Packrafting lake in front of Spencer Glacier, Alaska

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

  • I don't see the exact course I want - can I request something specific? Absolutely! We are happy to work with you to generate a custom private course that fits your needs that falls within the purview of our certifications.
  • Gear policy: We care about your safety and want to ensure you are comfortable throughout the duration of your course. As such, course participation is contingent upon adhering to our required gear list. Failure to adhere to gear requirements may result in the removal of a student from a course without refund.
  • Travel insurance: If traveling from another state to attend a packrafting course, students are strongly encouraged to obtain travel or trip cancellation insurance to protect against unexpected events such as injury, illness, or travel disruption.
  • Gear rentals: Because Fairbanks is a small and close-knit community, we choose not to offer in-house gear rentals in order to support established local rental options. We encourage students to use one of the following trusted local providers:
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks - Outdoor Adventures
  • Northern Alaska Packrafts
  • What kind of additional skills do our instructors have to ensure safety during class? Having spent much of our personal and professional lives outdoors, we have well over 60 years of combined experience in basic wilderness and safety skills, including work in bear habitat. At a minimum, we maintain current American Canoe Association Packrafting Instructor and Swiftwater Rescue certifications as well as a current Wilderness First Aid or Responder certifications. Some of our instructors are also highly skilled swiftwater rescue, sea kayaking, and whitewater kayaking instructors.
  • I'm interested in the photo package as well - what's that all about? Heck ya! Our owner, Maggie Harings, has over 14 years of outdoor photography experience and is passionate about creating beautiful imagery to commemorate your packrafting experience. If you enroll in a course and indicate on the student form that you're interested in this opportunity, she will reach out to you directly to assess your needs and curate a personalized photographic experience unique to you. Note that this package does come at an additional fee and involves staying after class for up to an additional hour.


Cancellations, refunds, deposits

OPEN ENROLLMENT COURSES

All courses require full payment at the time of course registration, before the start of each course. Student cancellations must be submitted via email. Refund eligibility is determined based on the date we receive the cancellation email from the student. Maggie Harings, Owner, maintains the right to make exceptions to the rules below under extenuating circumstances.

  • Student cancellations + refunds
  • If the student cancels within 30 business days of the course, the student will receive a 100% refund, less a $40 administrative fee (or whichever amount is less).
  • If the student cancels within 5-29 business days of the course, the student will receive a 50% refund, less a $40 administrative fee (or whichever amount is less).
  • If the student cancels within fewer than 5 business days of the course, no refund will be issued to the student.
  • All other scenarios, including course transfers and participant substitutions, are assessed by Maggie Harings, Owner, on a case-by-case basis and are not guaranteed. A $40 administrative fee will be charged regardless of scenario.
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction cancellations or rescheduling
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction (including Owner and all employees) reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, modify the lesson plan or location of a course at any time due to factors beyond our control, including but not limited to unsafe river conditions, natural disasters, instructor illness, or insufficient enrollment.
  • In such cases, participants may choose between:
  • (a) a full refund of all payments received, or
  • (b) a credit toward a future course to be used during the same year that the cancellation or rescheduling occurred.
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction is not responsible for any expenses incurred by participants related to canceled or rescheduled courses, including but not limited to travel, lodging, or equipment costs.


PRIVATE COURSES

Private courses are tailored to meet the specific needs of each student and require substantial preparation time on our part; as such, they are subject to their own set of policies. Like with open enrollment courses, student cancellations must be submitted via email. Refund eligibility is determined based on the date we receive the cancellation email from the student. Maggie Harings, Owner, maintains the right to make exceptions to the rules below under extenuating circumstances.

  • Course deposits
  • A 25% nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of course registration. The remaining 75% is due at least 30 days prior to the first day of the course.
  • Student cancellations + refunds
  • If the student cancels more than 30 days prior to the first day of the course, the deposit is nonrefundable but may be transferred once to another course within the same year that the cancellation was made, subject to availability and any rate changes.
  • If the student cancels within 15-29 days prior to the first day of the course, the student will be refunded 50% of the total course fee, less a $200 administrative fee (or whichever is less).
  • If the student cancels fewer than 15 days prior to the first day of the course, no refunds or transfers will be issued.
  • Failure to attend the course for any reason, including but not limited to travel delays, personal scheduling conflicts, transportation troubles, or any other 'act of God', will be treated as a cancellation within 15 days of the start date.
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction cancellations or rescheduling
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction (including Owner and all employees) reserves the right to cancel, reschedule, modify the lesson plan or location of a course at any time due to factors beyond our control, including but not limited to unsafe river conditions, natural disasters, instructor illness, or insufficient enrollment.
  • In such cases, participants may choose between:
  • (a) a full refund of all payments received, or
  • (b) a credit toward a future course to be used during the same year that the cancellation or rescheduling occurred.
  • Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction is not responsible for any expenses incurred by participants related to canceled or rescheduled courses, including but not limited to travel, lodging, or equipment costs.
  • Group size adjustments
  • Pricing for private courses is based on the number of participants confirmed by the prospective student via email prior to the issuance of a quote for the per-person course cost. Should the participant number decrease after the quote is provided to the prospective student and/or after booking, total course fees may be recalculated accordingly, or the course may be subject to cancellation or rescheduling at the discretion of Arctic Alaska Packrafting Instruction.
  • Student substitutions
  • If a registered student cannot attend, a substitute student may take their place at no additional cost, provided notice is given at least five business days prior to the course start date and the substitute meets all participation requirements.