The Packrafting Life (aka A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting)

fourcornersguides
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In this multi-sport adventure podcast by Four Corners Guides, owner Lizzy Scully interviews FCG’s lead guides and industry experts. They share tips on getting started with bikerafting and packrafting, gear recommendations, and personal stories of learning these sports. The podcast also features fireside chats and adventure stories. It’s an open platform, and we welcome thoughts, suggestions, or comments. Email us at fourcornersguides@gmail.com, or follow us on https://www.instagram.com/fourcornersguides/ :) Find us on Podbean and Spotify. Show notes and transcriptions of our podcasts are available on our blog.

  1. JAN 27

    🎧Episode #16: Packraft Maine's Alejandro Strong on NE Bikerafting Routes & The Growth of East Coast Packrafting

    In episode #16 of The Packrafting Life, Lizzy Scully chats with Packraft Maine's Alejandro Strong about his love of bikerafting, the new route he is establishing across his adopted state, the growth of the sport on the East Coast, the plethora of opportunities to packraft within a few hours of where he lives, and the origins of his guide service. They also discuss Alejandro's efforts to get more folks of color and queer folk into the outdoors through packrafting, and his desire to get advanced education to those folks who excel.  You can find Alejandro on Instagram @packraftmaine or online @ packraftme.com.

    49 min

  2. 12/13/2025

    🎧Episode #15! Gender Differences in Learning, Teaching & Packraft Course Creation with Jule Harle & Sarah Histand

    Hey! This is Lizzy Scully, host of The Packrafting Life podcast. Welcome to episode #15.  In this fascinating episode we look at scientific reasons behind the differences between how men and women learn, teach and how and why courses designed specifically for women or non-binary folks can be really beneficial, safe spaces for those folks to learn. This absolutely was my favorite discussion/interview of the year. I learned so much from Sarah Histand, owner of Mind and Mountain, and Jule Harle, owner of Alaska Packraft School, that I will be incorporating into my own packraft instruction in 2026. I know this episode was geared toward women and understanding gender differences in learning, teaching, and course creation. But I feel and hope it will resonate with my male listeners as well. Whether you’re an instructor or a brother, father, husband, friend of a woman, you’ll definitely learn something about how you can help create safer spaces for those females and non-binary folks you love, to learn and thrive in the outdoors. Find Sarah on Instagram @sarahmhistand and visit her website MindandMountain.co. Find Jule on Instagram @AlaskaPackraft and visit her website AlaskaPackraft.com. Jule & Lizzy are joining forces August 3-7 for a Women's Week of Packrafting. If you'd like to register, please click here! And please let Jule know you found out about the course through the podcast. Thanks! CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE AMERICAN PACKRAFTING ASSOCIATION GIVEAWAY!! FINALLY!!! CLICK HERE to join the American Packrafting Association for $10 all this month. AND get the chance to win one of three Buddy Boy Adventure Waste Kits to make your waste management on river trips much easier. Also win a copy of The Bikeraft Guide. And the #1 randomly chosen winner will also get a Sockdolager Equipment bow bag with a Four Corners Guide's logo.  Register via this link! Stay tuned because I've got two more shorts in the works, including a conversation about bikerafting and packrafting in the Northeast with Alejandro Strong, owner of Packraft Maine, along with a conversation with guide Felipe Meneses about packrafting in Ecuador.

    1h 12m

  3. 10/11/2025

    The Making of Be WaterWise: A Chat w/ Deane Parker about the APA's Series of 10 Safety Videos

    In this ten-minute pod short, Four Corners Guides owner Lizzy Scully & filmmaker Deane Parker discuss the American Packrafting Association's new Be WaterWise series of 10 safety videos, recently launched through the APA Website & YouTube channel. Deane worked with the APA, the Packrafting Assoc. of New Zealand and numerous experts in the industry to develop these 10 short videos highlighting common hazards, practical mitigation strategies, and essential skills for paddlers of all levels. One of the main goals of these videos is to generate conversation. The APA would love to hear about your safety experiences, learnings and answer any questions you have. Join the conversation on YouTube, the APA Forum or Instagram.

