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KascadeFlat Member
Joined: 06 Jul 2020 Posts: 320 | TRs | Pics Location: Eating peanut M&Ms under my blue tarp |
Over the last year I built two kits from DIY Packraft. The first I acquired from bivouacjack in the Trading Post and when I was about 95% done with that build I purchased the second. Last week I finished the second build and switched my attention from heat sealing to maiden voyage planning.
The blue raft (first build) completed its maiden voyage a few weeks ago at Packwood Lake. Now, all I needed was a second melted out lake for the yellow boat's test. Enter Sentinel Hub, Lake Dorothy, and a fantastic weekend forecast!
The Road:
My friend Mary and I arrived at the Miller River washout around 9:30 am. There were two other cars parked there and that was the only evidence of human activity we saw the entire day. We took our time unloading our bikes and loading our gear into panniers.
The road ride was pleasant. It climbs at first, levels off for awhile, and then begins to climb again ~1 mile from the Lake Dorothy trailhead. There were a few places where we had to dismount and walk, including a big rocky patch close to the trailhead. By the time we reached the top we were good and warmed up.
The Trail:
At the trailhead we locked our bikes to the picnic table and transferred all of our gear out of the panniers and back into our bags. Soon we were on trail and serenaded by the raging waters of the Miller River. Even on account of spring melt, it was an impressive sight. The only other note about this section of the trail is...holy stairs. Does anyone know how many there are?
The Lake:
When we reached the lake we took the outlet spur trail to a spot that looked like a good put in. We inflated the packrafts with an inflation bag and let them rest in the lake while we got ready. Since we had already tested the blue boat I gave that one to Mary and I took the yellow boat. If it sank mid-lake I could say that I faithfully went down with my ship just like the captain of the Titanic. Finally all the snacks were eaten, sunscreen applied, and life jackets tightened. The moment of truth had arrived. We climbed into the rafts and shoved off.
Photo credit Mary. Rounding the north end of the lake. Approaching the island on the west side. Inbetween a rock and a hard place! Successful landing. Heading out. South end islands. View north from Hawt Island (unofficial). The shallows at the far south end of the lake. There was only 8inches of water here! The raft never touched the bottom. A huge eagle's next (in the dead tree at center right). Exploring channels on the east side of the lake. One last look at Big Snow before take out.
Overall the rafts handled great and we had no issues. We headed south along the east side of the lake and stopped at an island. We also passed the inlet from Pugsley lake and a HUGE cairn but did not stop to look further. We ate lunch on one of the islands in the south end of the lake before heading north again. We had a headwind heading back up lake so we stuck close to shore and in the lee of anything we could. Even in the open water with the headwind the rafts handled great. They were just tiring to paddle.
After we finished our circumnavigation we packed up and reversed our route out. This was by far and away the best day we have had in the mountains this year and I am looking forward to many more packraft trips this summer!
Total mileage: 15 miles
8 miles on bikes
3 miles hiking
4 miles rafting
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
Now I Fly, jaysway, Gil, The Ghost of Bear 380, day_hike_mike, kite, Pef, MangyMarmot, ALW Hiker, Zloi, bivouacjack, Tom, RichP, HitTheTrail, fourteen410, Route Loser, jsb, John Mac, peter707, rubywrangler, zimmertr, Lightning_bug, reststep, Slim, yukon222, neek, Bramble_Scramble, jstern
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
Now I Fly, jaysway, Gil, The Ghost of Bear 380, day_hike_mike, kite, Pef, MangyMarmot, ALW Hiker, Zloi, bivouacjack, Tom, RichP, HitTheTrail, fourteen410, Route Loser, jsb, John Mac, peter707, rubywrangler, zimmertr, Lightning_bug, reststep, Slim, yukon222, neek, Bramble_Scramble, jstern
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wade63 guitarman
Joined: 21 Jun 2018 Posts: 126 | TRs | Pics Location: Orcas Island |
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wade63
guitarman
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Mon Jun 05, 2023 1:40 pm
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Great, I'm taking my raft up there 6/16 for a couple days, figured the snow would be gone but you guys confirmed it. One of my fav early hikes.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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Slim This space for rent
Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 561 | TRs | Pics Location: Falling off a turnip truck |
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Slim
This space for rent
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Mon Jun 05, 2023 3:53 pm
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That is one big-ass lake to paddle. Nice work on the raft builds.
"Lean mean money-making-machines serving fiends"
KascadeFlat
"Lean mean money-making-machines serving fiends"
KascadeFlat
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JPH Member
Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Posts: 808 | TRs | Pics
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JPH
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Mon Jun 05, 2023 4:13 pm
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Nice! Any good lessons learned on the DIY packraft? I've got one still in the package that I was meaning to put together last winter but didn't get around to it.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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Shred Member
Joined: 05 May 2009 Posts: 255 | TRs | Pics Location: Slowhomish |
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Shred
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Mon Jun 05, 2023 6:49 pm
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Cool adventure!
How much did your raft/s weigh in at?
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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KascadeFlat Member
Joined: 06 Jul 2020 Posts: 320 | TRs | Pics Location: Eating peanut M&Ms under my blue tarp |
Quote: | That is one big-ass lake to paddle. Nice work on the raft builds. |
Thank you! I am feeling it today for sure.
Quote: | Nice! Any good lessons learned on the DIY packraft? I've got one still in the package that I was meaning to put together last winter but didn't get around to it. |
Congrats and welcome to the club! What model did you get? I could probably write an entire post on the build itself but I will leave it at this for now - buy both AquaSeal (small tubes are fine) and SeamGrip (get the 8oz tube) and use them liberally. With the first raft I found that I had the most leaks at the joints where the seam strips attach to the floor. After assembly these can be hard to patch because of the tube angle where it meets the floor. On the second build I used the following steps when I sealed these areas and had zero joint leaks at first inflation.
