About Us
Our
Mission
Our mission is to connect communities through packraft adventure stories & films around the world. We celebrate human creativity & paddle diversity – how packrafts have inspired & opened up novel ways to explore the water of our world.
Our
Story
Our mission is to connect communities through packraft adventure stories & films around the world. We celebrate human creativity & paddle diversity – how packrafts have inspired & opened up novel ways to explore the water of our world.
Founders
Jule Harle
Jule is passionate about being in the mountains while using packrafts for wilderness exploration & whitewater access. She’s the founder, owner & a primary instructor for the Alaska Packraft School. Jule is an ACA certified Whitewater Packraft, Kayak & Swiftwater Rescue Instructor.
Jule wrote & published The Alaska Packraft Guidebook: Premier Rivers & Creeks in the 49th State- the first ever packraft specific whitewater guidebook highlighting 70 of AK’s best runs ranging from Class I-IV.
She's invested in the development of river sports and supporting the water community. She serves as a board member for the ACA Safety, Education & Instruction Council’s Packrafting endorsement and also the American Packrafting Association’s AK Regional Chapter.
When she’s not on the water, she spends time immersing herself in Eastern healing traditions of Yoga, Ayurveda & plant medicine while working part time as a mental health counselor…but thinks you'll find life's medicine & answers just by being on the river & out in nature.
Greg Stafford
A lifelong Alaskan, Greg is the director of film for the International Packraft Film Festival. Greg’s father Bruce Stafford was part of the original Alaskan kayaker scene and ran Gravity Sports Film festival from 1984-1987. Continuing on his father's legacy Greg is one of the founders of NAFF, a ski and snowboard film festival that showcases the amazing adventures on snow in Alaskan Mountains.
Greg has been involved with many packraft adventures over many years, including many remote trips through Alaska, Peru, Grand Canyon and other locations throughout the lower 48.
Peter Biskind
As an adolescent in Ohio, Playtime In The Mountains called - I picked up and she took me on a few transformative dates around the lower 48.. She called again as a teenager - this time my mom picked up and then told me: “If you want this lifestyle - go get paid to do it.” And I did just that: I attended my first whitewater guide school in 2001 and have since guided 40+ seasons on 6 continents: whitewater, snow, and mountains.
I continue to find deep peace, wholehearted love, and playful joy in nature; and am blessed to share the stoke through teaching and guiding in exceptional destinations. Currently I get to guide heli-skiing in Japan and Alaska in the winter and teach swiftwater rescue and packrafting throughout Alaska in the summer. When I’m not professionally in the mountains, I'm playing in them or building my dream hangar-home in Tonsina AK. Hit me up to ski or boat- always eager to meet new friends and explore new parts of our wonder-filled planet.
Emily Baker
Emily is a river person - always has been and will always be. Packrafts are her current tool of choice, unless she’s on an inflatable flamingo. She is in love with everything about times and places where rivers intersect with bold landscapes, and allow a magic portal for exploration and splish-splashing downstream into something new.
Emily works as a glaciologist, and runs the Northern Aspects Alaska ski/ride film festival. She is a community builder, and thrives on curating conversations about our human relation to the more-than-human world. Packrafts are her current tool of choice for river rambling, although she has worked as a raft guide (see? They’ll always find a way to tell you), is a mediocre kayaker, and cut her teeth as an urban creek inner-tube enthusiast. She looks forward to an old age of bird watching via packraft on mosquito-ridden flat water.
Justin Bickley
Justin returned to Alaska in 2022 from Arizona after a transient life moving around the world. He studied at University of Hawaii & Northern Arizona University, becoming an elementary school teacher. For 5 years he devoted his time to kiddos: encouraging critical thinking, emotional support, fostering creativity plus teaching things like math & reading.
Ultimately, he left teaching grade school in search of ways to become more connected to the outdoors and higher purpose in life.
Justin loves packrafting, because it allows him to connect with the water in a deeply spiritual way. If not packrafting, he can be found in the mountains skiing, backpacking, climbing & helping Jule teach courses & run the Alaska Packraft School as the first full time year round employee!! She considers him the world‘s best sidekick, which also transferred over to his role with IPFF. Thanks Justin!