Fox Glacier Packraft Apr 7

At the end of the West Coast fieldwork it only seemed fair to give Jozi a tourist day driving up the coast. As soon as we pulled into the Fox Glacier parking lot the thought struck me: I had everything I needed to packraft the Fox River with me. Jozi could walk to the glacier. I could do the same and solo paddle back down! After scouting the run on the walk up and from the glacier viewpoint I veered off to the terminus of the glacier careful not to draw too much tourist attention. I found a nice big boulder to change behind and blow up the Alpacka tens of meters down from terminus cave from which the river emerged. It was a sunny warm day but the cool downvalley air coming off the glacier gave a slight chill. On the banks of the river I reached to touch the river. Whoa! I forgot water could be that cold!!! I instantly questioned my decision to raft this stretch of river but that passed and I paddled almost immediately into the first strong rapid. 

I gripped my paddle with my instantly numb fingers. Adrenaline flowed. I was incredibly motivated to not flip but the river was pushy and put up a great fight as I picked my meandering line through the boulders, waves and holes. I wished I wasn't solo but at least for this stretch I should be able to get out of the river pretty quick and walk back the trail if I needed to. The adrenaline would continue for another mile or two when the river finally eased its gradient some. Unfortunately I did not think to grab my GoPro. The water was surprisingly rowdy and I felt challenged. Few tourists seemed to notice me race past. Most were presumably looking up at the mountains and waterfalls and not expecting entertainment on the river. Some tourists cheered as I past.

The parking lot came and went and the river picked up steam again, throwing some fun whitewater at me. I continued under the swing bridge for another couple hundred meters working my way passed a few big features until they became continuous with uncertain horizon lines. I got out to scout. I could see easily over a half kilometer of very challenging hydraulic Class IV whitewater. I shook off thoughts of continuing. It looked like a great time but at this flow, alone, the rest of the run would fall in the dumb category. Something I would be interested in with a keen friend or two.

I walked my boat back along the shore and through the bush to the swing bridge and the road where Jozi soon picked me up. I was satisfied. We followed up with a quick visit to Sentinel Rock at Franz Josef (where did the glacier go???), a soak in the tourist hot pools, and a tasty dinner in town before driving to Cole Creek to camp on the beach. Thanks to Jozi for the shuttle.