Denali Llama - First Paddle

[Howard70]

After a recent backcountry trip into Burnt Canyon off of Twin Point in the western regions of the Grand Canyon's North Rim, I decided I needed a pack raft to incorporate the river into some longer canyoneering trips. Did a bit of research and decided on an Alpacka Raft Denali Llama (http://www.alpackaraft.com/). Ordered it on Thursday and it arrived Friday evening - with regular UPS shipping! This evening I took my first paddle trip. Packed the raft & gear into a backpack, left the house at 5:00 pm, walked 1/2 mile to the Rio Grande, was in the water in 15 minutes. Spent another 15 minutes in a slough learning how the boat handles (great!) then headed down the river for three miles, put in at a clearing in the bosque, packed the boat up and into the backpack and walked three miles back to the house - arrived at 7:30 just after sunset.

I'm impressed with the boat, design and quality of construction. I found that it tracked surprising well, paddled fast enough (but this isn't an 18' waterline touring kayak...), but what is really satisfying is how compact and portable the whole system is. The "pump" is outrageously light and they've devised a way to store gear inside the pontoons via a water and air proof zipper. If you're looking for a vessel that you can carry for miles before you descend a river with class III whitewater (some of the good pack rafters routinely tackle class IV) and then walk out with it on your back you might take a look.

Howard

 

[Fireman78]

Congrats on your new Alpacka Raft! I have used mine (old style) for a decade. Looking forward to getting the new body style someday. Here is the best epic day ever..... Head up to the Rio Chama. North of Abuiqu Lake. You need a shuttle car or truck/raft and a mountain bike. Camp at the Rio Chama campground (right near the entrance to the Monastery in the Desert). This is at the end of forest road 151. Leave boats and rafting gear there in tent in your campsite. Drive back down ten miles to the Big Eddy take out. Park truck, leave ice chest with cold beers in truck. Ride mountain bike the ten miles back up to the campground. Now transition from bike to raft, put in the Rio Chama right from your campsite. Raft the ten miles back to the Big Eddy take out.. (bring truck keys!). Enjoy cold beer as you load up and drive back to camp.. Check flows of river. In summer and early fall it is runable fri/sat/sun water releases from El Vado lake. This happens all the way until labor day usually. In the spring it runs wild and is cold.

 

[Howard70]

Hello Fireman:

Thanks for the great trip suggestion - that's one I need to do. So far I've been limited to the Rio Grande around the house - pretty tame water. The boats are surprising quick in the water (unless a head wind comes up!). Last paddle I walked N about 8 miles, paddled S about 12 miles and then walked 5 miles home.

Send me a pm or email (snell@mindspring.com) if you'd like to get together sometime for a paddle. I've been thinking of that stretch of the Rio Grande E of White Rock down to Cochiti Reservoir. Have you done that?

Howard

 

[Fireman78]

I have not, but it is on my radar. In high water I have heard White Rock Canyon can be awesome. I think starting at Buckman road is best from what I hear. Only issue is hitting the north end of Cochiti can be brutal due to the wind. Best to have a boat shuttle somehow on the lake. I have taken my Alpacka to South Carolina, Wyoming, Utah, California, Minnesota, The Bahamas and enjoyed every trip. If I ever go back to Iceland I will pack it. Last time it was waaaay to cold to consider it. It is a great adventure craft and fits in a suitcase!

 

[Howard70]

Update - Denali Llama

I thought it was time to update my impressions of the Denali Llama Packraft. She's now about 5 months old and I've had about 200 - 300 miles of paddling. So far I've run up to lower class IV (or III+? These white water ratings are more confusing that climbing ratings!) and sections of the Rio Grande and Chama (NM), Trinity and South Fork of the American (CA) and the Colorado (UT). I'm really impressed with the boat, her portability, stability, and durability. We travel in an EarthCruiser and all of the boating gear (paddles, boat, kit, garments, etc.) takes up less than a quarter of one stowage locker. This summer I took two boats on our wander about - the Denali Llama and an Advance Elements Air Fusion (a 12' inflatable/frame keel touring kayak). I never used the Air Fusion - the Denali Llama was quicker to use, handled swift water better, and was just more suitable all around. If I was going to take a long flat water paddle with wind the Air Fusion would definitely be better - but I'm not sure I'll carry her as part of our regular set of toys. I suspect I'll always take the Denali Llama if there is any chance of water on any trip.

I was successful in one of the Private-Trip follow up lotteries for the Grand Canyon. Three of us launch from Lee's Ferry on 9 December in three packrafts. We'll run 143 miles of the river to Kanab Creek and then take several days backpacking out of the canyon via Kanab Creek and Hack Canyon where Heidi will meet us on the "all weather" road to Toroweap. While it will be colder on the river, I wanted a winter trip for the wilderness quality - no motors allowed on the river, few if any commercial trips, and few groups launching per day (perhaps as few as one!). Packrafts have been through the Grand Canyon on several unsupported trips and most of those seem to run in the winter, so we'll see.

