Guide a raft with clients:

• Assess clients, read type of people and constantly assessing them for nervousness, ability, strength/weakness, physical, medical conditions.
• Lead, inspire, and instill confidence.
• Interact with clients.
• Show interest in clients, communicate with clients, informing on and off the river.
• Manage time and trip to ensure boats/people are off the river (before dark), within company schedule requirements.
• Read body language, assess state-of-mind of clients.
• Manage group behavior, so that it is appropriate to activity. (safety, briefing, prevention)

Instruct generic rafting skills to clients both on and off the water:

• Use verbal and visual demonstrations, so that the guide is confident that clients can understand and follow instructions on the water.
• Demonstrate paddle strokes (forward, back, stop, rest)
• Demonstrate control of raft (turns, weight distribution, crew position, sitting in raft)
• Explain safety instructions (foot entrapment, flipping, wrap)
• Demonstrate and explain self-rescue skills (swimming in whitewater position, throw bag rescue, extended paddle rescue, getting back into the raft)

Maintain safety of raft and equipment:

• Ensure safety equipment is carried and used according to company operating procedures (helmets, wetsox,, wetsuits, PFD, throw bag, repair kit, pump)
• Know how to maintain, care for, and inflate raft.
• Know exit/access points on the river for getting on and off the river, as per company’s emergency procedures.
• Know river signals. (hand, paddle, whistle)
• Demonstrate working knowledge of company and personal raft guide safety equipment (throw bag, karabiner, pulley, knife, flip rope, whistle, prussic)
• Follow company procedures for storing and placement of safety equipment on raft (spare paddles)

Demonstrate river rescue skills:

• Pre-requisite skills include river-crossing skills, rafting skills, knowledge of ropes and knots, life saving skills (approaching a panicked person), river confidence. Additional skills include the following:
  • Perform self-rescue; demonstrate water confidence on Class III water.
    Correct a flip.
• Set up a system to unwrap a raft. This may include working with static ropes, knots, anchors, pulley system (z-drag), knowledge of ropes and what they are used for; advantages and disadvantages.
• Throw a throw bag to a client (from bank/ from raft). This may include retrieving a person, throwing accurately, informing person in water, , knowing when and when not to use it, making assessment about river conditions, clients' ability and condition, potential hazards (strainers, state of river bank, keeping self safe)
• Apply river rescue skills to rivers on which company operates.
• Prioritize actions and manage a river rescue; people & equipment
• Demonstrate river swimming skills. This includes: rescuing people, swimming from one side of the river to another, using current and eddies, avoiding hazards (foot entrapments, strainer, sweeper), assisting people who are stuck.
  

Dear Future River Runner,

Thank you for your interest in our Official Colorado State River Guide Certification Course. Our Guide Certification Class will begin at our Taylor Canyon Office in mid May 2008 and run for 2 weeks. We have been training top quality river guides since 1977. We limit the class to 15 people to ensure a great learning environment and plenty of personal attention. We will be on the river all day, every day, and cover all aspects of river running and commercial guiding.

The course will cover all topics required by the State of Colorado for commercial guides including:

Rigging and maneuvering, River currents, eddies & waves, River Hazards, Types and causes of rapids, Running & scouting rapids, River rescue & emergency procedures, Minimizing outdoor recreation resource impacts, Proper fit, wearing, and use of personal floatation devices, Certification in First Aid & C.P.R.

This is a physical course, running class I through IV rivers. You will be required to carry rafts, flip boats, swim in the river, and be generally active. We will provide all necessary equipment including P.F.D.’s, wetsuits, helmets, etc. We will provide transportation and take care of all shuttles. If you have personal boating gear, bring it with you and we will determine its suitability. You will need shorts, shoes suitable for rafting, and a lunch everyday. Dry clothes for the end of the day are also a must.
While completing our course does not guarantee employment, we will be hiring for the upcoming season. Our company’s goal is to provide the best customer safety and entertainment so we are looking for service oriented individuals.

The cost of the course is $350. A $200 deposit is required to secure a spot in the course. This course fills up fast, so we recommend you sign up soon. We work for you during this course and we will show you why the magic of the river is so contagious! We look forward to seeing you on the river!

Matt & Ches – Owners/Operators
Scenic River Tours, Inc.