How to pack for a winter Grand Canyon trip.

another Grand Canyon sunset

Two people, two sixteen foot rafts, eight oars, two frames, three dry boxes, two coolers, groover, fire pan, beer, and ten pounds of bacon is a lot to put in a fifteen year old mini van. The rig looked reminiscent of the Beverly Hillbilly’s with a mass of gear marginally attached to the roof rack. We were ready for the 550 mile tour to Arizona. The biennial Grand Canyon of the Colorado trip was about to begin.

prehistoric birds?

sunset at Redwall Cavern

Spending twenty-eight days without cell service, or for that matter any outside communication, allows for great introspection on the aspects of life I truly value. It reinstills the priorities I cherish; a good meal, terrific companionship, and awesome scenery are much more valuable than a large pay check. By completing this trip every two years it allows me to keep perspective.

Avery, taking in a side hike

little boats in a big canyon

260 miles with 10 pounds of bacon! Grand Canyon Of The Colorado 2015 from Chris Baer on Vimeo.

Instead of planning a sixteen person party, we trimmed the adventure down to just two people, Avery Potter and myself. Trip logistics were wildly different with only two people and the meal plan was unique. We decided to have a handful of meals planned out and then mix and match the large majority of the meals. Shuttle was completed with the help of Gordon, the solo rafter that launched the day before us. Our pace would be ultra variable with long mornings and the possibility for quick rigging available.

Madeline, nope Avery

classic shot with above average light

Over the years, I have compiled what I believe is an all-inclusive list… that gets added to on a regular basis. Some of this list is for a winter Grand trip, some is for a six month stint guiding and playing in New Zealand, and yet other portions are for your next weekend outing.

unique feathers

breakfast on the boat

 

Kitchen:

Ladle
Tongs
Spatula
Scissors
Can Opener
Measuring cups
Strainer
Towels
Papper towels
Dish soap
Hot pad
Sharp knife
Fork
Spoon, not the plastic sporks that break
Bowl
Plate
Cocktail cup!
Pots, pans, and handles
Griddle
Stove, and maintenance kit
Extra fuel
Cutting board
Coffee press
Koozie, for keeping your hands warm on the cold days
Water bottle
Table
Wine screw
Lighters
Pepper grinder and enough pepper
Spices
Emergen C
Coffee
Hot chocolate
Gatorade
Sesame seeds
Jerky
Irish cream, breakfast necessity 
Tea
Gear Bag, for beer

hiking deeper into the canyon

tiny boats

Hygiene:

Towel
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Bar soap in container
Razor and shaving cream
Nail clippers
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Condoms
Anti inflammatory pills, Alive, Aspirin, Tylenol
Wet wipes, the instant shower
Lotion, it’s dry in the desert
Bug spray
Toilet paper, seen TP traded late in trips for valuable commodities
Arnica
Pepto-Bismol, ultra important on the international trips

Little Colorado adding some color

First Aid:

Triangle bandage
Ace wrap
Tape
Neoprene
Lighter
Head lamp, hiked out of a canyon without one once, and I will never go creeking without one again
Gauze
Suture kit
Food
Water tablets, for cleaning water on an accidental overnighter
Duct tape
SteriPen

hula hooping with the Alaskan Pirates

Camp:

Passport
Solar charger
Waterproof cases
Headphones
Speakers, impromptu dance parties are awesome
Super glue
Computer and case
Cameras, and extras batteries
Sunglasses and croakies
Water purifier
Phone and charger
Sudoku, or some other mindless non-battery operated game you can do on a 20 hour bus ride
Long pants
Socks!
Flip flops
T-shirts
Dress shirt and pants, it’s always nice to be able to go to a nice restaurant, or for shaking the local governing official's hand
Warm pants and jacket
Rain gear
12 volt octopus
Dental floss sewing kit, this is mandatory on almost any trip
Sleeping pad
Pigs, SUEY! Wild how this game gets so rowdy
Backgammon
Fireworks
Power inverter, changes 12 volt DC “car power” to 120 volt AC household power
Playing cards
Aqua-seal
303
Belt
Tarp
Bivy
Stakes
Cord
Duck tape
Axe
Water container
Cooler
Mud boots
Hats
Camp chair
Multi tool
Head lamp
Batteries
Sleeping bag
Tent
Pillow
Book
Magazine for groover
Pen
Sharpie
Mittens
Gloves
Bandana
Zip ties
External hard drive with lots of extra memory
Sharpening stone
Pocket knife
Foreign currency
Foreign power adapter
Mesh beer bag
Big bag to minimize check bags

gear bag or beer bag?