    11 min

  4. 08/30/2025

    🎧Episode #14: The Wonders, Dangers & Realities of La Venta River + New Guide Service Packraft Mexico - a chat w/ Rod Alfonzo

    In this episode, Lizzy interviews Rodrigo Alfonzo a Level 3 American Canoe Association Packraft Instructor and Level 4 Swiftwater certified, discussing his journey into packrafting and the significance of La Venta River, including its wonders, dangers and realities. They emphasize community involvement, safety and/or ACA training for local guides and communities, and the importance of preserving natural resources while promoting both Mexican and foreign tourism in Chiapas. Rodrigo shares future plans for his cooperative guide service, Packraft Mexico, training local guides and organizing events to enhance the packrafting experience in Mexico. You can also find Rod on @losabuelitoschiapas on Instagram. Today we’ve got a special episode about one of the most storied and spectacular rivers in Mexico, which also happens to be one of the most misrepresented in social media. I’m here with Rodrigo Alfonso to talk about the wonders and dangers of La Venta River, his work with the Mexican government and environmental conservations agencies to protect the river and make it safer for those who utilize it.  We’ll also talk about his latest project, Packraft Mexico, a co-op guide service that strives to both train and employ locals to guide La Venta and other rivers and to bring training opportunities to the local communities surrounding these rivers. Rod won the American Packrafting Association’s Golden Paddle award in 2025 for building the packrafting community in Southern Mexico. He has single-handedly inspired dozens of Mexicans to not only start packrafting, but also get the training they need to work on the rivers they already love and utilize. The guy is enthusiastic, fun to be with and highly motivated. Please meet one of my favorite new paddling partners, the dynamic Rodrigo Alfonso.

    52 min

  5. 05/28/2025

    Happy Pride Month! Let's Talk Being Queer in the Packrafting & Greater Outdoor Community w/ LGBTQ+ Outdoors Founder Justin Yoder & Ambassador Justin Bickley

    In celebration of Pride Month, I dedicate this episode of The Packrafting Life to queer folks. ~Lizzy Scully, CEO Four Corners Guides And according to AI (but with some edits )... In this episode, host Lizzy Scully dives deep into the intersection of queer identity and the great outdoors. Joined by guests Justin Yoder, founder of LGBTQ+ Outdoors, and Justin Bickley, an ambassador & packrafter, the discussion explores how packrafting serves as a unique, meditative, and engaging way to connect queer folks with nature. Beyond just exploring the serene beauty of rivers, the conversation highlights the vital role packrafting plays in building a supportive and inclusive LGBTQ+ community. Through personal stories and adventure plans, the episode sheds light on the inspiring initiatives like the Armida Horta Adventure Fund and LGBTQ+ Outdoors, which are focused on creating safe and welcoming spaces for queer people and women of color in nature. Listeners will gain insights into the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in outdoor activities, common misconceptions about queer people in the outdoors (like straight people don't think queer people like the outdoors! Except lesbians, who all drive Subarus. Seriously) and the transformative power of packrafting as a profound means of fostering connection, healing, and authenticity. The episode also touches upon how allies can contribute to creating a more inclusive environment and the importance of representation and visibility in the outdoor industry. Plus, how the outdoor industry can not only help increase participation, but also rake in the dough… 10% of Americans identify as queer... that's billions of dollars, people! Finally, we touch on some serious dangers facing queer folk in the outdoors and in general... such as  how our government is currently trying to erase and dehumaninze trans people and what can we do as part of the LGBTQ+ community to help them feel more welcome.