1. Attach seam strip.
2. Turn tube inside out.
3. Seal joints with AquaSeal.
4. Seal remainder of seam with SeamGrip.
5. Cure 12 hours.
6. Apply talcum powder (keeps seams from sticking to eachother when the packraft is rolled up later).
7. Lay tube pieces flat and seal the outside joints with AquaSeal. This way you avoid the angle problem after the the packraft is fully assembled.
If you have any other questions fire away!
Quote: | How much did your raft/s weigh in at? |
The raft with seat, backrest, and paddle comes in at 6.2lbs. I forgot to weigh the PFD.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
Bramble_Scramble, Shred
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
Bramble_Scramble, Shred
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JPH Member
Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Posts: 808 | TRs | Pics
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JPH
Member
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Mon Jun 05, 2023 9:47 pm
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Thanks for the tips! I got the lightweight one as my plan is to just use it to cross lakes on longer trips. If I get it together and really like it though, I might get one of the other bigger ones too for family trips where it would just be fun to have a raft.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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timberghost Member
Joined: 06 Dec 2011 Posts: 1333 | TRs | Pics
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I enjoy pack rafting on Dorthy as it is an easy early spring tune up for other lakes. Sometimes it's choppy as the wind picks up a bit.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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KascadeFlat Member
Joined: 06 Jul 2020 Posts: 320 | TRs | Pics Location: Eating peanut M&Ms under my blue tarp |
JPH wrote: | Thanks for the tips! I got the lightweight one as my plan is to just use it to cross lakes on longer trips. If I get it together and really like it though, I might get one of the other bigger ones too for family trips where it would just be fun to have a raft. |
Very cool! You can't beat that advertised 1.7lb weight. Both of my rafts are Skeenas.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
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Backpacker Joe Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics Location: Cle Elum |
Nothing quite like rafting a mountain lake. So if I read that correctly, the rood is washed out four miles before the trailhead?
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
KascadeFlat
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
KascadeFlat
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Eric Hansen Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2015 Posts: 866 | TRs | Pics Location: Wisconsin |
Congrats KascadeFlat. Looks like a great trip and the pleasure has to be tripled to be doing it in DIY rafts. Time on the water is precious.
Way back in the mid 90's wife Anne and I bought a 13lb. Sevylor inflatable and would carry it 3 miles into Deer Island Lake in the McCormick Wilderness in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Between the boat and gear and the rest of the backpacking stuff for 3 nights the load carry was no joy.
But it made something really cool possible. Floating on a backcountry lake, loons nearby and calling, and complete solitude.
Your post brought back a lot of good memories for me. I'm pasting a loon call vid below (not mine). Visuals are so so. Sound track is memorable. Cat owners have told me there is quite a reaction to the loon call soundtrack.
Off trail rambler
KascadeFlat
Off trail rambler
KascadeFlat
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KascadeFlat Member
Joined: 06 Jul 2020 Posts: 320 | TRs | Pics Location: Eating peanut M&Ms under my blue tarp |
Backpacker Joe wrote: | Nothing quite like rafting a mountain lake. So if I read that correctly, the rood is washed out four miles before the trailhead? |
Yep, there is a nasty washout on the east side of the second bridge that crosses the East Miller River. I think it's been washed out since 2020.
Eric Hansen wrote: | Congrats KascadeFlat. Looks like a great trip and the pleasure has to be tripled to be doing it in DIY rafts. Time on the water is precious. |
Thank you! It was a very fulfilling day. Funny you should mention loons because we may have seen one at Packwood lake a few weeks ago. It flew off before I was close enough to say for certain and I know they are rare in Washington lakes but I have a lingering feeling... I have seen/heard them up in Canada and they are a cool bird!
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
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ALW Hiker lakebagger
Joined: 27 Jul 2021 Posts: 121 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond, WA |
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ALW Hiker
lakebagger
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Fri Jun 09, 2023 8:33 pm
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Excellent photos and a great report! I have looked into the commercial rafts before but hadn't seen the DIY Packraft site. How much time would you say you put in to build each raft? They make it sound pretty straightforward.
KascadeFlat wrote: | We also passed the inlet from Pugsley lake and a HUGE cairn but did not stop to look further. |
That's really interesting about the cairn over there. I'm really curious now if that is marking some sort of path to Pugsley. Does anyone know? I've often thought if I had a raft, Pugsley would be one of the first places I'd want to go rather than beating the brush for miles around Lake Dorothy.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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KascadeFlat Member
Joined: 06 Jul 2020 Posts: 320 | TRs | Pics Location: Eating peanut M&Ms under my blue tarp |
ALW Hiker wrote: | Excellent photos and a great report! I have looked into the commercial rafts before but hadn't seen the DIY Packraft site. How much time would you say you put in to build each raft? They make it sound pretty straightforward. |
It is pretty straightforward in the sense that anyone can learn the skills. The heat sealing was a big learning curve for me personally and it is tedious.
I didn't track my time on the first raft but the second took me approx 35 hours over the course of 6 weeks. That includes all the time spent chasing down and fixing leaks.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
For a good time call: 1-800-SLD-ALDR.
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ALW Hiker lakebagger
Joined: 27 Jul 2021 Posts: 121 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond, WA |
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ALW Hiker
lakebagger
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Sun Jun 11, 2023 9:09 pm
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Great info, thanks! I am sure it is very satisfying to know you put them together, they look like great boats.
KascadeFlat
KascadeFlat
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