When Alpacka Raft launched their newest whitewater boat, the Valkryie, it instantly pulled eyes in its direction. The Valkyrie’s lines resemble more of a modern river-running hardshell than the shape of today’s inflatables. Kayaker Tyler Bradt showcased the capability of the Valkryie recently when he completed the first packraft descent of the Little White Salmon River, including Spirit Falls.
Bradt holds countless accolades in whitewater, most prominently the highest waterfall ever run in a kayak, 189-foot Palouse Falls. Bradt completed the descent in 2009, and the mark has held for nearly 15 years since.
In the Pacific Northwest, the Little White Salmon is a revered proving ground for serious class-V paddling. The run culminates to 30-foot Spirit Falls, arguably the most photographed waterfall in whitewater. The Little White Salmon is run by local paddlers on the daily but continues to demand full respect. Bradt’s complete descent of the Little White Salmon in the Alpacka Valkryie packraft is as much a testament of paddler’s comfort on his backyard classic as it is to the capabilities of Alpacka’s latest whitewater craft.