    1h 11m

  6. 03/21/2025

    Episode #12 Leveling Up in Packrafting: When, How, What to Look Out For, with Dan Thurber

    Introduction In Episode 12 of The Packrafting Life (aka A Beginner’s Guide to Packrafting), Lizzy talks with Dan Thurber, primarily about leveling up in packrafting, but also about his paddling life and various other fun things. Dan was one of Lizzy’s first mentors in packrafting, teaching her much in various courses and also on a 14-day trip on the Grand Canyon. She continues to look to him for advice and guidance. A Class V expedition paddler, Dan has solo paddled the Grand Canyon, and he has travelled around the world on kayaking and packrafting adventures. He’s been an instructor at the Swiftwater Safety Institute for a decade and he has a a master’s degree and now a career in river mechanics and modeling. The American Packrafting Association says he is “an amazing instructor and advocate for river skills and safety.” He currently lives between the Pacific Northwest, where he works and paddles all summer and Tucson, Arizona, where he rides bikes and works all winter. In this episode we talk first about his background in paddling and long-time career teaching. And then we dive into a topic he discussed at a workshop at the APA’s 2024 Roundup in Idaho, Leveling Up—when packrafters are ready to get to that next level in their paddling. Some of the questions and topics we covered include: What does “Leveling up in Packrafting” even mean? Understanding the Performance Zone. What defines the four zones in the “performance zone.” How to move back and forth between those. And how to be conscious of where you are at.  What are some common overestimations paddlers make that lead them to believe they are ready for harder water before they actually are? In what ways is Leveling up different in the adventure sports of rock climbing, mountain biking, and skiing than it is with paddling rivers? And why is important to be conscious of these differences? What’s are some useful things for paddlers to consider before deciding if they’re ready for the next step in difficulty? What is the importance of mentors, courses or other forms of education in helping paddlers balance pushing themselves to improve while also staying within a safe learning curve? And how can paddlers find good mentors? Why is catching eddies so important? And how does the skillset you need for catching eddies relate to the skillset you need for taking a 15-foot drop?

    1h 22m

  7. 02/07/2025

    Packraft Design: The Process of Creating High-Performance Inflatable Boats, with Design Engineer Dustin Partridge

    At the end of 2024 we snagged an interview with Alpacka Raft Design Engineer Dustin Partridge before he left for three months of packrafting in Patagonia, Chile. We're super stoked on Episode #11, the first full episode of 2025. Dustin is Alpacka Raft founder/owner Sheri Tingey’s right hand man, and a long-time employee at Alpacka. He came on board as the 15th or 16th employee and worked his way from flooring boats to learning how to build every piece and part of a packraft. And when it became apparently that both his pattern making and computer-aided design skills would make the company operate more smoothly and make Sheri’s job easier, she “stole” him from production. In this episode, Dustin and I talk about Alpacka’s design process, his mentorship with Sheri, the design of the Valkyrie versus the Mage versus the other whitewater boats (and which boat suit which kind of boater), and the work he finds most difficult and is most proud of at his job. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did! PS. In addition to packrafting, Dustin also runs Tough Mudder races, and the mug shot we used for this episode is from one of those races. Just a note to say we'll soon be rebranding this podcast as, The Packrafting Life, a new entity owned and operated by Lizzy Scully and Steve "Doom" Fassbinder that also includes all things related to The Bikeraft Guide and The Packrafting Survey.

    1h 9m

  8. 01/09/2025

    Pod Clip - The International Packrafting Film Festival, an interview with Jule Harle

    For more information on the film fest, to be a sponsor or to show the film in your town, please email packraftfilmfest@gmail.com or visit their website: https://www.packraftfilmfest.com/

    14 min
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About

In this multi-sport adventure podcast by Four Corners Guides, owner Lizzy Scully interviews FCG’s lead guides and industry experts. They share tips on getting started with bikerafting and packrafting, gear recommendations, and personal stories of learning these sports. The podcast also features fireside chats and adventure stories. It’s an open platform, and we welcome thoughts, suggestions, or comments. Email us at fourcornersguides@gmail.com, or follow us on https://www.instagram.com/fourcornersguides/ :) Find us on Podbean and Spotify. Show notes and transcriptions of our podcasts are available on our blog.

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