THE Race

There is too much too discuss. Too many why's, what for's, and misunderstandings to clarify. Too many blisters and ripped tendons, muscles, etc. Too many thorns to pick out of skin or lacerations to heal. Too many stories to read, much less document...

Too many unsettled consciences to count.

But you can watch these three videos and read read the following stories to begin the inexplicably impossible challenge of understanding of what this race is and why these immortals attempt it... every year.

When you watch the videos and read the stories, I strongly urge you, if not demand, to not just sit back and say what they're doing is stupid or ask why they'd even do that, with no interest in an answer or listening to their argument of why, but to try and think of how a person would feel after completing something of this nature... 150 miles, 4 days, 6 hours of sleep, the only prize is pride, and almost enough scary situations to make you give it up forever... whether this all be a positive or negative thing is for you to decide.
Remember, we all get our kicks in different ways.

(I'm not embedding the videos here, so you must go to their prospective sites and read the stories, too.)
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First, Dave Chenault put out a short write-up on the 2012 Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic.

I commented on Dave's experience and write-up (fourth comment below Dave's post above).

Spruceboy shared Gerard Ganey's YouTube Video.

Luc Mehl, organizer of this year's race and winner of the past few summer & winter races, put out his video & write-up.

Dave Chenault got home and collected his thoughts on the race, with a long write-up and video.

Roman Dial shared his experience, which brings extra light to the topic, with his extensive Classic experience having completed six of the seven routes in it's history. Excellent thoughts and tales of hallucination.

The Fairbanks Daily News Miner also had a summary of this year's Classic.

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I'm glad I didn't do this year's race. I saw this coming, thankfully... at the first word of this year's route choice.

To those participants who enjoyed this year's race, congratulations. You should keep going bigger and faster and farther. Don't ever give up, as you are the ones making the videos we all love to see, influencing gear design, and expanding the vision of what is possible, on foot, in a raft, & unsupported.
To those who have second, third, or final thoughts about this year's race, who wants to go on a trip?!?!

Coal Wood Glitter: The Third Time's A Charm

I had an idea, I planned, I tried, and now I finished.

90 miles through the Alaska Range, this time with Ed Plumb & Ann Farris.
Day 1: Suntrana to Cody Creek via Healy Creek (27 mi) & 10 hrs of sleep
Day 2: Cody Creek to Edgar Creek  via the Wood River (25 mi) & 8 hrs of sleep
Day 3: Edgar Creek to McKinley Village, aka 'Glitter Gulch' (10 mi hiking & 28 mi packrafting).
          First vehicle I thumbed it to picked us up.

The Route:
About 95% of this route offers some sort of trail or path, whether it be ATV or game trails.
One 4500 ft pass and one 5400 ft pass. Lots of creek/river bed walking & thick brush (mostly alder & birch) in drainages up to 4000 feet.
The Yanert is swift glacial current, running at least 6 mph, with a top floating speed of 11 mph. It's mostly a class I-II float, with some hard & tight eddy lines that require precise paddling and a few class III bends and holes, almost all of which are avoidable.
I unintentionally danced with the Devil and ended up running two big wave trains, without a spray deck or PFD, that each led into a class III hole, but managed to stay dry & upright. Sorry Mom, but I guess I learned something from all those Roman Dial packrafting videos.

Trip Insight:
- It's a great route: walk past the old coal mines and up Healy Creek for 20-some miles, up & over Cody Pass & down Cody Creek to the Wood River, up it to Big Grizzly Creek & the pass to Edgar Creek, then follow Edgar Creek to the Yanert, float out the Yanert to Revine Creek (5 hrs) and hike back to the Parks Highway at McKinley Village. It's very straight-forward and easy to follow.
- As you can see in the video, we used the GPS a lot, but that's only because we forgot the maps in the truck. I also had a mental image burnt into my brain after two years of planning. We found that it's perfect for someone looking to 'go bigger' with their backcountry adventures, but still have some sort of path to follow and information about the route, with not too big of terrain and modest safety hazards.
- I typically don't eat that much during the day, but like a big meal at night. It replaces what I burned during the day and helps me sleep at night. But, if it's cold, windy, & wet, I need a lot more calories during the day.
- Ultralight is great, but if it's nasty weather, it may be best to either have extra time to wait it out or bring the extra food it will take (calorically) to keep on truckin'. Extra time might be nice to catch up on sleep or rest sore muscles/feet from all the mileage you probably were doing because you are going ultralight.
- I took my pack off three times each day and never sat down the first two days, until we made camp. We averaged between 2.5 & 3 mph hiking, depending on the brush intensity. Continuing to hike and not taking more than a few minute breaks was actually nicer than stopping and resting, as it kept my body in motion.
- I dipped a liter bottle in small creeks for water, without filtering, and found that every creek tastes different, depending on the rock and minerals deposited into the water. It kept me in touch with the environment in a way I've never experienced before.

