Thank you for making this one of my most enjoyable fishing experiences for my son and I yet. Our guide was just fantastic in rowing the boat, putting us into fish, as well as local history. We look forward in seeing you folks soon. Best regards, John MacMahon
|
|
|
Schools/Programs > River Guide Schools
A Note from the Owner
River Guide Schools, Advanced Whitewater Guide Training & River Rescue Clinics
Whitewater Rafting Workshops & River Rescue Clinics Overview
High Country Expeditions whitewater guide & river rescue schools provide our students with the most comprehensive hands-on exposure to the world of river guiding.
Our guides and instructors are a wonderful eclectic compilation of highly educated and skilled boaters with an amazing array of skills, from Class V river guides to nature photographers, EMT ‘s, river rescue instructors, ski-patrollers and storywriters.
High Country guide schools are a truly hands on outdoor adventure experience. People retain 20% of what they hear, 50% of what they write & 80% of what they do! We focus our energy on having our students experience as much as possible hands-on rather than just being shown & told. This makes for a much more effective learning experience and really helps our students retain what they have learned. These guide schools encompass not only the fundamental skills of reading whitewater and maneuvering boats, they also cover knot tying, raft rigging, signals, safety put-in talks, dealing with clients, class V safety techniques, equipment maintenance and repair, river conservation, local history, being in the wilderness and the finer points of creating safe, enjoyable river trips. High Country courses will give you the solid educational foundation that is critical in the unforgiving river environment. This is a hands-on learning opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts wanting to get involved in commercial or private river guiding as well as for guides with previous experience wanting to enhance their skills. Having a variety of schools available allows you to pick the one that fits your needs and schedule. We offer several different types and lengths of schools to choose from according to what your individual goals are. We offer one week classes as well as weekend workshops for those who cannot commit to a one week course. We also offer a Spring Break Guide School for students and teachers in the school system wanting to learn river skills.
To get more information and a copy of our enrollment form please contact us
by phone at 1-888-461-7238 or via e-mail.
We look forward to sharing an exciting and educational river adventure with you!
Register Now!
Please check back soon for a detailed picture tour of past guide schools
- Summer Guide School - 05/12- 05/17/2008
Summer Whitewater Guide Training School:
The course is designed for those seeking true adventure and comprehensive instruction, as well as summer employment opportunities as river guides for the upcoming season.
We will depart from our outpost in McKenzie Bridge, OR (various meeting locations are available) on the Wednesday morning, May 12th and return on Monday evening, May 17st (Details will be sent with your enrollment form).
A brief decripion of the itinerary:
Day one at camp: The first half of the day consists of a camp, gear and location orientation, description as well as an overall introduction to the world of whitewater and guiding. After which you go on the river and begin learning the art of river guiding and all it entails. The evenings consist of discussions of the day’s events and various dry land activities readying us for the next days adventure.
Day 2: From here on it is a rapid and intense succession of river training, rescue and navigation learning exercises. The majority of the course, conducted on the river, learning and experiencing all the skills needed to successfully “guide” in a whitewater environment. As a student you will be exposed to and learning the following: Leadership & Guiding Philosophies, River Hydrology, Reading whitewater, Flipped-Raft Drills, Unwrapping Rafts, Wilderness First Aid for the River, Basic River Rescue, Class II-V River Captaining in a paddle raft as well as an oar rigged raft configuration, Wilderness Camp Preparations, boat rigging, river and guide etiquette, river knots & many more necessary skills to be able to guide in a private or commercial environment.
The week will be spent camping in a wilderness setting along the river, running a river everyday. High Country Expeditions chooses not to try to go to more than 2-3 rivers during this course since with experience we end up spending more time in the vans than on the water. Instead, we set up one or two base camps and stay there for the duration. These rivers offer whitewater experiences from class I-II up to class V. There are only a few locations in the Northwest where all these levels can be experienced on the same river, and we choose our locations to utilize this, for maximum exposure to our students.
This course offers you the opportunity to experience every water level classification with an extraordinary 1:3 instructor student ratio. We are confident this will be more than just an amazing learning adventure, but a lifelong memory as well.
Days do not only consist of running rivers, but also engaging in a wide array of boating exercises. In the evening, relax around the warmth of the campfire while practicing various knots and rope work, and enacting land based scenarios such as camp setup and guest hospitality.
This course is highly recommended for all first year future High Country Expeditions guides, and for anyone else interested in river guiding on a professional level. We are confident that this course will lay the groundwork for anyone seeking to become a professional river guide.
We will also assist those interested in finding work as river guides for the upcoming rafting season, either with High Country Expeditions or one of our many partner Outfitters in the Northwest.
