From the inception of Packrafting Queenstown, we've strived to be a organisation that is viewed as an asset to our community. Having been involved in the outdoor industry since 2005, the desire to give back to the industry and environments that have provided us all so much is something that we're passionate about.
This season, creating opportunities for packrafters to get together to create memories, learn and develop collectively and push the sport forward. Broadly speaking our aims are to:
- Foster the sport of Packrafting and create opportunities for recreational packrafting
- Support and assist our community and graduates to engage safely, responsibly and enjoyably in packrafting
- Encourage, educate and promote packrafting as an activity
- Promote opportunities and facilities to enable assist and enhance the participation enjoyment and performance in packrafting activities
- Develop and co-ordinate events and paddling trips
- Work closely with other organisations and collaborate with others in the industry to move towards our collective goals.
The Crowning Glory of our packrafting season this year will be our Packarfting Paradise Festival!!
This is different from other meet ups that happen in NZ in that it will be a whitewater focuses festival aimed at people who are already comfortable paddling grade 3 and technical water. This is not beginner friendly and the best pathway into involvement is becoming involved with our courses and joining our community.
The aim is that the nights will be as much fun as the days. Play hard, play hard?!
DAY 1
We'll kick proceedings off on the Rees. Whilst there is no obligation to get involved, we'd like to start the festival with a race. We've been involved in mass participation events and expedition length adventure races before.... and this is not one of them! But what it will be is short, sharp blat up and down a beautiful valley through some technical water in the fastest time possible.
Leg 1 will be 6-7km overland leg up to 25 mile creek, make your transition to the boats. The paddle will be around 12km starting in the sunny uplands of the upper valley, through the tight and technical Muddy Creek Rapids all the way down through the "Jungle Corridor" (IYKYK!) and passed the Invincible Ski field heli pad.
For some that will be plenty, but for you true multisport, dyneema humping peddle botherers, there will be a 6km gravel ride to finish it off!
Big celebration in the evening to kick things off!
DAY 2
We'll disappear into the adjacent watershed to play on the beautiful Routeburn river for the day before returning again to the Rees to camp.
DAY 3
The crescendo of our showcase of Glenorchy's best packrafting rivers will be a hike up into the famous Greenstone river for one of the best grade 3 packrafing trips in the country.
Tickets are limited to 40 people. Some may just chose the take part in the "Invincible" adventure race, but our hope is that more stick around for shenanigans on the other rivers. Camping is included as is evening entertainment which will include a Packrafting Film Festival.
We're working closely with the Packrafting Association New Zealand and are helping to bring the packrafting community together. By signing up we'll keep you in the loop about club trips, courses, get togethers and news within the Packrafting Queenstown Community. You can also visit Packrafting Trips NZ for further inspiration. Chur.