The Gear:
19 lbs including boat & paddle, not including worn & consumables
Six Moon Designs Comet backpack (& 2 webbing straps to tie to packraft)
Marmot Hydrogen sleeping bag & torso size blue foam
Patagonia wool 2 zip-t & wool socks (for sleeping, in silnylon bag)
GoLite Shangri-La 3 & 6 Y-stakes (to sleep 3 people)
Ti pot, Cat stove, pot grabber, spoon, windscreen, & matches (to cook inside shelter)
Bear spray, knife, & firestarter
Rab eVent jacket & OR PacLite pants
Montbell Thermawrap Vest & Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
Alpacka Yukon Yak (also to sleep on)
AquaBound Manta Ray paddle (also shelter support)

Gear Insight:
- Denatured alchohol is great, but up at 4500 feet on Big Grizzly Creek was the first time I've ever had problems with the cat stove. Even nestled behind some rocks, it took almost 10 lights before it stayed burning and boiled water. Every time I set the pot on the stove, it would go out. Sensitive to the wind?
- Having the liter bottle cinched to my backpack shoulder strap with an orange ski strap was fantastic. I stayed more hydrated than I ever have in my life, as the water was right there to drink and monitor how much I had or needed for the next stretch. If I was hiking along a creek, I'd dump it out and carry an empty bottle, as I could dip whenever I was thirsty.
- The Rab Latok Alpine Jacket with eVent fabric doubled as a wind & rain jacket. It was so breathable, I only took it off for one mile! While hiking into the driving rain, however, it did wet out, but conditions were pretty gnarly and I'm not disappointed, especially when I compare its performance to all the other waterproof/breathable fabrics I've used.
- We had to stop hiking the second night (in the driving rain) not because we were tired or it was late or too nasty of weather, but because my gloves were saturated and after three hours, my hands finally got too cold. Couple that with the conditions and time and it was a mighty fine opportunity to pitch the shelter and hit the hay. Take home message: bring shell gloves/mitts or a way to keep hands dry (& warm).
- The GoLite Shangri-La 3 slept all three of us with just enough space to sprawl out, except for the driving rain night, when we had to hunker in a little to keep away from the wet nylon. Plenty strong and storm-worthy.
- We slept on our packrafts, which created a huge dry area, allowing us to lay out gear and clothes next to our bags and keep it all dry. The 2011 boats are even bigger than previous models, with the long tail, and work really nicely.
- 100% humidity, being showered by dripping condensation all night, and a very wet insulated jacket couldn't wet-out my Marmot Hydrogen 30 degree down bag. While it was unsettling to see the clumpy balls of down when I got into the bag, it was completely dry by morning, while being warm all night.
- As nice as the 2011 Alpackas are to sleep on, they're equally bad to sit in. The boat has an overall narrower design, which smashed my hips to the point of pain during and after the float. Both feet were crammed in the bow, one in front of the other as there wasn't enough room to wedge them side by side. The narrow dimensions also make the boat slightly tippier side to side, compared to the previous model. However, the tail is amazing. As Roman pointed out, it completely prevents bandersnatching. If you have an old boat, send it in to Sheri and have a tail installed.
- I'm a hiker and I like to go light, so carrying 7-10 lbs of floating gear is not cool unless there's enough floating to make it worth while or the route just isn't possible without it. But, if I am going to carry a boat, etc, I'm taking the biggest boat I can, as they are so much more stable and float through skinny water better, plus being idyllically spacious. Sure, it weighs a little more, but so not as much as the whole floating gear compared to my basepack weight.
- Last trip, I carried my trekking poles the entire time. This time, I left them at home. Never once did I miss them, because in my hand, instead, was my DSLR. With my hands free, I took 1200 photos in three days and even had the camera put away for 4 hours during the driving rain and 6 hours the next day while packrafting. The DSLR allows me to get shots that are straight-up impossible to get with a point and shoot, plus the quality is far superior. And since it's in my hand all day long, it doesn't weigh down my pack.