The cost of this 6 day course is $650.00. This includes all meals, travel, instructors, instructions, literature, all boating equipment and necessary gear and maximum river and captaning time.
To get more information and a copy of our enrollment form please contact us by phone at 1-888-461-7238 or via e-mail. We look forward to sharing an exciting and educational river adventure with you!
|
- 2009 Spring: Whitewater River Guide School 3/21 - 3/28
Spring River Guide School: Scheduled over an seven-day period during Spring Break, and taking place on the finest whitewater rivers in the COUNTRY! The course is designed for those seeking true adventure and comprehensive instruction, as well as summer employment opportunities as river guides for the upcoming season.
The course is conducted in the California Salmon River region: The Salmon river basin offers some of the most diverse & complete whitewater rafting opportunities in the world. 
We will depart from our outpost in McKenzie Bridge, OR (various meeting locations are available) on the Saturday morning before Spring Break and return on the following Saturday evening with the option of a bonus day Sunday. (Details will be sent with your enrollment form).
Day one at camp: The first half of the day consists of a camp, gear and location orientation, description as well as an overall introduction to the world of whitewater and guiding. After which you go on the river and begin learning the art of river guiding and all it entails.
The evenings consist of discussions of the day’s events and various dry land activities readying us for the next days adventure.
Day 2: From here on it is a rapid and intense succession of river training, rescue and navigation learning exercises. The majority of the course, conducted on the river, learning and experiencing all the skills needed to successfully “guide” in a whitewater environment.
As a student you will be exposed to and learning the following: Leadership & Guiding Philosophies, River Hydrology, Reading whitewater, Flipped-Raft Drills, Unwrapping Rafts, Wilderness First Aid for the River, Basic River Rescue, Class II-V River Captaining in a paddle raft as well as an oar rigged raft configuration, Wilderness Camp Preparations, boat rigging, river and guide etiquette, river knots & many more necessary skills to be able to guide in a private or commercial environment.
The week will be spent camping in a wilderness setting along the river, running a river everyday. High Country chooses not to try to go to more than 2-3 rivers during this course since with experience we end up spending more time in the vans than on the water. Instead, we set up one or two base camps and stay there for the duration. These rivers offer whitewater experiences from class I-II up to class V. There are only a few locations in the Northwest where all these levels can be experienced on the same river, and we choose our locations to utilize this, for maximum exposure to our students.
This course offers you the opportunity to experience every water level classification with an extraordinary 1:4 instructor student ratio. We are confident this will be more than just an amazing learning adventure, but a lifelong memory as well. Days do not only consist of running rivers, but also engaging in a wide array of boating exercises. In the evening, relax around the warmth of the campfire while practicing various knots and rope work, and enacting land based scenarios such as camp setup and guest hospitality.
This course is highly recommended for all first year future High Country Expeditions guides, and for anyone else interested in river guiding on a professional level. We are confident that this course will lay the groundwork for anyone seeking to become a professional river guide.
A Certification of completion is provided and class size is limited. We will also assist those interested in finding work as river guides for the upcoming rafting season, either with High Country Expeditions or one of our many partner Outfitters in the Northwest.
The cost of this 7 day course is $695.00. This includes all meals, travel, instructors, instructions, literature, all boating equipment and necessary gear and maximum river and captaning time.
To get more information and a copy of our enrollment form please contact us by phone at 1-888-461-7238 or via e-mail.
We look forward to sharing an exciting and educational river adventure with you!
Register Now!
|
- Rafting safety workshop 06/06-06/08
This three-day river rafting workshop is designed to give whitewater enthusiasts a solid base in safety protocols, skills and an understanding for comprehensive, clear and sound decisions in executing a desired float plan in the unforgiving river environment. For beginners looking for a base set of safety skills, or advanced boaters looking to refresh and enhance their skills, this very relative workshop has something for everyone, who enjoys and plays on rivers or streams in this outdoor paradise, the Northwest. 
During the three days, students will get hands-on practice using the latest in safety equipment and techniques. Highly trained instructors will work with students on decision-making, water reading, consequence recognition, safety setup, rescue, and boat recovery. Experience is key in the world of whitewater safety and our instructors will share tips and techniques learned through years of river experience.
The cost of this 3 day course is $375.00. This includes instructors, instructions, literature, all boating equipment and necessary gear (wet-suits, booties, helmets...) and maximum hands-on field experience. A Certification of completion is provided and class size is limited.
To get more information and a copy of our enrollment form please contact us
by phone at 1-888-461-7238 or via e-mail.
We look forward to sharing an exciting and educational river adventure with you!
|
|
 |
|
|
High Country Expeditions leads whitewater rafting trips on some of the finest scenic rivers in Oregon and California.
|
|
