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8 days, 8
nights, Guide School Manual, camping, day and evening instruction, and all
meals are included. Also included are wetsuits, booties, and spray jackets.
April 18-25, 2009
$650 + 6% river use fee
Our intensive American River Whitewater Rafting Guide School is an eight-day workshop designed for those wishing to work as
commercial river guides as well as people wanting to gain knowledge of safe
rafting techniques for their own use. The emphasis is on learning to read
whitewater, Class III-IV safety techniques, boat handling, camp cooking, river
conservation, and the methods of providing a safe and fun river trip. Many of our students just want to be on the river for eight days!
Basic instruction will be given on the South Fork American River. If water
levels permit, we may also raft the North Fork of the American River.
Complete American River Whitewater Rafting Guide School training
and Certification for
Commercial River Guide
This
American River Whitewater Rafting Guide School is designed for those wishing to obtain employment as
commercial river guides and for private rafters who wish to increase their
skills and confidence. Our emphasis is on reading whitewater, learning swift
water rescue techniques, river safety, and providing excellent customer
service, and team-building.
Have you
always wanted to be a Whitewater River guide? Or, do you want to build up your
outdoor leadership skills and confidence on the river? What is a standing wave?
What is a bow upstream ferry? Are there common mergansers on the American
River? Is there still "gold in them there hills"? What is a "tongue of the
rapid"? What do river guides do in the winter? Find the answers to these and
many other questions at Mariah Wilderness Expeditions' own Gold Country
"Campus" during our 2008 guide school. Have fun in the outdoors, meet new
people, develop new career skills - all in eight days.
- Anatomy
of the river - reading the rapids
- Teamwork and leadership skills
- Safety
on the river - hand signals
- Boating
gear and equipment
- Commercial river operations
- Customer service - safety talks and guide
"chatter"
- Whitewater paddling techniques
- River
etiquette guidelines
- Problems, emergencies, advanced river
rescues
- Knots
and riggings
- Natural
and the local history of the river
- Meal
Preparation
- Job
requirements
- Required guide equipment
- Life of
a river guide
The course
is conducted by several of the Mariah Wilderness Expeditions' top core guides
who have been professionally training new guides for many years. Basic
instruction will be given at Mariah's campground on the South Fork American
River, one hour east of Sacramento in the Sierra foothills. The South Fork is
21 miles in length and has over 50 rapids, each offering a unique learning
opportunity. It is considered the best river in California on which to develop
skills. Evenings will be spent in a "classroom-like setting", learning more
details about river anatomy, knots, first aid and repair, rigging oar boats,
etc. If water level permits we will also raft on the North Fork, and the Middle
Fork. Each participant will receive a Guide School Handbook, a skill
evaluation, and a Certificate of Completion.
The
course includes instruction, river equipment, wet suit, meals beginning with
breakfast on April 19 through lunch on April 26, camping, and a 4:1
student/teacher ratio. Bring your tent and sleeping bag. You may borrow our
wetsuits, booties, and spray jackets.
April 18: Meet at camp 8 A.M. for hearty continental breakfast. Camp with us the
night before. April 25: Graduation Ceremony at the end of the day. You should
be ready to leave by 2-3 P.M. (or earlier, or later).
GUIDE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
FORM: Guide School 2008 pdf
GUIDE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT - CONTACT US TODAY!
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