Home / Instructional Trips / Oregon Pro Guide Training instructional Oregon Pro Guide Training 10 days, a million memories Starting at $1,999 per person. Book Now Oregon Pro Guide Training Trip Details Packing Guide Schedule & Pricing Starting at $1,999 per person. Book Now Overview ARTA’s Oregon Professional Guide Training Course is a great introduction to the world of commercial guiding. We start this course on a Class III section of the lower Klamath in Northern California, and then jump to an intense Class IV section of the nearby Cal-Salmon River, run the monster waves of the Ikes, then conclude with a wilderness trip on the Wild and Scenic Rogue. This course offers highly personalized instruction (1 instructor for every 3-4 students) in all aspects of commercial guiding. You will row boats, paddle boats, flip boats, re-flip boats, load boats and patch boats. You will swim, scout, improvise, lead, follow, carry, cook and tie knots. You’ll tell stories, hear stories, and, if you’re anything like past students, you’ll be the stars of stories for years to come. Our 10-day Professional Guide Training Course is highly participatory and you will assume roles of increasing responsibility as the school progresses. Throughout the course, you will play a major role in the organization and execution of trip responsibilities including planning each day’s meals, itinerary, and activities. There will also be managed scenarios where your skills, judgment and reactions will be assessed and reviewed. Every day will be a challenge and an adventure and loads of fun. Come prepared to pitch in, jump in, and do your share of the work. We have found that the students who put the most into their workshop are the ones who get the most out of it and are usually the ones who end up working for us. The goal of the school is for every student to be a safe, conscientious, environmentally-responsible river user. We want you to be comfortable and capable of taking your own raft down Class III rivers with a good sense of the things that can go wrong, the proficiency to avoid them, and the skills to deal with them if they aren’t avoided. What to Expect A pdf of these trip details (along with more information about what to expect on your trip) can be found and downloaded here. If you still have questions, please feel free to call us (209-962-7873) or email us (arta@arta.org). We love to talk about our trips! Is this course for you? This course is designed for active, enthusiastic and dynamic individuals who want a challenging, action-packed adventure. You don’t need to be a world-class athlete but couch potatoes should definitely stay home. If you are the type of person who is first to get in line to wash dishes and last in line to get out of the surf, the course is for you. Some students come to the school with a lifetime of camping and rafting under their belts, others have never been in a boat before; all have succeeded (with no correlation). A positive attitude and solid work ethic are the most important things you can bring to the school. After the School We are looking for interesting, hard-working people to work for us as guides and this course is a primary source. Most students will be given the opportunity to join ARTA as an Assistant Guide (unpaid position), to further their training and prepare for a guiding career. "ARTA’s guide school was absolutely one of the most special experiences of my life. Massive thanks to the entire crew for all the effort that went into making it so amazing!" Lucas judson Oregon Pro Guide Training "Fun. Safe. Encouraging. Individualized." Cindy Peacock Oregon Pro Guide Training "Overall quality- instruction, safety, equipment, meals, overall logistical seamlessness (no small task for a river trip!)" Jennifer Eggebroten Oregon Pro Guide Training "teaching was superb, the challenge was real, I grew confidence and I made friends." Mary Jo Ahern Oregon Pro Guide Training "The atmosphere of the school felt safe and fun but at the same time challenging. All the instructors made me feel like I was very capable to succeed and if I wasn’t feeling capable they told me or showed me how to be." Hunter Nisbett Oregon Pro Guide Training " I had an incredible time and learned so much. While I experienced so much growth in my guiding skills, I also grew as a person over the course and will take the skills I learned and be able to apply them in other areas of my life! " Helen Benton Oregon Pro Guide Training Trip Details Our 10-day Professional Guide Training Course is highly participatory and you will assume roles of increasing responsibility as the school progresses. Throughout the course, you will play a major role in the organization and execution of trip responsibilities including planning each day’s meals, itinerary, and activities. There will also be managed scenarios where your skills, judgment and reactions will be assessed and reviewed. Every day will be a challenge and an adventure and loads of fun. Come prepared to pitch in, jump in, and do your share of the work. We have found that the students who put the most into their workshop are the ones who get the most out of it and are usually the ones who end up working for us. Download PDF Getting There Itinerary What's Provided On The River Getting There This Trip Will Begin at: Curly Jack Forest Service Campground Happy Camp, CA 63822 CA-96, Happy Camp, CA 96039 We will meet you at 8:00 pm the evening before the trip begins at Curly Jack Campground along the Klamath River just outside of Happy Camp, CA. At the pre-trip meeting your instructors will distribute dry bags, go over final logistics and answer any questions. We will all camp at Curly Jack that night and launch on the river early the following morning. Get Directions Itinerary Subject to change due to flows Day Before Your Trip Begins We will meet you at 8:00 pm the evening before the trip begins at Curly Jack Campground along the Klamath River just outside of Happy Camp, CA. Day 1 We will be camping right at the launch site which will enable us to get an early