Packraft New Zealand | Pack-rafting on the West Coast

West-Coast based extreme white water kayaker, Barny Young along with Ryan Lucas and Logan Froriep tackle a first descent in their pack rafts from the source of the Butler river (an ice lake at the terminal of the Whataroa Glacier). The trip put Kokopelli pack rafts (in-particularly the Kokopelli Nirvana and Kokopelli Rogue boats) to the test which exceeded expectations in extreme white water conditions. The journey commenced with a 35km hike into the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Thankfully, the pack-rafts only weigh 2-kilograms!), putting in at the ice lake, floating out down the Butler River and then into the Whataroa River, finishing just a few kilometres East of the Whataroa bridge.