Packraft Rescue Training

Attached are the flyers from Scott Solle. You can register directly with Scott. The cost is 295$ per person for 4 days of instruction in Jackson Hole or 3 days in Anchorage.

Jackson Hole

April 25-27: Whitewater Rescue Technician (WRT). This is not packrafting specific and will fill the requirements for river guides.
April 28: Packrafting Rescue Techniques Workshop. WRT is required for participation.

Anchorage

May 16-18: Whitewater Rescue Technician and Packrafting Rescue Techniques.

Whitewater Rescue Technician & Packrafting Rescue Techniques

Where: Anchorage, AK classroom, Eagle River Daily exercises
When: May 16, 17, 18 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) 2008, 9AM—5PM
Cost: $295 per person
Class Description: classroom study in water hazards and dynamics, preplanning,
scene size-up and management, liability, scenarios, knot tying, anchoring, mechanical
advantage, raft flips, raft pins, swim drills, throwbagging, foot entrapment
and more. Students will receive Rescue 3 International certificate of completion 3-
year expiration.
Who is this for: Derived from the Swiftwater Rescue classes geared toward
minimum training requirements for professional search and rescue teams, Whitewater
Rescue Technician is being taught around the country and the world and slowly
becoming the most widely accepted standard for outfitters and guides when it
comes to river rescue training. Like the need exists to have guides trained to administer
first aid, prepare food, and know state boating regulations, the need exists
to be able to provide proven rescue techniques when accidents happen. This last
need however is not mandated by any authority other than an individual’s own moral
obligations to go above and beyond that of what is simply required by the state, and
practice to improve their own skills and take classes to learn new skills and new information.
Students can learn directly from instructors, from listening to and learning
from the experiences of other students, and through demonstrating and practicing
skills. This class is open to anyone interested who is 18 or older.
Required Equipment: type III lifejacket, suitable helmet, suitable footwear (old
shoes with neoprene socks underneath work well, river gloves, drysuit and thermal
protection (no exceptions), Alpackaraft, weighted backpack and straps to secure
backpack to raft, paddle.
To Register: $100 non-refundable deposit to hold seat and full payment due 1st
day of class, contact instructor directly to register, personal checks/credit cards OK
Instructor: Scott Solle, Rescue 3 International certified instructor, owner Solgear
427 E 8800 S, Sandy, UT 84070, phone 801-560-9588, email: Solgear@msn.com
Local Contact: Roman Dial, roman@alaskapacific.edu
More information:
http://www.rescue3international.com
http://www.therescuecompany.com


http://www.solgear.com

Whitewater Rescue Technician

Where: Jackson, WY classroom, Snake and Hobeck River Daily exercises
When: April 25, 26, 27 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) 2008, 9AM—5PM
When: April 28 (Monday) Special Packrafting Rescue Techniques Workshop
Cost: $295 per person (Packrafting day included)
Class Description: classroom study in water hazards and dynamics, preplanning,
scene size-up and management, liability, scenarios, knot tying, anchoring, mechanical
advantage, raft flips, raft pins, swim drills, foot entrapment, live bait rescue
and more. Students will receive Rescue 3 International certificate of completion 3-
year expiration.
Who is this for: Derived from the Swiftwater Rescue classes geared toward
minimum training requirements for professional search and rescue teams, Whitewater
Rescue Technician is being taught around the country and the world and slowly
becoming the most widely accepted standard for outfitters and guides when it
comes to river rescue training. Like the need exists to have guides trained to administer
first aid, prepare food, and know state boating regulations, the need exists
to be able to provide proven rescue techniques when accidents happen. This last
need however is not mandated by any authority other than an individual’s own moral
obligations to go above and beyond that of what is simply required by the state, and
practice to improve their own skills and take classes to learn new skills and new information.
Students can learn directly from instructors, from listening to and learning
from the experiences of other students, and through demonstrating and practicing
skills. This class is open to anyone interested who is 18 or older.
Required Equipment: type III lifejacket, suitable helmet, suitable footwear (old
shoes with neoprene socks underneath work well, river gloves, drysuit and thermal
protection (no exceptions)
To Register: $100 non-refundable deposit to hold seat and full payment due 1st
day of class, contact instructor directly to register, personal checks/credit cards OK
Instructor: Scott Solle, Rescue 3 International certified instructor, owner Solgear
427 E 8800 S, Sandy, UT 84070, phone 801-560-9588, email: Solgear@msn.com
Local Contact: Forrest McCarthy, forrestmccarthy@hotmail.com
Local Contact: Aaron Pruzzan, aaron@jacksonholekayak.com 307-733-2471
More information:
http://www.rescue3international.com
http://www.therescuecompany.com