start. Fun Class III rapids will highlight the day and get us warmed up. Camping will be at an undeveloped site along the river. Day 2 We will continue downriver working on ferrying and eddy-catching. Dragon’s Tooth rapid will provide the day’s excitement. We will take-out in the early afternoon and head to a Forest Service campground for the night. Days 3 – 4 We will run various stretches of the Cal-Salmon and Klamath choosing runs that are appropriate for our skills and camping at a base camp. The rafts will be light and there will be plenty of excitement in the Cal-Salmon’s technical rapids and the high volume rapids of the Ikes section of the Klamath. Day 5 We will raft a short section of the Cal-Salmon or the Klamath before driving back to Curly Jack and car-pooling to Grants Pass (2 hours) to prepare for our Rogue trip. We will buy and pack food, transfer gear, and camp at a developed campground at the Rogue launch site. Cars will be left at the nearby Galice Resort during the Rogue trip. Days 6 – 9 We will float 40 miles of the Rogue River, camping at wilderness sites along the way. Instruction in rowing heavy oar rafts will be supplemented by more practice in rescue, camp and safety skills. Major rapids such as Tyee, Wildcat, Mule Creek Canyon, and Blossom Bar are spread throughout the trip. Day 10 We will float the last few miles on the Rogue and then be shuttled back to our vehicles in Galice. After the School We are looking for interesting, hard-working people to work for us as guides and this course is a primary source. Most students will be given the opportunity to join ARTA as an Assistant Guide (unpaid position), to further their training and prepare for a guiding career. What's Provided We Will Provide Local ground transportation and shuttles in support of the school. Transportation from the river back to Grants Pass at the end of the school. Friendly and professional instructors. All meals from breakfast on the first day to lunch on the last day. All taxes and government access fees. Waterproof bags, lifejackets, and other specialized river touring equipment for the trip. What you are responsible for Transportation to Happy Camp and transportation from Grants Pass. Personal clothing and toiletries (see Equipment page). Camping gear (see Equipment page for information on renting equipment from ARTA). Soda, beer, wine, or liquor (you must be over 21 to consume alcoholic beverages during the school). On The River Boat Type About the Rivers About You Weather Meals and Drinks Camping Boat Type On the course we will bring three different types of boats. Paddle rafts are 14 feet long and have 4 to 6 students plus an instructor who work together to get the raft through the rapids. Social, sporty, and participatory, paddle rafts are the standard on short trips and solid paddle captaining skills are essential for commercial guides. Oar Rafts are 16 feet long, carry all of the overnight gear ,and up to 3 students plus an instructor. They are rowed by one person using two, 10-foot oars . Big, brawny, and beautiful they are the standard craft on extended wilderness river trips. Oar-Paddle Combination Rafts are 14 feet long and combine the precision of an oar raft with the power of a paddle raft. They are captained by a student using oars in the back and powered by paddlers in the front. Every school and student make-up is different, but generally we’ll have 14 students, 4 instructors and up to 5 rafts per school. We usually start with and concentrate on paddle skills for the first part of the course, then introduce combos and oar rafts later in the school. About the Rivers The 10 day Professional Guide Training Course will take place on the Klamath, Cal-Salmon and Rogue Rivers. The Klamath is a wide, low-gradient river with numerous straightforward Class II and III rapids (and one notoriously difficult Class IV rapid); perfect for getting started and comfortable in the rafts. The Cal-Salmon is a technical, steep river with lots of challenging Class III and IV rapids. Because it is road accessible, we will be able to select appropriate stretches and use light rafts. The school will conclude with a trip down the Rogue, one of the premier wilderness rivers in the West with beautiful scenery, challenging rapids and lots of wildlife. We will have fully-loaded oar rafts which will give us a good sense of commercial loads and challenges. The stretches of river that we will run are designed to increase in difficulty as your skill level increases and may change due to flows or safety concerns. About You This course is designed for active, enthusiastic and dynamic individuals who want a challenging, action-packed adventure. If you are the type of person who is first in line to wash dishes and last in line to get out of the surf, the course is for you. Some students come to the school with a lifetime of camping and rafting under their belts, others have never been in a boat before; all have succeeded (with no correlation). A positive attitude and solid work ethic are the most important things you can bring to the school. Weather Expect it to be cold and expect to get wet; prepare yourself for those conditions and you should be fine. While the water in the Klamath and the Rogue is generally warmer than in other whitewater rivers, it is still cold and you will be spending a lot of time in it; a wetsuit, thick fleece and good rain gear are essential. Daytime air temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s with mornings being the coolest time of day with lows sometimes into the 40s. Meals and Drinks ARTA meals are AMAZING! Guests are often shocked at how wonderful our meals are in a back-country setting. We bring the highest quality ice chests to keep meats, fruits and veggies fresh for the duration of the trip. Meals are designed for foodies (adults) and the occasional picky eater (kids!) alike. Guests can expect to start each day with fresh coffee and well-balanced breakfast, snacks are available throughout the day in the rafts, lunch is prepared riverside with