As I learned last year when J.R. & I attempted this trip, I may be out of school, but the education continues.

Skurka Stories and Photos & Final Denali Biking Video

You've got to check these out...
'Triple A': All Across the Gates
Guest Blog at Hiking in Finland
We were a Party Train on an Errand

And, the anticipated final cut of JR's Denali Park Road Biking Video is here!

Insulation for Moving & Sleeping

Here's something I've contemplated for some time and may have finally come to a conclusion...

On the Arctic 1000, they each brought 17 oz of (lightly) insulated clothes in a pullover hoody and pull-on pants, coupling that with a 24 oz two-person quilt, which obviously couldn't have been too warm.

Sleeping bags are, without question, far more efficient at trapping heat than clothes, especially per ounce of weight. (think mitten philosophy)

So, on each trip, I believe it is important to decide whether to bring insulated clothing and/or a warmer sleeping bag. Where as you can wear the clothing and not have to be in the bag (moving in cold weather, in camp, after a river swim, etc), it is far less efficient for the weight than a warmer sleeping bag. However, one must be laying or sitting in a sleeping bag to use its warmth, meaning you can't be moving and probably not doing too much around camp, as you wouldn't be able to get too close to a fire or get up to do anything if sitting in a bag.

I see this conundrum as being similar to using some sort of stove (denatured alcohol or butane) or campfires to cook. If mileage is your priority, bring the insulated clothing, as it is far more versatile and can be worn while moving. Campfires require a lot of time searching for fuel (wood) and sitting around & tending them while waiting to cook. Stoves are much more straight-forward and time-efficient, although heavier, like the clothing option.

One other thought... Have you ever put a cold-weather glove inside a mitten shell and wear that system when your hands were cold? It doesn't keep your hands nearly as warm as a mitten! I think this is similar to the potential situation of being too heavily clothed inside a sleeping bag. There is no shared warmth (without significant production of heat, i.e., exertion) between body parts and throughout the bag because clothing isolates body heat instead of sharing it with the rest of the body (like a sleeping bag), so one becomes cold, even thought they are aptly insulated.

Here's what I wrote after a trip during the summer of 2010:

Sleeping bags are not necessary for travel during summer in Alaska’s backcountry. Clothing applicable to the current weather conditions is sufficient for sleeping when combined with a light bivy bag, in the proper shelter. We used our clothing, coupled with 6.5 oz silnylon bivy bags, and slept on our inflated packrafts under a GoLite Hex 3. The packrafts fit well in the hexagonal teepee shelter, which seemingly holds heat well. We were able to sleep for a full 8+ hours, most of which was almost too warm. Being too warm can pose problematic, though, as one would become damp from sweat and then cool far too much to remain comfortable. Sleeping bags, however, provide a great amount of comfort and security, which can also be lighter and more practical than sleeping in clothing only. After wearing clothing all day, in all weather conditions, the clothing can be damp and sleep can be challenging. We found the system of bringing just enough clothes for the conditions and a slightly lighter sleeping bag than appropriate for the conditions was the most effective and lightest technique when used together, as a sleeping system. This is the same findings and methodology that many adventurers on light and extended backcountry trips have agreed upon and found to be most effective.

High mileage each day? More insulated clothing, lighter sleeping bag.

Not as mileage oriented or ounce-counting? You're on the wrong blog.

Thoughts on Next Summer

For many reasons, the summer of 2010 was full of many small, checklist-type achievements and demoralizing failed attempts at many adventures. For example, I drove or rode 8000+ miles with one friend and over 2300 miles sightseeing with my mom when she came up. But, I've had countless plan-changing or scrapping times that really made me lose my spirit. Fortunately, both of these types of experiences offered bountiful learning opportunities and changed my personal techniques and opinions.