http://www.solgear.com

Where: Jackson, WY classroom, Snake and Hobeck River exercises
When: April 28 (Monday) Special Packrafting Rescue Techniques Workshop
Cost: Included with Whitewater Rescue Technician Certification
Class Description: This class is not designed to teach you how to become a
packrafter. This workshop will help you incorporate skills learned in the Whitewater
Rescue Technician class to packrafting. Rafting is not rafting is not packrafting.
Drills in raft flips, Throwbagging to packrafters, towing victims and gear, group
safety, self rescue and more.
Who is this for: This class is designed for boaters who wish to go out and play
with their Alpackaraft and practice different rescue techniques and learn and feel
how these techniques might be different than boaters who have a paddle raft or oar
raft. This class is open to anyone interested who is 18 or older and has taken the
Rescue 3 International Whitewater Rescue Technician or Swiftwater Rescue Tech-
nician. Strongly recommended that students take the WRT class immediately pre-
ceeding the Packrafting Rescue Workshop.
Required Equipment: type III lifejacket, suitable helmet, suitable footwear (old
shoes with neoprene socks underneath work well, river gloves, drysuit and thermal
protection (no exceptions), your own Alpackaraft, paddle, and a backpack with
enough weight to simulate a loaded pack that you would have on a real trip and your
own straps to secure your pack to your packraft.
To Register: Contact instructor directly to register, personal checks/credit cards
OK to pay for Whitewater Rescue Technician Certification.
Instructor: Scott Solle, Rescue 3 International certified instructor, owner Solgear
427 E 8800 S, Sandy, UT 84070, phone 801-560-9588, email: Solgear@msn.com
Local Contact: Forrest McCarthy, forrestmccarthy@hotmail.com
More information:
http://www.rescue3international.com
http://www.therescuecompany.com


http://www.solgear.com

Jackson Hole, here I come! :smiley:

I am wondering if those of you who have more experiance than I can give me some ideas on which style of drysuit with thermal protection would be best suited for this class in Jackson Hole in late April. Please take into account the time of year, weather, water temp, and of course also the ability to get the most use out of this suit down the road. Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appriciated. As far as money goes- yes it is a factor as I am just a fireman with two kids, (translation–not rich) thanks guys :sunglasses:

For a dry suit I recommend waiting until spring 2008. The long awaited two-piece Alpacka Dry suit will be available. That is what I will be using. If you really want to invest in a full fledge one piece Dry Suit check out the Kokatat models. REI sells them.

As a base layer I like merino wool. With a synthetic fleece layer on top of that you should be good to go.

Thank you, I will be looking foward to seeing that Alpacka drysuit.

Instructor Scott Solle will have drysuits to rent for $25.

Due to demand there’ll be a second packraft rescue training course in Anchorage:

May 30-June 1.

Same price and details as the earlier course, which filled up.

Email Scott Solle <solgear@msn.com> to find out more about registration.

i just want to confirm that the Jackson training is still happening. Also I am interested in renting a dry suit. It looks like my daughter will have a a couple of soccer games that weekend so I am interested despite the great spring skiing.

thanks ET

Yes- we are still on for April 25-28 in Jackson Hole.

