Sunday July 16th.
The big hike loomed large.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
T3 Part I: Little Nahanni to the South Nahanni.
Saturday morning, July 15.
Anthony dropped us off just North of Flat Lakes, and we and our gear explosion blew up and loaded on the side of the road.
T3: Tungsten To Tulita.
Back in 2008, the federal government created the Nááts'ihch'oh (Porcupine in Dene) National Park Reserve. Since then, Parks Canada has been actively promoting the virtues of the Nahanni's' shy cousin as an adventure destination.
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Burning the Tyers
Grant and I walked into the remote and seldom (like, I have heard of one party to paddle it in the past 30 years) visited Tyers river in the South East Yukon. They spoke of portages, canyons and epics.
Access is off the CanTung road via old mining roads and animal trails.
Access is off the CanTung road via old mining roads and animal trails.
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Upper Wheaton Run 2017
The Upper Wheaton Run is becoming something of a Yukon PR classic.
Not yet a trade route, as there aren't that many PR's around, but it will get there.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Carrying a PFD for Packrafting
You know how much of a PITA it is to carry a PFD.
Bulky, so they take up room in your pack, same goes for the exterior, and they are always snagging bush.
If you own an HMG Porter, this system works well.
The Porter Stuff Pocket is a pretty much necessary add on to these packs, and if you have one, stuffing the PFD behind it is a great way to keep things sleek.
However, the plastic gimcracks that hold the pocket to the daisy chains on the pack are fiddly at best, and pretty much eliminate any sort of quick release function.
Solution: use some accessory 'biners (I like the plastic Black Diamonds)to attach the pocket to the daisy chains. You can cut the old plastic ones off if you like.
Now, you can place the PFD under the pocket, and use the pocket to hold the FD in place and out of the way. Depending on the PFD, you can vary the placements of the pocket straps to the daisy chains quickly and easily.
Speaking of PFDs, while the Astral V8 seems to be a standard light weight, it does lack back protection and a bit of buoyancy.
You can pick and chose from many excellent (heavy, bulky) rescue PFDs, but for remote trips, my own philosophy is that if you are getting into situations where a rescue PFD seems like a necessity, you are either willing to carry a lot more weight and bulk than I am, or, maybe consider scaling back the gnar.
Regardless, after much research, I settled on the NRS Ion as a good compromise PFD. Its not a rescue PFD, but it does have good back protection and high buoyancy. Bonus, its not much heavier than the V8, and its not bulky. No zippers to mess with either.
Bulky, so they take up room in your pack, same goes for the exterior, and they are always snagging bush.
If you own an HMG Porter, this system works well.
The Porter Stuff Pocket is a pretty much necessary add on to these packs, and if you have one, stuffing the PFD behind it is a great way to keep things sleek.
However, the plastic gimcracks that hold the pocket to the daisy chains on the pack are fiddly at best, and pretty much eliminate any sort of quick release function.
Solution: use some accessory 'biners (I like the plastic Black Diamonds)to attach the pocket to the daisy chains. You can cut the old plastic ones off if you like.
Now, you can place the PFD under the pocket, and use the pocket to hold the FD in place and out of the way. Depending on the PFD, you can vary the placements of the pocket straps to the daisy chains quickly and easily.
Speaking of PFDs, while the Astral V8 seems to be a standard light weight, it does lack back protection and a bit of buoyancy.
You can pick and chose from many excellent (heavy, bulky) rescue PFDs, but for remote trips, my own philosophy is that if you are getting into situations where a rescue PFD seems like a necessity, you are either willing to carry a lot more weight and bulk than I am, or, maybe consider scaling back the gnar.
Regardless, after much research, I settled on the NRS Ion as a good compromise PFD. Its not a rescue PFD, but it does have good back protection and high buoyancy. Bonus, its not much heavier than the V8, and its not bulky. No zippers to mess with either.
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| This can be tidied up by tucking the straps behind, but you get the idea. |
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| BD accessory 'biner. |
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