I have decided to convert my Denali Llama from the "Cruiser Spray Skirt" to the "White Water Spray Deck." If I'd had more experience and realized how much I'd like paddling the boat in swift water I would have ordered the white water deck initially and saved some money. The cruiser deck keeps a lot of water out of the boat, but when you're waist deep in froth and waves you take on enough to notice. I think I'll be happier with white water configuration on the Grand Canyon trip.

If you're considering a portable craft to complement your adventure travels, look into packrafts. There are several different types designed for various purposes - ultra light (under 2 pounds!) basically designed to get you across a flat river, multi-purpose (like the Denali Lama), dedicated white water boats that can be rolled, etc.

Howard

 

[bad luck]

Howard,
I sure hope you post a trip report on the Grand Canyon trip after your back home. I have wanted a packraft for a long time and I think I'm about ready to buy one. But I may get the new Aire backraft. I just haven't read or heard any reviews on it yet. If you know anything about them please let me know. And have a great trip.

 

[Howard70]

Howard,
I sure hope you post a trip report on the Grand Canyon trip after your back home. I have wanted a packraft for a long time and I think I'm about ready to buy one. But I may get the new Aire backraft. I just haven't read or heard any reviews on it yet. If you know anything about them please let me know. And have a great trip.

Hello b luck:

I notice you're in Moab? That's fantastic country for a packraft. One of my Grand Canyon trip-to-be colleagues and I hope to run West Water in October with two Alpackas (permit is in hand). I was just through there on Sunday via paddle raft and at the current water levels it looks doable - we may portage a couple of the latter rapids if our nerves give out! There is also a chance we'll do a Cataract Canyon trip. I'll be in the SE Utah area for a week - if you'd like to get together or paddle my boat let me know.

I don't know much about the bakraft. I have seen Forrest McCarthy's blog posting about them (http://forrestmccarthy.blogspot.com/2014/09/bakraft-by-aire.html) and I have read a longer review by someone who has one, but I can't find that link at the moment. You might try searching for "Bakraft review". Just looking at the photos I'd wonder about the ability to carry much gear for longer trips. The "self bailing" nature might be helpful, but I wonder about it in really cold conditions? In the Denali Llama I use a small Thermorest Prolite to cover the forward 3/4 of the floor. I fold up about 1 foot of the Thermorest to make a foot brace and then the Llama's standard seat is augmented by Alpacka's "Explorer Seat". That combination is adjustable for height by simply altering how much you inflate either seat. I find that sitting up a bit higher helps my "old guy's" back, provides a bit more view downstream when scouting rapids on the run, and keeps me up out of the cold water. The thermorest also provides a lot of insulation and stiffens the boat.

If you're looking for a pure whitewater pack raft be sure to check out Alpacka's "Apackalypse" (https://alpackarafts.com/product/alpackalypse/). Guys have run the complete Grand Canyon in those while carrying 10 days of gear - so while it is a great Class IV whitewater boat it can also do longer self-supported trips.

With any of these boats you may see comments regarding the number of inflatable chambers and the proposed influence on safety of that number. Most Aplackas have a single chamber that is easily inflated to get the boat on the water and keep the tautness optimal. However, as long as you get a model with a Cargo Fly (the zipper system that allows gear to be stored in the pontoons) then you effectively have three chambered boat. That's because there are two internal bladders (storage dry bags) that can be fixed inside the pontoons to provide ample reserve buoyancy in the event of a traumatic puncture of the main hull.

 

[Howard70]

Aire Backraft

Pack Raft Colleagues:

Bad Luck asked about the Aire Backraft packrafts a bit upthread. Last weekend I completed a Packraft-specific Swiftwater Rescue Course with Scott Solles (great course by the way). Scott had several different demo packrafts at the course and the Aire Backraft was one of them. I did not paddle it, but I watched others in the boat and looked it over well. Here are some observations:

1. The boat is tough.

2. The self bailing works great. I don't think you'd sit in water at all.

3. The boat is wide, looks wider than an Alpacka.

4. Boat did well in rapids, was maneuverable, and self-rescue was straight forward.

5. Boat doesn't appear to pack up as tightly as an Apacka.

6. I don't see how you would carry much gear for a long trip.

7. Boat didn't track as well on longer flat water paddling sections and appeared slower than the Alpackas - likely due to shorter length.

8. Boat needs more tie loops, especially in the bow.

Summary:

I'd say the boat would be a fantastic day boat for white water - it might be more of a competitor for the Apakalypse that the Alpackas. It would probably work for short multi-day trips, but I don't see how to carry gear for a week (I don't mean it can't be done - I just don't see how to do it).

Howard