As far as a dry suite contact the instructor Scott Solle (solgear@msn.com / 801-560-9588) or Rendezvous River Sports (aaron@jacksonholekayak.com / 307-733-2471).

Forrest

Just thought I would post a quick report of the highly successful Swiftwater Rescue Training in Jackson Hole. When we started on Friday there was a blizzard in Jackson with horizontal snow and freezing temperatures. Fortunately the weather cleared and we had some of our first sunny spring days. We had a full course of all packrafters. Besides the standard Rescue 3 curriculum we had ample opportunity to practice and hash out packrafting rescue. On the last day the entire class descended Snake River Canyon in Alpackas.

I found the course very helpful with understanding swift water rescue in general, and more specifically, how to incorporate safety and rescue protocol in packrafting. It was a fun and educational experience. I highly recommend the course. Not only am I more prepared and confident to handle packrafting mishaps but am much more confident in my partners ability to save my ass. To quote Roman Dial “I wish all the people I packraft with took this course”.

A note to new or novice packrafters; This course is appropriate for all levels. We had several novice paddlers in the class and they reported that this was an ideal introduction to the sport.

For the larger packrafting community the development of packrafting safety, procedures, equipment, and standards is a critical step in the evolution of our sport. I encourage all packrafters to take the course or at least become familiar with the safety and rescue techniques being developed and taught.

Talk about FUN. I had a great time in Jackson. I felt honered taking the class with several of the pioneers of the sport. I wasn’t gonna miss those four days for anything! I learned a lot from so many different angles and opinions, and really enjoyed the last day in the canyon. Just shooting thoughts and ideas back and forth was great for me. I realized that I need more time to tweek some of my equipment after practicing with the throw bags, etc. I also hope that Carol has some good pics she can share, as I really didn’t get any at all, especially any action shots. After that Snake River run I went to Bubbas BBQ and truly had an enlightning experiance eating sevreal pounds of MEAT! I then sought out an Alaskan Amber brew. I slept like a rock… It was one of my favorite days of all time. Thanks to everyone for being so cool. I had a great time. :wink: :smiley: :slight_smile: :sunglasses: :mrgreen: :stuck_out_tongue:

Hello,
I think that there would be a growing market for a training guide which could be bought as a download and/or a dvd for Packrafters whom are unable to attend the course location.

Such a video would never be a replacement for good personal tuition, practice and familiarization, but a supplement, especially if used with Roman’s book for the growing gaggle of Packrafters worldwide that cannot find an instructor locally or find that local instructors may never have seen an Alpacka, let alone be familiar with good Packraft Rescue Training Techniques.

Everything you said about training is absolutely spot on.

With the fledgling gaggle of Packrafters that Roman’s book/BPL features/Ground Truth Trekking and other mediums introduce to these marvellous craft growing worldwide, the need for a structured guide which is readily available in an accessible format becomes more pressing.

Does anyone know about any packraft-specific swiftwater rescue courses in the Anchorage area this coming summer? I contacted Scott Solle and he doesn’t have anything planned for this spring in Anchorage…maybe in the fall though. Thanks!

Ryan Hickel

I just received the following message that may be of interest to boaters who are in or want to come to Alaska in the next couple of weeks


Doug,

I just talked to Scott Solle and he will be offering another WRT course on 30-31 Aug, 01-02 Sep if he can get enough interest. Can you post this on your site?

Thanks,
Matt

Scott made a mistake on the dates. Its a Saturday through Tuesday, 29,30, 31 Aug and 01 Sep. He is trying to get some more people who are interested to fill up another course. The 21-24 Aug and Labor Day weekend courses are filled up.

Does anyone know if there is going to be a packraft specific swift water rescue course taught anywhere in the lower 48 in the next year or so?

Not so far as I know, but I know Backpacking Light has a mid-September whitewater-type course they’re doing in Montana. Solgear may be involved in this as well, slips my mind. Late… tired…