I may not have slept comfortably, but I did sleep.
I may not have done many bush-trips, but I did a lot of road-trips.
I may not have done every trip on the list, but I did a list of trips.
I may not have done many multi-day trips, but I did multiple day trips.
I may not have executed each trip to plan, but I did get home safely & uninjured.
I may not have known everything before the trip, but I did learn what I needed to.
I may not have gone everywhere I wanted to, but I did go to a lot of places I've never been.
I may not have done an epic wilderness bike trip, but I did 100 miles in 29 hours and learned the tricks of winter biking.
I may not have spent a lot of time in my sleeping bag, but I did spend a lot of time with my dogs, friends, and girlfriend.
I learned, I taught, I lived.

Of course, it's nearing Winter Solstice, so yeah, I'm thinking about next summer and looking at maps with hiking eyes. For two years now, I've had my eye on the Arctic 1000. I don't have an interest in walking the entire route (600 miles) from Point Hope (or Kivalina, like they did) to the Haul Road, but the section from the Utukok River to Anaktuvuk Pass has got to be one of the most spectacular hikes in all of Alaska, competing with traverses of the eastern Brooks, Alaska, and St. Elias Ranges.
My job ends May 9, 2011. That gives me just under a month to train and prep, with no distractions, for a June 5-21 attempt, between the snow and bugs, at 320 miles across the Brooks Range, finishing on Summer Solstice in Anaktuvuk Pass.
Time to start planning, training, and as implied above, learning.
We'll see what I can pull off...

The Education Continues...

So, the Coal, Wood, Glitter trip may not have worked out for various reasons as I'll explain below, but the time wasn't a complete flop. What JR & I learned in 4.5 days and 1500 miles of driving through Alaska is impressive, I think.
Here's my take on it all...

Before starting a big trip, do extensive research on the feasibility and safety of the route, including land ownership and activity (mining?), and talk to someone who’s done the route already and get their opinion and notes. Otherwise, do a scouting trip prior to the main trip, or just keep things simple according to what information is available.

Bikes are extremely beneficial to use for backcountry travel in nearly all mountainous environments, but they extremely complicate the trip to the point where they may not be practical for more than one night’s worth of travel, as they are very fragile and mechanically complicated. Breakages occur far too frequently for practical application of mountain bikes on extended backcountry travel, in my opinion. See Eric Parson's accounts of their Lost Coast, Wrangell Mountains, and 2010 AMWC trips, regarding the catastrophic failures they had. However, bikes were apparently built better back in the day when Roman Dial did his Hellbiking across the Alaska Range.

When going on a trip, plan for all possible types of recreation. For example, if going on a biking and packrafting trip, also bring hiking gear in case your plans change. On the attempted route, bikes proved to be impractical, but the route could have been hiked and packrafted in the time we had available. Unfortunately, we did not have quite the appropriate hiking gear to attempt the route without bikes, since we were originally planning on carrying all our gear on the bikes. This prevented the route from being accomplished, all together.

Packrafts were made for Alaskan rivers and backcountry travel. However, paddling on lakes without current for more than just a simple and short crossing is slow and strenuous, especially if there are headwinds, which is normally the case. Stick to current, mostly rivers, above class I, to make it interesting and appropriate for using a packraft.

Sleeping on packrafts allows for a simpler and more comfortable approach to packraft/raftpack camping, if executed properly. When sleeping on a packraft right side up (floating style), the raft should be inflated to 4-5 inflation bags worth of air to allow for a soft mattress and the highest amount of comfort. I used a Llama, although I am only 6' tall, and I slept very comfortably by laying inside the boat, with my head on the stern and feet propped up on the bow, almost similar to a hammock. Sleeping on the packraft upside down provides a soft, flat surface that is elevated off the ground, almost comparable to a quality cot. The raft should be deflated some (from full inflation) and lie flat on the ground when laying atop it (just soft enough to flatten out the upturned bow and stern). Remember that an inflated raft is more puncture resistant than a deflated raft used as a ground sheet. Be extremely cognizant of your campsite selection as to reduce the amount of abrasion on the raft as much as possible. Putting a sleeping pad on the floor greatly increases the thermal efficiency of the set-up and will allow more comfortable, longer lasting sleep in both raft scenarios. I could feel a significant difference between laying on the pad and off of it, where my feet happened to be. The two inflated packrafts were used inside of a GoLite Hex 3 shelter (one Llama & one Yak). Although it was tight, there was still enough room to set shoes, etc, between the rafts and have room for backpacks near the head and feet of the hexagonal shelter.