many options, and appetizers are served to kick off the dinner hour early-evening with our main courses and desert to wrap up each day. We are happy to accommodate special dietary request/requirements. Please let us know in your pre-trip registration. We provide water, sports drink powder during the day, and hot coffee, tea, and cocoa in the morning. If you would like soda, beer, wine, or liquor at camp, please bring your own and we will have coolers/ice for you! Please bring beer/soda in cans, we can accommodate wine and liquor in glass bottles. Please bring what you plan to consume. Camping The nature of the school calls for participation and you will be expected to contribute and get involved in all aspects of the trip. While the most lasting skills will be developed in the rafts on the river each day, the most lasting memories always come from sharing time and responsibilities in the kitchen and on shore. Students will form teams with each team taking responsibility for various communal jobs like meal preparation, equipment repair, and sanitation. We’ll rotate teams so that everyone gets experience with all the different tasks. Like all things in life, the more you give to the experience, the more you will receive. On The River Boat Type Boat Type On the course we will bring three different types of boats. Paddle rafts are 14 feet long and have 4 to 6 students plus an instructor who work together to get the raft through the rapids. Social, sporty, and participatory, paddle rafts are the standard on short trips and solid paddle captaining skills are essential for commercial guides. Oar Rafts are 16 feet long, carry all of the overnight gear ,and up to 3 students plus an instructor. They are rowed by one person using two, 10-foot oars . Big, brawny, and beautiful they are the standard craft on extended wilderness river trips. Oar-Paddle Combination Rafts are 14 feet long and combine the precision of an oar raft with the power of a paddle raft. They are captained by a student using oars in the back and powered by paddlers in the front. Every school and student make-up is different, but generally we’ll have 14 students, 4 instructors and up to 5 rafts per school. We usually start with and concentrate on paddle skills for the first part of the course, then introduce combos and oar rafts later in the school. About the Rivers About the Rivers The 10 day Professional Guide Training Course will take place on the Klamath, Cal-Salmon and Rogue Rivers. The Klamath is a wide, low-gradient river with numerous straightforward Class II and III rapids (and one notoriously difficult Class IV rapid); perfect for getting started and comfortable in the rafts. The Cal-Salmon is a technical, steep river with lots of challenging Class III and IV rapids. Because it is road accessible, we will be able to select appropriate stretches and use light rafts. The school will conclude with a trip down the Rogue, one of the premier wilderness rivers in the West with beautiful scenery, challenging rapids and lots of wildlife. We will have fully-loaded oar rafts which will give us a good sense of commercial loads and challenges. The stretches of river that we will run are designed to increase in difficulty as your skill level increases and may change due to flows or safety concerns. About You About You This course is designed for active, enthusiastic and dynamic individuals who want a challenging, action-packed adventure. If you are the type of person who is first in line to wash dishes and last in line to get out of the surf, the course is for you. Some students come to the school with a lifetime of camping and rafting under their belts, others have never been in a boat before; all have succeeded (with no correlation). A positive attitude and solid work ethic are the most important things you can bring to the school. Weather Weather Expect it to be cold and expect to get wet; prepare yourself for those conditions and you should be fine. While the water in the Klamath and the Rogue is generally warmer than in other whitewater rivers, it is still cold and you will be spending a lot of time in it; a wetsuit, thick fleece and good rain gear are essential. Daytime air temperatures are usually in the 70s and 80s with mornings being the coolest time of day with lows sometimes into the 40s. Meals and Drinks Meals and Drinks ARTA meals are AMAZING! Guests are often shocked at how wonderful our meals are in a back-country setting. We bring the highest quality ice chests to keep meats, fruits and veggies fresh for the duration of the trip. Meals are designed for foodies (adults) and the occasional picky eater (kids!) alike. Guests can expect to start each day with fresh coffee and well-balanced breakfast, snacks are available throughout the day in the rafts, lunch is prepared riverside with many options, and appetizers are served to kick off the dinner hour early-evening with our main courses and desert to wrap up each day. We are happy to accommodate special dietary request/requirements. Please let us know in your pre-trip registration. We provide water, sports drink powder during the day, and hot coffee, tea, and cocoa in the morning. If you would like soda, beer, wine, or liquor at camp, please bring your own and we will have coolers/ice for you! Please bring beer/soda in cans, we can accommodate wine and liquor in glass bottles. Please bring what you plan to consume. Camping Camping The nature of the school calls for participation and you will be expected to contribute and get involved in all aspects of the trip. While the most lasting skills will be developed in the rafts on the river each day, the most lasting memories always come from sharing time and responsibilities in the kitchen and on shore. Students will form teams with each team taking responsibility for various communal jobs like meal preparation, equipment repair, and sanitation. We’ll rotate teams so that everyone gets experience with all the different tasks. Like all things in life, the more you give to the experience, the more you will receive.