CANCELED: Packrafting pioneer Sheri Tingey hosts CMC seminar, design and sewing workshops

By Andy Stonehouse, CMC contributor

ASPEN – From the wilds of the Alaskan mountains to local rivers, more and more rafting enthusiasts are appreciating the joy and flexibility of personally transportable, inflatable rafts – better known as packrafts.

One of the foremost figures in the packraft scene, Sheri Tingey, will be leading a seminar and sewing and design workshops on July 23 at Colorado Mountain College’s Aspen campus, located in the Aspen Business Center at 0255 Sage Way. The events are free to the public, but participants must pre-register by calling 970-925-7740.

Tingey is a lifelong designer and sewer and is also the co-founder of Alpacka Raft, a nationally known company that creates custom-built packrafts in Mancos, west of Durango.

Her two-part CMC session, which begins at 1 p.m., will cover the colorful story of her background and how she moved from ski garments to the technical world of designing and manufacturing inflatable, backpackable rafts.

That presentation will be followed by a pair of hands-on technical sewing and design workshops that will focus on product design and the strategies for developing both traditional garments and technical recreation equipment such as rafts and other items. Those sessions will take place at both 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., and will run for two and a half hours apiece.

Tingey’s presentation and workshop are both illustrations of the practical applications of CMC Aspen’s ongoing Outdoor Soft Goods Manufacturing certificate program.

Her own background in designing and sewing skiing and climbing apparel in Jackson, Wyoming took another direction in 2000. Inspired by her son Thor’s adventures in Alaska with a hand-made, backpackable raft, they decided to start Alpacka, a boutique business designing and manufacturing the inflatable packrafts.

Although rudimentary packrafts have a long history, Tingey revolutionized the modern packraft era. She harnessed her creative and technical skills to help essentially create a new product for the market.

“Designing, I had nothing to go on, but that was the fun part,” she said. “I was free to create anything that I wanted to. I had been an avid kayaker and all-around water person, so I had a very clear picture in my head as to what I was after, performance-wise. It was so much fun.”

She also admits the struggles that are often associated with a family-run business, and the hard work required with any start-up.

“Thor was the one to give me the spark, and we tried to make it work with both of us involved, but at that time, we realized we were going to kill each other,” she said. “He went to law school, and I became the sole person starting and running Alpacka.”

Nearly 15 years later, Thor and his wife Sarah became re-involved in the company, which had grown far larger than Tingey realized she could handle alone. Their involvement has allowed her to exclusively focus on design – an important aspect, as the still-personalized packrafts are a fast-growing segment of the busy watersports scene.

Sheri Tingey’s free seminar and workshop schedule, on Wednesday, July 23

Colorado Mountain College Aspen

Seminar: 1-2:30 p.m.

Workshop Group 1: 1-5:30 p.m.

Workshop Group 2: 6:30-9 p.m.

For more information and registration, contact CMC Aspen at 970-925-7740.