Pictures from 2001.

Here are a few pictures from the 2001 Wilderness Classic.  This race route started in Nabesna and finished in McCarthy.  

The first picture is on the second section of boating on the Nabesna to McCarthy route on the Nabesna River.  Check out the raft pictured here.  It's likely a Curtis Designs raft which were the lightest and smallest rafts among several different types that racers used.  At about 1.5 lbs, these rafts embodied the true spirit of light and fast travel through the wilderness.  They were also dangerous for inexperienced rafters.  These rafts were very durable but were also so small that most racers had to raft with their legs hanging over the edges in the water.  This was great to chill and sooth swollen, abused ankles in the glacial water but also led to hypothermia and extreme anxiety in big water.  Adding to the adventure, this was a time when almost nobody used life jackets.  Sturdy Alpacka rafts are required gear now and most racers use some sort of life jacket. 

This picture is approximately an hour into the Nabesna River float, about 10-15 miles into the race.  The racer taking this picture is probably headed toward the bottom of the mountain in the background.  This is where Cooper Creek enters the Nabesna River and where the next section of hiking begins.  The cloudy, low light weather is typical.  This is about where most racers begin questioning whether they should have started the race at all. 

Donna Klecka and and the legendary Dick Griffith drying out their gear about 50 miles into the race at Chisana. The fastest racers try to make it to Chisana in one day of travel.  Most racers arrive there on the second day.  Chisana is one of those little Alaskan gold rush towns that time forgot.  Only a handful of people live there in log cabins and the residents are more interesting than characters out of a pulp fiction novel. There is an airstrip here and this is the most common place for people to drop out of the race.  After Chisana, opportunities for dropping out and getting a plane to fly you out are extremely limited.  From Chisana to the finish line is about one hundred miles of rough, wild Alaskan terrain with some serious rafting required.  Novices, neophytes and greenhorns need not apply. 

 
 Dick Griffith, the legend himself, finishing the race in McCarthy.  

Packrafts

If you're adventuring in or near Fairbanks check out this website.  Northern Packrafts

Packrafting by Roman Dial

For those of you who haven't checked out Roman Dial's packrafting book yet, you should.  Packrafting is an essential skill for surviving the Wilderness Classic and even if you're not adventure racing, it's fun to do.

A packraft is the Supercub of hiking.  It opens up lots of backcountry terrain that wasn't possible before. 
Packrafting

New Packraft

This just in . . .

Alpacka has a new raft out called the Scout. https://www.alpackaraft.com/store/index.cfm?CFID=4015961&CFTOKEN=76664291&ProductID=126&do=detail

The description says it's just over 3 lbs so maybe this will be a good boat for the Classic. This cuts more than a pound off previous boats. The only caveat is that the description says it's made for flat water. That's probably code for "you better know what you're doing if you float whitewater".

At any rate, it's got to be better than older Sevylor's racers used to use. Those weren't made for whitewater either but they usually got the job done. The Scout looks like a nice toy if you haven't already exceeded your Wilderness Classic budget for the year.

Packrafts

Packrafts are essential equipment for running the Classic. Alaskan rivers are usually big, fast and cold. Crossing or floating them are one of the most dangerous aspects of running the race. When the Classic first started, nobody took a packraft except for Dick Griffith. At the now legendary first significant river crossing during the first race, people learned quickly that Griffith knew what he was doing by bringing a packraft. He crossed quickly and safely while everyone else without a raft was stuck on the other side waiting for the water level to drop.

Soon most people started carrying a raft. Back in "the day" people usually carried Sherpa brand packrafts. Sherpa rafts were burly and got the job done pretty well. After a while racers began to look for ways to cut weight and came across Curtis Designs rafts. These rafts were well-made and super lightweight. Here's a nice Curtis Design raft weighing 1 lb 8oz.








The Curtis Design rafts don't have inflatable floors or a seat and because they're so light, they make running large water very exciting! Especially when you're running the Nizina at flood stage in the dark trying to avoid sweepers and then you get caught in a train of 5 foot standing waves only a few feet from an overhanging cliff with no life-jacket after 14 hours with no food!!

But I digress . . . Whew, sorry for the flashback. Anyway, the Curtis Design rafts are extremely lightweight and are no longer allowed when running the Classic.



Most everyone is familiar with the Sevylor rafts. They are toys made for swimming pools that have a warning on them that they shouldn't be used in real water. You should heed the warning. They're cheap and the bottom almost always rips out and loses air early on in the race. Countless racers have been stranded and had to drop out of the race when their Sevylor got a hole (usually a seam blowout) that couldn't be repaired. They're chincy but they also propelled many a Classic racer to the finish. Most Sevylor's were pretty lightweight at about 3 lbs.


Here's a Classic racer floating Jack Creek at the beginning of the Nabesna to McCarthy route. Notice the feet hanging in the water. This is standard practice with Sevylor's because they are so small.

Alpacka or Sherpa brand packrafts are now required equipment for the Wilderness Classic. Compared to the Curtis Design and Sevylor's, Alpacka rafts are like yachts. They are well designed, made out of bomber material and have basically spawned a whole new sport of packrafting just for fun. http://www.alpackaraft.com/store/index.cfm?CategoryID=53&do=list


If you find yourself getting addicted to packrafting, check out Roman Dial's book on packrafting.

http://www.amazon.com/PACKRAFTING-Introduction-How-Guide-Roman/dp/0974818836

Here's an early model Alpacka raft weighing 4 lbs 3oz.












You can add all sorts of nifty things to your Alpacka raft. Even though some people complain about the price of an Alpacka, they are well worth the money. Trust me, when you're in big water, you'll be glad you don't have to worry about your boat. Most close calls on the Classic have been in rivers and the requirement for Alpackas is a good one.

The only thing wrong with Alpackas is their weight. They are significantly heavier than rafts used in the past and all the nifty add-ons make it even heavier. When you're trying to shave 100th's of an ounce off your pack weight, 5 lbs of raft is like carrying a Cadillac. You would also do well to verify all listed weights. Weights of these rafts can vary. Sometimes significantly.

I'll write a lot more later on about packrafting on the Classic but here's a note to end this post with. You might think that you can take as long as you want to blow up your raft and the only thing you'll lose is time. Here's a picture of racers hiding in the bushes trying to inflate rafts as fast as possible on the bank of Iron Creek on the Eureka to Talkeetna route. As we were laying out our rafts and getting ready for the final float into Talkeetna, we found a half eaten 25 lb salmon about 5 feet away. The grizzly showed up on the opposite side of Iron Creek just as we were putting our rafts in the water. Needless to say, raft inflation speeds probably rivaled all time records.