Sleeping bags are not necessary for travel during summer in Alaska’s backcountry. Clothing applicable to the current weather conditions is sufficient for sleeping when combined with a light bivy bag, in the proper shelter. We used our clothing, coupled with 6.5 oz ripstop/silnylon bivy bags, and slept on our packrafts under a GoLite Hex 3. The packrafts fit well in the hexagonal teepee shelter, which seemingly holds heat well. We were able to sleep for a full 8+ hours, most of which was almost too warm. Being too warm can pose problematic, though, as one would become damp from sweat and then cool far too much to remain comfortable. Sleeping bags, however, provide a great amount of comfort and security, which can also be lighter and more practical than sleeping in clothing only. After wearing clothing all day, in all weather conditions, the clothing can be damp and sleep can be challenging. We found the system of bringing just enough clothes for the conditions and a slightly lighter sleeping bag than appropriate for the conditions was the most effective and lightest technique when used together, as a sleeping system. This is the same findings and methodology that many adventurers on light and extended backcountry trips have agreed upon and found to be most effective.

Prior to going on an extended backcountry trip, test every piece of gear, system, and technique you will be using on the trip in a smaller-scale version of the same difficulty as the trip to be attempted. This is mandatory to evaluate the most practical and effective gear and techniques for accomplishing the goal to minimize problems and increase efficiency.

It has been commonly found that the standard u-shaped seat in packrafts puts pressure on the sciatic nerve in the hips/butt and causes legs to ‘fall asleep.’ I inflated a 2.5L platypus bag bottle and placed it in a drysack, strapped to the back/bottom of the u-shaped seat. This gave support from directly underneath my butt and decreased pressure on the sciatic nerve, completely eliminating the dead leg problem. Bottom line: I found that a flat or slightly contoured/flat seat is ten-fold more comfortable than the standard seat in packrafts and it eliminated the problem of my legs falling painfully asleep after only 45 minutes of paddling.

Sufficient rest/sleep is one of the most critical aspects of a trip to be able to perform at a competent and safe level, especially when in remote regions on a backcountry adventure.

Running a larger packraft than what is the ‘proper’ fit is very beneficial for increased flotation, stability, room, and I personally think the larger boats track better. However, one must adjust for the increased length by putting gear or an inflated dry bag under the deck in the bow or moving the seat forward and modifying the deck to compensate for the adjusted sitting position. Do this, and you'll be far better off than the standard fit model if you plan on running any larger whitewater. See Roman Dial's blog for modifications.

Being a resident of the Middle Tanana Valley in Interior Alaska, I’ve gotten used to the warm, dry weather and getting wet during a float, especially when day-boating, isn’t an issue, thus resulting in rain gear being sufficient in order to stay dry (at least to a degree). However, south of the Alaska Range (mostly around Anchorage and south onto the Kenai Peninsula), weather can often be cool and wet for days, plus much of the water is glacier-fed and cold. I’ve found this is where spray tops and dry suits would be beneficial to stay dry and comfortably warm.

Febreeze is a god-send for water shoes that go through the wet-dry process, which really can cause a nasty funk.

Denali National Park is apparently the only place in Alaska with a real population of brown or grizzly bears. I’ve seen some incredibly wild areas of Alaska, including the Kenai Peninsula, and Denali is the only place where I’ve seen a real habitation, although the salmon weren’t ‘running.’ I’d love to see otherwise, but have yet to.

An inflatable floor for the packraft is a huge advantage for running whitewater. After doing some shallow water butt-boating with and (unfortunately) without a 2.5 inch thick inflatable sleeping pad floor, I’ve come to love carrying the extra 11.5 oz for the benefits it offers. Not only does it stiffen and stabilize the boat, but it flattens the bottom of the boat and eliminates the sag created by your weight directly below the seat which can cause some serious dragging that is completely avoidable. Also, it raises you up in the boat, allowing for better vision on the water. This means a higher center of gravity, which is acceptable because it doesn’t give you the buried in the boat type feeling you get when only sitting on the stock inflatable seat. I like being up higher and feel more capable and responsive because of it. The inflatable floor principle is exactly why a flat-bottomed jet boat performs better than a v-hull in shallow water boating. Your packraft will be flatter & stiffer, with less drag & better visibility. Well worth the weight.

