TRAK Kayaks in The Tongass National Forest

The Sitka Conservation Society: Protecting the natural environment of the Tongass while supporting the development of sustainable communities in Southeast Alaska.
When collecting baseline solitude, campsite and invasive plant data in remote Wilderness areas throughout the Tongass National Forest, getting to these areas often presents a challenge, most often alleviated by taking a floatplane. However, to survey the greatest distance to help manage the most Wilderness, sea kayaks are needed for swift and efficient transportation. But how can a kayak fit in a small plane? The creators of the TRAK kayak are a company that offer a solution to this problem with their polyurethane fabric and foldable lightweight aluminum frame, allowing us to survey locations that may have otherwise been unrealistic.
This spring, generous donors rose to a matching challenge, allowing the Sitka Conservation Society to raise the funds to buy a TRAK kayak, and the kind folks at TRAK kayaks donated another three! This allowed us to take four people (the maximum number that fits in a beaver floatplane) into remote Wilderness areas and have kayaks after landing. This summer, we put the TRAK kayaks to the test, using them on five Wilderness Trips to five different Wilderness areas. The TRAKs were also used as part of a kids kayak course and were paddled on Mendenhall Lake in front of the Mendenhall Glacier.
Video Credits: Produced by Sitka Conservation Society, Sarah Stockdale with wilderness photography and video by Adam Andis, Bethany Goodrich and Luke A'Bear. Archival photography provided by TRAK KAYAKS.
To learn more: please visit sitkawild.org and rethinkkayak.com/