Three Packrafts, One Flotilla, and a lot of Hell Yeah's: Chulitna River, Alaska

Packrafting is rafting in a a lightweight, portable boat, that is small enough to pack in your backpack - so you can imagine, they aren't very big. The water here is pretty cold so drysuits are pretty much mandatory. I don’t remember when I first learned about packrafting, but I do know from that day forward I was intrigued…..I even told Roman Dial (packraft extraordinaire) that one day I would be a professional packrafter…That hasn’t quite come true, but I would certainly like to work on it - I got the bug bad!!

The Chulitna was a two day float, 60 some miles....Day one partly sunny with a bunch of class II rapids, which is about all I needed for my first day out. The crew - Ryan, Sherrie, Bobbie Jo, Raphael and Me. We put in at about 1 pm (alpine start!) and took out at about 9 PM. Alaska summers are so nice with so much light! We ended the day with a fireworks display in celebration of Raphael's birthday.

Day two, I awoke not feeling so great....I think the "silt" in the water didn't sit so great in my stomach...or something like that! So I spent the day lounging on the larger raft that was named the "Flotilla". It was a beautiful sunny day with amazing views of the Alaska Range. We even saw a bear with two cubs on the shore.

The weekend left me itching for more, but also an understanding and respect for the water. It was a great two days with wonderful friends and lots of smiles!

Come Sail Away! (Whitter, Alaska)

I finally made it out on the Champagne Girl for an overnight trip in Whitter. Suresh and Rick taught me all the tricks! I had forgotten how nice it is to be out on the water.....A perfect day with great people!

Dylan and the Diva's - Alaska Range, Pika Glacier, Little Swiss

Trying to sum up an adventure that has been a dream for many years remains difficult for me…as I strive to capture the moment, the trip, the feelings, the inspiration….to try and express in words that breath that enters the body, racing, giving you a new found energy, a new place within the self, and new dreams to be had….a feeling that I would imagine all of us have felt at some point in time …..I use those thoughts as the premise for the next few blog entries, as in this very moment I truly am at a loss for words……

A week on the Pika glacier (Little Swiss) with an old friend, and now new ones, quickly showed me my strengths and my weaknesses….skills that need to be dialed, an openness for learning, and the love for adventure….Now I can only laugh at the pre-trip unknowns I found to be so scary and intimidating as, well, they just were not all that. And yet again I am so thankful that climbing has become a part of my life, as without it, I probably would have never found myself in such an amazing wonderland.

Maybe if I could try and say one inspiration thing to capture it all is don’t ever give up on yourself, your dreams, and who you are as they are all worth living for……

The slideshow above gives the longer version of photo highlights….the next three blog entries give the short-recap….Enjoy!

Dylan and the Diva's - The climbing shots, Pika Glacier

Expert guide, Dawn Glanc, awaiting the rope on the Plunger.

Spy covert mission rope retrieval on the Throne.

Dawn Glanc starting up the second pitch on Royal Tower, unknown route.

An amazing wide splitter crack three pitches up!

Time to come down.....

The Diva's top out shot (Dawn Glanc, Tanya Leinicke, and me!).

Dylan and the Diva's - The Beauty of the Pika

The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen. And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot. The possibility is always there.

Monica Baldwin

Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.

Anais Ninn

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.

Albert Einstein

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.
Oh, the Places You'll
Go! - Dr. Seuss

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
Anatole France

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.

Carl Jung

Time is a companion that goes with us on a journey. It reminds us to cherish each moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we have lived. Captain Jean-Luc Picard, from the film "Star Trek: Generations"

Dylan and the Diva's - Will the Pika ever be the same?

Keg is tapped! (Thank you Moose's Tooth)

Union Break!

(Thank you Mountain Hardware, and Dawn, for all the great gear!)



Helllll Yeahhhh!

Whaaa chaaaa!

Every glacier needs some hiphop!

And yet another lip gloss moment!