ACA Raft Guide School
Become a certified raft guide
Objective:
- To gain an introduction to raft guiding on class III-IV whitewater, with a focus on paddle rafting guiding (we have the option to row as well).
- To begin developing solid judgment in the whitewater river environment.
- To meet Washington State guiding requirements: 50+ hours of training certification.
- To achieve a positive and rewarding introduction and immersion into the world of whitewater raft guiding and the community we live, work, and play in .
Who is the course for?
For those who wish to seek employment in the river industry and for those who wish to learn the skills needed to captain/guide their own raft.
Price:
$399.00 per person
A 50% deposit is due before one month before and the rest is due at the start of class. If it is less than a month before the start, the whole amount is due.
Click on Register Now (left) to sign up.
Rivers Utilized for Training:
Portland River Trainings:
(depending upon water level)
- Deschutes River
- McKenzie River
- John Day River
- Grand Ronde River
Spokane River Trainings:
(depending upon water level)
- Spokane River
- Wenatchee River
- Skykomish River
- Snoqualmie River
- Deschutes River
2012 Dates:
Portland:
May 22-27
Every day (7:00am - 10:00pm)
Spokane:
First 3 weekends in March:
Friday, March 2th (5:30pm - 9:30pm)
Saturday, March 3th (7:00am - 8:00pm)
Sunday, March 4th (7:00am - 5:00pm)
Friday, March 9th (5:30pm - 9:30pm)
Saturday, March 10th (7:00am - 8:00pm)
Sunday, March 11th (7:00am - 5:00pm)
Friday, March 16th (5:30pm - 9:30pm)
Saturday, March 17th (7:00am - 8:00pm)
Sunday March 18th (TBD)
What to Bring:
Please bring the following in the smallest bag possible. Extra bags/clothing/accessories can be stored in the Peak 7 Adventures Warehouse. You do not need waterproof bags. Dress for the swim
- Drysuit or a Wetsuit with Dry Top**
- PFD**
- Helmet**
- Fleece Layers
- Neoprene Gloves**
- Down or Synthetic Puffy Jacket for off the river
- Sleeping Bag (down or synthetic)**
- Sleeping Pad**
- Spoon & Fork
- Mug designed for hot liquids
- Two 1-Liter Water Bottles
- Swimsuit or Shorts to wear in the water
- Comfortable camp shoes(Running Shoes, etc.)
- River Shoes or Booties**
- Long Underwear
- Warm Pants
- Fleece Jacket
- Synthetic Shirt (no cotton)
- Comfy Clothes for off river (Please don’t bring a large wardrobe!! )
- Waterproof Jacket
- Warm Hat
- Flashlight or Headlamp
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses or Baseball Hat to protect eyes from sun
- Essential Toiletries Only (toothbrush, etc... please no hairdryers!!)
** Peak 7 will rent them to you at a nominal cost if you do not already own them and do not want to buy new equipment.
Peak 7 guides are eligible to purchase essential guide gear (whistles, knives, carabineers, etc.) from us at wholesale prices.
Location:
Spokane:
All weekend classes will be based out of the Peak 7 headquarters.
Portland:
An all week class that will be held on the Deschutes River.
Lodging:
Portland:
We will be camping at Maupin City Park.
Spokane:
We will be camping out a couple of weekends and basing out of Spokane for at least one weekend. The nights that we are in Spokane you can either find a place to crash (Hotel or Friend’s House) or we can provide a place to stay at our home base.
Curriculum:
First Weekend:
Basic Boat Control and Navigation
Paddle Commands
Safety Talks
Boat Drills Flipping and Re-Flipping
Reading Water
River Features 101
Wave Trains
Rope Safety
Second Weekend:
“Moving the Boat” Technical Big Water
High Sides
Rope Rescue
Rescue Systems
Ferry Angles
Backing Away from Danger
Third Weekend:
Big Water Class IV-V
Scouting Rapids to Identify Hazards and Safe Zones
“Read and Run” Skills
What to do if you are “Off Line”
Identifying Strainers/Sieves
Evaluating Lines
Identifying “Keepers”
Swimmer Recovery
Boat Drills
Quick Recovery
Setting Effective Safety
Lined Portage Techniques
Taking Command of your boat.
Graduation!
This Itinerary is subject to change depending on river flows, weather, and instructor preferences but this is what we are aiming for.
Employment at Peak 7:
Employment at Peak 7 after successful completion of the course is not guaranteed. Employment with Peak 7 depends upon attained skill level, personal dedication and the company's needs. For those wishing to work in the whitewater industry after the course, we will help you determine appropriate rivers. Please realize that not everyone develops the skills needed to guide a raft in their first season. School graduates may be invited to continue training with Peak 7 on our trips, until both you and Peak 7 feel you have sufficient technical skills and are ready to carry the responsibility of guiding a raft commercially.