Boating:

Shorts
Shoes that last
Socks
Layers
Drysuit
Dry top
Pfd
Helmet
Pogies
Cam straps
Boat bag, for concealing your “wave ski” as it passes through the airport
Skirt
Paddles 
Paddle bag, for concealing your “skis” as they pass through the airport
Hat
Aqua seal
Extra gaskets
Bike tube patch kit, works in a pinch to repair blown gaskets
303
Med kit
Pin kit, pulleys, carabiners, webbing
Rappel rope
Climbing harness, carabiner, ATC
Elbow pads
Watershed Futa bags
Sponge
Bitch-a-thane, it’s help limp more cracked boats off of creeks then I could have ever imagined
SteriPen

Redwall sunset

Don't forget to:

Leave a new voicemail
Call credit and debit card companies, let them know you're traveling internationally
Lock up your vehicles
Find out foreign currency exchange rate
Don't bring pocket knife on the plane
Get a second debit card, hide it deep in your bags
Some place to carry cell phone sim card from the states

 Mix, match and enjoy.

another beautiful evening

adventure by Chris Baer

Hiking in sucks! How to build a kayak backpack system and a couple of fun New Zealand rivers.

stunning Westport beach sunset

Paddling in remote locations is immensely rewarding. But, to do so without paying for a helicopter usually means super long shuttle drives or… hiking. The physical act of hiking with a boat sucks. Shoulders go numb, sides chafe, and its just plain awkward.

Chris Tulley's van making the first pitch of the journey into the crooked

There are a few things to think about before the hike: How much does your boat weigh? Are there any optional items that you can remove from your craft? Can you spread out the essentials: breakdown paddle, med kit, pin kit. What about interference; is your hike in snow, mud, on a steep side hill or does it have overhanging vegetation? The simplest option is the classic shoulder carry, but sometimes you can benefit from a quick and easy backpack system.

New Zealand beaches drift wood and a staggering forest

The few backpack systems on the market that I've tried (NRS Sherpa and Salamander Bak Yak) have all failed. The production packs all score high on initial comfort but fail in longevity, hefty weight, and dizzying complexity.

 

How to build your own kayak backpack

Ingredients:

10ft cam strap
pool noodle
sharp knife
duct tape
carabiner

the basics, pretty light and as simple as it gets

 

Recipe:

Putting the backpack together is rather simple, but there are a few tricks to making the system fit well and hold up for the long hikes.


1. There is enough foam in one pool noodle to make two systems, so cut the original pool noodle into four equal parts.

2. Wrap the ends of the pool noodle in duct tape loosely. You don't need a ton of tape, just a wrap or two, as this helps keep the pool noodle from being pinched and cut by the cam strap.

 notice the duct tape is tight making the hole compress and actually forcing the strap to start cutting the noodle

looser duct tape and a better finish

3. Slide one of the pool noodle sections onto the cam strap and lace the other end under the rear of the seat.

this takes a bit of wiggling, make sure it is supported by the plastic of the seat not the rear foam pillar

4. Slip the other section of pool noodle on the cam strap and weave the remaining cam strap through the two stern handles directly behind the seat.

laced up and looking for a walk

the carabiner in the middle is essential for a comfortable pack

5. To get into and adjust the system, stand the kayak up vertically against something stable and take a knee. Before cranking down on the cam strap use a carabiner to attach the two shoulder straps in front of you (this really eases the stress on the shoulders).

No, this system is not perfect, and having a waist belt would seriously help to disperse the load and alleviate some shifting. But, I find the simplicity, lightness, and ease of use literally outweigh any of the other systems on the market.

tight landing zones on the Kakapotahi

this is the first slot, of the Upper Kakapotahi and there is a six foot ledge to get you here

The Upper Kakapotahi,

has turned into my staple after-work run. It only takes a little rain for the water levels to come up into run-ability and the shuttle is only about a mile, making the backpack system not necessary, but a great place to test it.

clench those cheeks the landing zone is narrow

Kerry Hoglund enjoying the upper Kakers

The run consists of seven fun rapids and after some probing they all are acceptable at most flows. The rapids have one consistent attribute, the lines are TIGHT! Whether it's boofing into a narrow landing zone, or unique laterals that flow directly into a confined triangular rock cave, all the lines are more than snug.

Kerry Hoglund zipping out of the triangular sieve, cave, fun line

be patient on the hike in you never know what you might spot, I wonder what this one does

 

 Crooked River,

The long muddy hike into the Crooked was what I originally built the backpack for and it turns out the hike in is far from backpack friendly. There is a ton of overhanging vegetation and the steep terrain covered in mud means having a 50 pound oblong backpack on is sketchy at best. The trusty shoulder was more well suited for the almost two hour hike in.

starting into the Crooked River

Once on water the action starts quickly and after a couple of fun ledges the crux of the run is reached. Bent and Twisted is a fun two-piece rapid that starts with a Raven Fork-esque twisty lead in where all the water smashes into an overhanging left wall. Thankfully a small, but well placed, eddy splits the rapid up and allows a quick breath and reset before paddling into the stacked second pitch. From there down, the rapids ease in difficulty and risk, and allow paddlers to boat scout well.

a couple of seals near Westport

Upon reaching the take out I had a solid reflection, no I didn't like the two hour hike and yes the river and location was worth the sore shoulder!

adventure brought to you by Chris Baer