2025 Review, 2026 Preview
Introduction
It is the day after the solstice and the days are starting to get longer. In these lengthening days at the end of the year, I hope you all have a chance to slow down with people that matter to you. If you have looked through our blog or signed up for our email list you know that I’m not great about regular update. The last of these year in review posts I did was in 2022. Oops! The truth is I am excited to get this out there. Lots of good stuff happened this year and we have some new things planned for next year,
Before we get to all of that how about a little nudge to take a look at the website and maybe visit the Trip Store!
Packraft Passes are available till the end of the year. You can buy day trip or overnight trip passes, saving you considereably on the cost of a trip.
Workshop registration is also on sale till the end of the year.
Ah just one more thing…
We want to support our friends at @americanpackraftingassociation so if you have make a donation to them of more than $50 in the month of December, we will give you 20% off workshops and packrafting passes. Send us a copy of your donation receipt and we will share a discount code.
2025 Review
Custom Trips
Starting with my favorite trips, I continue to be thankful for all of the people signing up for custom packrafting trips, both day trips and overnights. I really enjoy chatting with working with people to designing and experience they are excited about. This gives a chance to develop a trip that is the right level of challenge and fun for you.
This year’s custom trips included whitewater packrafting on the main stem of the Penobscot and the East Outlet of the Kennebec, and bikerafting in the Katahdin region.
Spring Workshops
Spring skills workshops are a fun start to the guiding season for me. Our Swiftwater Rescue and Whitewater Packrafting workshops continue to be popular. Really cool to meet all of the people who are excited to develop their paddling and rescue skills. One of the best parts of workshops is how people who didn’t know each other at the start of the day are brought together in rescue scenarios and the joy of paddling.
Collaborations
Partnerships with non-profits, schools, and other businesses continue to be the heart of Packraft Maine’s success. Behind many of these collaborations are personal relationships made and strengthened on outdoor adventures throughout the years. We are lucky to be a part of such a vibrant and welcoming outdoor community in Maine, and New England. Here are a some of the highlights
Midcoast School of Technology Swiftwater Rescue training
Ibex and Hyperlite, packrafting and backpacking camping trip
Kindling Collective queer packrafting camping trip
Teens to Trails fundraising whitewater packrafting trip
Bicycle Coalition of Maine Rambler bikerafting clinics
Appalachian Mountain Club Gravel Weekends, bikerafting clinic
UM Orono Maine Bound whitewater packrafting trips
UM Orono School of Biology new student orientation trip
UM Farmington Phenology course packrafting trip
2026 Preview
Each Fall, I have a brief moment of doubt. Still feeling grateful for the guiding season I just finished, I wonder if everything will come together for the next year. Luckily packrafting in Maine is clearly a lot of fun. Luckily the inquiries about trips start to come in and the workshops and collaborations start to get scheduled. Then the excitement starts to build for the following year.
Custom trips
Pushy or Chill?
A packrafting adventure can be as hard or relaxing as you want it to be. With a little thought about the terrain and distance, we can design a trip that is right for you and your group. I’m currently planning trips on both ends of this spectrum. With one group we are working on a challenging trip with pushy backpacking and whitewater paddling. A second group wants a mellow introduction to bikepacking with a bit of moving water paddling.
I am equally excited for both trip
Custom doesn’t have to be fancy!
A custom trip doesn’t have to be a fancy or pampered experience. An important part of trip planning is setting up a plan for what tasks people want to take on. For most trips we work together to cook, get camp set up, and navigate. My goal is to keep custom trips approachable for everyone, this can include discounts for bringing your own food, or gear.
Cross Maine Bike Adventure
Inspired by The Northern Forest Canoe Trail and THe Eastern Divide Trail Lupine Section we have been dreaming of a bikerafting trip from the New Hampshire Border, through the Western Lakes of Maine, down the Dead River, across Moosehead Lake, along the Baxter state Park, down the East Branch of the Penobscot River and eventually over to the St Croix river on the Eastern Border. This trip highlights the waterways, dirt roads, and single track that make Maine a dream spot for bikerafting.
Over the next few years, Packraft Maine will host scouting trips and guided excursions along the way. We will share trip reports and details about the local area, to continue to build resources to help you plan your own Cross Maine Bikerafting Adventures. Our goal is not to establish a set route for everyone to follow, but to be a resource as people plan their own way.
Spring Workshops
Spring workshop dates and registration are up! This year I will be offering:
1 day Introduction to Bikerafting
A short biking and paddling loop, that will get you up to speed on going on your own fun multimodal adventures. Bring your bike and we will take care of the rest.
1 day Whitewater Packrafting
Whether you are new to whitewater or want to try out a new type of boat, this is the ww clinnic for you. We will paddle a fun section of Kenduskeag Stream, getting a chance to practice paddling skills and play around in the rapids.
2 day Swiftwater rescue, and
This is an American Canoe Associations Level 4 swiftwater rescue course designed for all types of boaters. Come learn the skills needed to react to the worst whitewater incidents. This is a professional level training, but work hard to match the experience level of all participants. For people who are newer in their whitewater journey the swimming and time in the water helps build confidence on the river. For more experienced boaters, the rescue scenarios give you a sense of how to be a leader on the water.
2 day River Running workshop (all WW boaters welcome!)
I am really excited about the development of this workshop, I have mixed together some of my favorite parts of Swiftwater rescue and Whitewater workshops to create a perfect weekend for Intermediate and Advanced paddlers, who are starting to take other people paddling with them. The training includes a mix of paddling drills, rescue scenarios, and most importantly lessons and practice around river reading and judgment. You will leave knowing what to do when something goes wrong on the river, and more confident that you will be able to make the decisions to reduce the chances of something goes wrong.
Collaborations
Last but not least, the focus on collaborations remains at the heart of Packraft Maine. Planning is already underway to continue many of our favorite partnerships including
Kindling Collective,
Bycycle Coaltion of Maine,
Appalachian Moundtain Club, UM Orono Maine Bound, and Mid Coast School of Technloogy. In addition we are getting close to sharing the details on some new partnerships with
Friends of Katahdin Woods and Waters,
Northern Forest Canoe Trail,
Strong Machine Adventure Racing,
Color the Valley and BikePOCing, and
Maine Adventure Company.
I am hoping to continue to add more partnerships to this list. If you have any suggestions reach out. I’m always here to scheme it and dream it.