Well, I think I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that there will be no big packrafting trips for me in 2009.  I kept holding out hope for “next weekend.”   But it didn’t happen. My injury kept me from making plans too far in advance, and by the time I was healthy,  the weekends were all booked up with other plans.  Remember my post about the best six months to be in Alaska (March-August)?  I spent  five of those six months hobbled.  Nice job jinxing myself.

But even if there were no epic trips to be had, I wanted to take my raft for a hike at least once this year.  So when Bill mentioned that he and Chris were going to do Twenty Mile this past weekend, I jumped at the chance to go with them.   This trip is an old standby, easily done as a day-trip from Anchorage.  Its an easy and very scenic trip, and it has a tiny bit of route-finding and swiftwater to make it interesting.

Hiking time: 4 hours
Boating time: 3.5 hours
Total trip time: 8 hours
River level:  19.42 ft   3.15 cfs
This level was a little lower than when I have done the river previously.  This made the first several turns in the river easier, and still without too much bottom-scraping.

For those thinking of doing this trip, check out my other trips on this route, and also this note that I posted on the Alpacka forums:

There is a new (to me anyway) false trail to watch out for on the hike down to the river.

About halfway down from the pass to the river, we came upon a patch of tall grass where the trail appeared to take a sharp left hand turn, just before a patch of alders. “That’s funny, the trail didn’t go that way last time,” I thought. Every time I had done this trip previously, I had bushwhacked straight for about 25 yards through the alders to where a pretty good trail picks up again in the hemlocks. But even so, the new trail to the left looked well-trodden. I knew better, but it was too tempting – we gave the new trail a try. After about five minutes, it worked its way back to the creek and then began to peter out as people’s paths took different routes to skirt along the top of the creek gorge. After ten minutes we gave up and went back to the original trail, which was as good as ever.

Not sure why that new trail is there. Were people scouting/running the creek? It’s gnarly up that high.

Anyway, this isn’t a big deal, but hopefully this will help others avoid wearing in a trail that, as far as I can tell, goes nowhere. Bust through the alders, its much better on the other side.

It was rainy all day, but the clouds were just high enough to see the mountains.  It was a great time, and I was happy to be in my boat, hanging out with great company.  A great finish to a less-than-great summer of adventure.

So maybe I didn’t get as much done this summer as I hoped.  Winter is coming and bringing a whole new set of adventures with it!   (I hope I didn’t just jinx myself again.  Dammit.)