yourself. The three co-authors are highly experienced paddlers from both sides of the Atlantic. Eugene Buchanan is editor-in-chief of Paddling Life, Jason Smith is editor of Canoe & Kayak UK while James Weir is a prize-winning paddler and journalist who still leads extreme paddling expeditions worldwide. Striking full–page photographs are matched with lively text that bring 100 adventures to life Offering a rare, inside look at living the life of adventure in every climate and latitude, this spectacular album of memorable canoeing and kayaking experiences is an ideal gift and a must for those who wish they′d been there—and those who already have.




The Sun Is a Compass


Book Description

For fans of Cheryl Strayed, the gripping story of a biologist's human-powered journey from the Pacific Northwest to the Arctic to rediscover her love of birds, nature, and adventure. During graduate school, as she conducted experiments on the peculiarly misshapen beaks of chickadees, ornithologist Caroline Van Hemert began to feel stifled in the isolated, sterile environment of the lab. Worried that she was losing her passion for the scientific research she once loved, she was compelled to experience wildness again, to be guided by the sounds of birds and to follow the trails of animals. In March of 2012, she and her husband set off on a 4,000-mile wilderness journey from the Pacific rainforest to the Alaskan Arctic, traveling by rowboat, ski, foot, raft, and canoe. Together, they survived harrowing dangers while also experiencing incredible moments of joy and grace -- migrating birds silhouetted against the moon, the steamy breath of caribou, and the bond that comes from sharing such experiences. A unique blend of science, adventure, and personal narrative, The Sun is a Compass explores the bounds of the physical body and the tenuousness of life in the company of the creatures who make their homes in the wildest places left in North America. Inspiring and beautifully written, this love letter to nature is a lyrical testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Winner of the 2019 Banff Mountain Book Competition: Adventure Travel