Fleece is awesome under a spray top, drysuit, or just rain gear for insulation. It’s soft, gives that under-the-covers type comfort, and retains its loft well, plus it’s fairly warm for its weight when layered under a waterproof layer. I’d much rather run a fleece under my spray top or drysuit than an ultralight, thin poly fill jacket, exclusively for the comfort, even if it is an ounce or two heaver. How much is that comfort worth to you? Only hiking and no boating? Then, I prefer to carry synthetic insulated jackets any day.

I took the handles off my titanium 1L pot and found it to be more user-friendly than with the handles on. The flip-out handles would often get in the way when packing and were more of a nuisance. The titanium loses heat incredibly fast and if just moving the pot from a fire or off the stove to the ground, handles are best left at home. Melting snow and pouring food, etc? Maybe think otherwise.

When trying to go fast and light, a butane stove is absolutely worth the weight for its sheer speed of use. While denatured alcohol ‘cat stoves’ are far simpler in design and fairly fast, plus super light, they are more finicky and complicated in their use, super susceptible to wind, and slower than butane, which is functionally simple in the can and burner, with not a whole lot to break or have problems with (above freezing). I like simplicity, but simplicity in function can be more important than simplicity in design, depending on the application. How often have you heard of a high-quality butane stove breaking or not working?

As a professional photographer, I know what good picture quality is and I’m quite the snob about it. I also know that a big and heavy SLR is best carried in a backpack, exactly where it can’t take photos. This is why I’ve come to love my new Sony Cybershot TX-5 because it’s waterproof and takes awesome quality photos, plus has amazing features that make it a true 2010 camera, unlike some of the other waterproofs that you’d swear were from 1998. Not only do I take way more photos with it, but at ¾” thick, I can store it in the front pocket of pants or napoleon pocket on a jacket, and also strap it to my helmet with a Gorillapod for taking 780p video while packrafting. Get one. You’ll love it.

This is what I've learned in less than one week of adventure travelling.

I may be out of school, but the education continues.

Day Boating

I've recently found fun and adrenaline, plus a great way to spend one day, in day boating with my packraft. Simply put, hike in and float out.
It allows me to go very light and minimalistic (no backpack necessary!), plan for current conditions (weather, water level & class), make a quick adventure, get on rivers and creeks not conducive to longer trips, and easily gain experience in the packraft (compared to trying to fit a long trip into a weekend).

Everything I bring can be carried on my PFD:
Packraft
Inflatable Floor
Inflation Bag
Ladder Lock Straps
Rain Jacket & Pants
First Aid Kit (tape & pills)
Matches & Firestarter
Food (candy bar ~300 calories)
1L Platypus
Camera & Tripod
River Knife
Boat Repair Kit (duct tape on paddle)
Sunscreen
Whistle
Paddle (in hand)
Throw Bag (optional)
Helmet (optional)
Headnet (optional)



The technique I use to get away with only bringing a candy bar and one liter of water for 10-20 miles of hiking and rafting is 'pre-eating' and 'pre-hydrating,' as I call them. On the way to the destination and immediately prior to leaving the car, I eat and hydrate as much as I can or, at least enough to stay plenty satiated and hydrated until about the time I put in to float, which is when I eat the candy bar and drink about half a liter of water. This leaves the other half liter for the float out. Since the car is not far away and is stocked with food and water, I can finish the hike & float empty.
If the weather turns bad or an injury occurs, I can put in early and float out. By following the waterway on the way in, I have the option of easy return to the vehicle, parked near the river or creek.

The next step is to incorporate my bike in order to cover more miles on the way in, to get a longer float out.
Strap the packraft on the bike then strap the bike on the packraft.
More to come on this topic as more rivers and creeks are checked off the 'butt-boating' list.

Check out Roman's write-up on the PFD carry system. (Tip #5)