Packraft Safety & Rescue is the culmination of my experience and observations in over sixty river courses, tracking what actually goes wrong in the water, and my experience on Alaska's remote rivers.

We'll take the most relevant pieces of Swiftwater Rescue Technician training and add time in our packrafts—boat control and recovery exercises.

Packraft Safety and Rescue is everything you need to take your packrafting game to the next level.

• Two days (9 AM - 5 PM)
• Designed for novice and intermediate paddlers
• You must provide your own equipment and meet the eligibility requirements.

Package pricing: Paddle Up a Level 

Registration includes access to the first modules of Paddle Up a Level (online course) to use as preparation for the course (equipment considerations and recovery exercises)

You can purchase the remainder of Paddle Up a Level (paddle strokes, boat control, river running, and online form review) at a discounted price at any time.

If you already own Paddle Up a Level, you can apply the discount to the purchase of Packraft Safety & Rescue. Contact me for your discount code.

You will leave this course with new confidence in your ability to get your boat where you want it to be and respond to what can go wrong during river work or play:

• Packraft outfitting and adjustment
• Paddle technique and injury prevention
• Swimmer and equipment rescue and recovery
• Boat control: Ferrying, catching eddies, and peeling out 
• Assessing risk, identifying river hazards, and choosing a line through rapids
• Considerations for remote and minimal equipment rescues
• Swiftwater swimming
• Wading
• Throw ropes
• Foot-entrapment rescues

Paddling ability

No previous paddling experience is required, but you will likely get the most out of the course if you have spent some time in your boat in the water.

Equipment

Review the required equipment list.

• You must provide all of your own equipment.

Essential Eligibility Requirements

Packraft Safety & Rescue is open to adults who can provide their own equipment. You will need to sign a waiver to participate.

 You must be able to: 

• Hold your breath underwater, then independently turn to a face-up position and keep your head above water.
• Tread water and swim to shore in swiftwater.
• Walk on slippery and loose rocks on shore and in swiftwater.
• Understand and follow directions: Voice commands, hand and paddle signals, and whistle signals.
• Manage your personal care and mobility during 8 hours in and out of cold water.

Contact me if you are under 18, visually or hearing impaired, have other unique considerations, or have any other questions about your eligibility.

We will adopt the 'paddle up a level' strategy of using advanced techniques in lower-consequence settings. Participants will be invited to opt-in to harder iterations as we proceed.

• 6:1 or 4:1 instructor ratio for shore-based exercises, 4:1 ratio for water-based exercises.
• Led by Luc Mehl: Certified Ice and Swiftwater Rescue Technician (Special Ops Swiftwater Rescue, WRT-III), WFR, author of The Packraft Handbook.
• Assisted by Kevin Kelly, Taylor Guetschow, or Alex Buetow: SRT and WFR certification at a minimum.

New for 2025!

River Rescue Scenario Training incorporates my favorite parts of other outdoor courses:

• The "how do I find and rescue my friends" from avalanche rescue training
• The realistic scenarios from wilderness medicine training
• Working in and near the water from Swiftwater Rescue Training

This is a boat-based course, and you must be comfortable paddling Class II+ / III- in a kayak or packraft.

Two-day rescue scenario course for guides, instructors, and intermediate to advanced river runners (kayaks and packrafts).

Improve your emergency response, problem-solving, and leadership skills through scenario-based learning.

River Rescue Scenario Training picks up where your rescue training probably ended: You've got the paddling and basic rescue skills, but haven't recently put them to the test.

• One-day refresher of fundamental shore- and boat-based safety and rescue (SRT).
• One-day river scenarios: Problem-solving, accessing and assessing injured paddlers, moving people to safety, etc. Scenarios are based on training strategies and insights from the military and first responders.

Participants with 100% attendance will receive certificates of completion.

You will leave this course with a polished and expanded toolset to respond to what can go wrong during river work or play:

• Assessing risk and identifying river hazards when conducting a self or team rescue
• Considerations for remote and minimal equipment rescues
• Coordinating a rescue response and team rescue
• Swiftwater swimming
• Wading
• Throw ropes
• Foot-entrapment rescues
• Re-entries (packrafts) and T-rescues (kayaks)
• Medical considerations for drowning (rescue breathing) and dislocated shoulders (reduction)
• Problem-solving
• Leadership and team-management

Paddling ability

You need to be comfortable maneuvering through Class II+ / III- rapids so that your focus can be on the rescue scenarios. Packrafters should be able to re-enter their packraft or have recently practiced assisted re-entry. Kayakers should be able to roll.

• Intermediate and advanced kayakers and packrafters: Class II+ / III- experience and skillset.
• I welcome and will support participants who are intimidated by the water, have had scary experiences, or have unique considerations. If in doubt, contact me. 

Rescue skills

River Rescue Scenario Training is an opportunity to refresh skills learned in previous safety/rescue courses or equivalent experience on rivers. 

• Swiftwater Rescue Training, Packraft Safety & Rescue training, equivalent courses, or equivalent experience. Contact me if you have questions about your candidacy.

Equipment

Review the required equipment list.

• You must provide all of your own equipment.
• Kayaks must have flotation bags.

Essential Eligibility Requirements

River Rescue Scenario Training is open to adults who can provide their own equipment. You will need to sign a waiver to participate.

 You must be able to: 

• Hold your breath underwater, then independently turn to a face-up position and keep your head above water.
• Tread water and swim to shore in swiftwater.
• Walk on slippery and loose rocks on shore and in swiftwater.
• Understand and follow directions: Voice commands, hand and paddle signals, and whistle signals.
• Manage your personal care and mobility during 8 hours in and out of cold water.

Contact me if you are under 18, visually or hearing impaired, have other unique considerations, or have any other questions about your eligibility.

We will adopt the 'paddle up a level' strategy of using advanced techniques in lower-consequence settings. Participants will be invited to opt-in to harder iterations as we proceed.

• 4:1 instructor ratio.
• Led by Luc Mehl: Certified Ice and Swiftwater Rescue Technician (Special Ops Swiftwater Rescue, WRT-III), WFR, author of The Packraft Handbook.
• Assisted by Kevin Kelly, Taylor Guetschow, or Alex Buetow: SRT and WFR certification at a minimum.