Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Raft Guide Training Offered in Montana, 2021

Raft Guide Schools Offered in Montana

Learn how to Guide Whitewater Rafting Trips

Montana River Guides will be offering a variety of whitewater raft guide training opportunities this spring. In addition to our Swiftwater Rescue Classes, we have scheduled several Raft Guide Schools and Whitewater Rafting workshops on the Blackfoot River and Clark Fork River near Missoula.

RAFT GUIDE SCHOOL: This five-day course is designed for people wanting to lead river trips or become professional raft guides. We focus on safety, reading water, and guiding paddle rafts through Class II, III and IV whitewater. Topics include trip preparation, safety talks, equipment, rigging, boat handling, communications, paddle commands, and rescue techniques. Our five-day Raft Guide School combines river instruction with a certified Whitewater Rescue Technician class the first three days. On days four and five you’ll guide whitewater raft trips on the Blackfoot River and Alberton Gorge. The course is hosted at the Alberton Gorge Ranch and includes a Whitewater Rescue Technician certification and certificate of completion. tuition: $585

Guide School Dates

April Guide School
April 3-7

May Guide School
May 8-12

June Guide School
June 12-16

Whitewater Rafting Workshops

Two Day Clinics : Introduction to Rowing and Paddle Rafting Whitewater for Trip Leaders

Learn Safety, Rigging, Risk Management, Reading Water, and Boat Maneuvering

Swiftwater River Rescue Training Group Photo Whitewater Rafting Workshop: A full weekend of whitewater instruction and river skills practice for novice river guides and recreational boaters. One evening of lecture and discussion followed by two full days on the Blackfoot River and Alberton Gorge. We’ll focus on reading water and guiding paddle crews through Class II and III whitewater. Topics include trip preparation, safety talks, rigging boats, communications, paddle commands, boat handling, and rescue scenarios. Tuition $295

Rafting Workshop Dates: 2021

April 7-8 / Book Now

May 13-14/ Book Now

June 17-18/ Book Now

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Montana Raft Trips in September: The Alberton Gorge

Missoula Rafting in September offers a whole variety of river adventures to choose from. Cooler nights and early mornings along with warm sunny day, bring more opportunity for wildlife viewing and fewer boats on the river. At Montana River Guides we continue to offer Montana Whitewater Rafting Trips on the Alberton Gorge, one of Montana's most beautiful river canyons with fun family whitewater. Our daily whitewater trip meets at 10am, includes a picnic lunch and an 11 mile float through the Gorge with stops along the way for cliff jumping and swimming.

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Swiftwater Rescue Classes Montana

Swiftwater Rescue Class

Learn swift water rescue in one of our upcoming swiftwater rescue technician classes on the Clark Fork River near Missoula Montana. Right now Montana Swiftwater rescue classes include a lecture and discussion on river safety and rescue basics, equipment, hydrology, and response risk management. This is followed by two days of practicing river rescue skills on the river and applying them to a series of fun, challenging scenarios.

Our next swift water rescue class is September 12-13 near Missoula on the Clark Fork River's Alberton Gorge. Another Swiftwater Class will be offered September 19-20. Our fall raft guide school will run September 19-23. For more details call Everett at 406-214-0245.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Montana Raft Guide Training

Whitewater Raft Guide Schools with Montana River Guides

Swiftwater Rescue Training and Whitewater Raft Guide Instruction on the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers near Missoula, Montana

Learn to Guide near Missoula, Montana on the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers

RAFT GUIDE SCHOOLS: These five-day Raft Guide Schools are designed for people wanting to lead river trips or become professional raft guides. Our whitewater raft guide training focuses on safety, reading water, and guiding paddle rafts through Class II, III and IV whitewater. Topics include trip preparation, safety talks, equipment, rigging, boat handling, communications, paddle commands, and rescue techniques. Our five-day Raft Guide School combines river instruction with a certified Whitewater Rescue Technician class the first three days. The swiftwater rescue training takes place on the Blackfoot and Clear water River near Missoula. On days four and five you’ll guide whitewater raft trips on the Blackfoot River and Alberton Gorge. The course is hosted at the Alberton Gorge Ranch and includes a Whitewater Rescue Technician certification and certificate of completion.

