Twelve packrafters attended a swiftwater rescue course on local rivers this weekend, instructed by paddlers Luc Mehl and Jon Strahl.

The group spent a day on the Klehini River at 26 Mile and two days on Chilkoot Lake and the Chilkoot River. They learned swimming techniques, paddle strokes, rope skills and rescue strategies, among other things.

"Haines has taken some hard hits and close calls and fatalities, and it's nice to be able to give back with this river safety class," said Mehl, who wrote The Packraft Handbook and teaches swiftwater safety courses around the state.

Alaska has the highest drowning rate in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control. Cold water, alcohol, and missing or misused safety equipment - like a life vest - are common factors.

Three local paddlers were rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter and rescue swimmer last summer during a period of high water on the Tsirku River, about 30 miles northwest of Haines. Without dry suits, life vests and a satellite communication device, two of the paddlers said they would have died.

A Nevada pastor died in 2018 after a canoe tipped in fast water on a guided tour of the river below the Davidson Glacier.

Mehl said planning and preparation can make the difference between a minor inconvenience and an emergency. "I make a mental game out of it," he said. "What could go wrong? And how will we respond if it does? Well...it turns out a lot of things can go wrong."

The course was administered by the Swiftwater Safety Institute in Wyoming. Mehl visited from Anchorage, and Strahl, formerly of Gustavus, came from Washington state.