2020 Dates

April 3-7

May 8-12

June12-16

Add caption

Our 2019 Raft Guides and Instructors after an evening run on the Gorge

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Missoula Raft and River Rentals

Missoula Rafting and River Rentals

Rafts * Kayaks * SUP * Packrafts *Surf

Missoula raftingand Missoula River Rentalscan be found in one new location. 10000 Waves and LB Snoware working together to offer more options for people who want to run the river on either a guided trip or alone with rental equipment. The new 10000 Waves Summer Headquarters is located in LB SNOWdowntown Missoula. Both the Waves and LB have historically offered summer rentals. New owner Willi Connell at LB has ramped up the river rental program and 100000 Waves is fired up to be a part of it. If guests want a guided river trip we are ready, but if they prefer to rent a boat and river gear, LB SNOW is ready to go with Missoula raft rentals, Missoula kayak Rentals, SUP's, Missoula Tube Rentals and even Pack Rafts!

Here's a note from the folks at LB about the new summer river rental program.

"LB SNOW has a brand new rental fleet of boats fully rigged and ready to go. We want them to be around for a long time, but we also want them to be used. We have been rafting and camping in the Missoula area for a long time and have curated our boat packages to be exactly what makes the most sense. Our specialty is geared towards the weekend overnight or multi-day trip for people who do not have time to mess with the little things. We provide not only the correct gear but also information on sections of river, what kind of wildlife to look for, put-ins and take-outs and the must stop hole-in-the wall bar to grab a burger at."

Missoula River Rental Equipment

"We have also expanded our rental equipment to keep our rivers clean for generations to come. Our rivers are getting busier and busier and one of the ways we can all help keep them clean is by following Leave No Trace principles. We also know that buying a $200-$300 groover system and fire pan may not be in everyone’s budget. That is why you can rent them from us. These are required on the Middle and Main Salmon Rivers as well as the Middle and North Fork’s of the Flathead. We are happy to sell you these items, and as much as we really do not want to be in the waste management rental game, we feel it is our obligation to provide this to the community as a tool to help keep our rivers clean and educate river lovers on best practices.

Another way we will be making things easier for folks to enjoy their river time to the fullest is with our rental delivery program. For $10 you can have your rental gear delivered to your home or place of work or even hotel (within 5 miles of the shop). That is right, if you want a Raft, Pakraft, Paddle Board, Surf Board, Inflatable Kayak, Hard Shell Recreational kayak, or Whitewater Kayak delivered to you we will deliver it to your doorstep the night or afternoon before your rental day. Now, don’t get us wrong we want you to come enjoy a beer at Draughtworks before or after your trip with us but if you are in a rush, we are happy to deliver your rentals to you."

Sunday, May 26, 2019

Whitewater Raft Guide School : June 2019

Novice river runners or paddlers who want to learn how to safely lead whitewater raft trips safely can look at our June Raft guide school near Missoula. The comprehensive five day Whitewater Raft Guide Schools are being offered June 14-18 by Montana River Guides on the Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers. Montana River Guides instructors have been teaching the courses for over twenty years.

After learning about proper equipment, boat rigging, trip preparation, river safety and reading water, students learn basic paddle commands and get the opportunity to guide both paddle and oar rafts under the supervision of instructors.

“The class focuses how to read the river and guide rafts in whitewater “ said Mike Johnston, owner of Montana River Guides. “We give students as much information as we can in the classroom  session  and then spend four and a half long days on the river, giving them hands-on experience. “

Johnston said the Blackfoot River is ideal for introducing people to guiding because there are so many features in the river and plenty of places to practice simple maneuvers such as eddy turns, peel outs, and ferrying. After working on the Blackfoot the class will move on to the bigger whitewater of Alberton Gorge where they will get the opportunity to practice in-flow rescues, boat flipping, and reading more challenging rapids.

“After practicing swimming, self-rescue, and dealing with rescue situations, the students are ready to be challenged by the Gorge’s bigger rapids and features”, says Johnston.  “They’ll have to apply everything that they’ve learned to scout rapids, select their route, and then run the rapid safely as a team with their paddle crews.”

No experience is necessary. Participants who complete the class will  receive a Swiftwater Rescue Technician certification  from the Whitewater Rescue Institute. The cost $585. For more information or to register call Montana River Guides at 406-214-0245.

Monday, February 25, 2019

Swiftwater Rescue Training

Swiftwater Rescue Training Dates: 2019

Rivers we teach on include the Clark Fork River, Yellowstone, Big Hole, Beaverhead, Missouri, Stillwater, Snake, Flathead, Blackfoot River, Kootenai, Lochsa, Salmon, Swan, Skykomish, Madison, Kern, Fisher, North Fork, Middle Fork, Middle Fork (Pick One), Big Horn, Bitterroot, Boulder, North Platte, Payette, the Maumee, Henry’s Fork, the Falls and many more! Please call us if you would like to schedule a class on your local river. Call for more Info (406-214-0245).