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Raft Guide Training School 2024 | Mountain Whitewater

 

by Lindsey Modesitt, January 2024

Are you looking for a challenging, active, and rewarding career in the outdoors? If so, raft guide training school at Mountain Whitewater is perfect for you. Become a certified raft guide in the State of Colorado and earn the chance to be part of the Mountain Whitewater team by enrolling in our 2024 guide school.

Schedule & Materials

The course starts at 8:00 am on Monday, May 20th, 2024. The first week will consist of classroom sessions in the mornings. Classroom sessions will last until around noon, followed by on-river training in the afternoons (river level permitting). These classroom sessions will consist of a compilation of videos, slides, handouts, lectures, and quizzes. All dry-land instruction and classroom sessions take place on the grounds at Mountain Whitewater.

Trainees will receive a training packet containing materials related to the course. The packets include all the required materials from the State of Colorado and Mountain Whitewater. The packets will serve as a guide throughout the course. Professionally Guiding Whitewater and The Complete Whitewater Rafter will be used as the main texts for the course and will be loaned to you for the duration of the course. Other books, videos, and other rafting-related materials are available to trainees through the Mountain Whitewater library.

The classroom sessions that are required by the State of Colorado to obtain your guide license are listed below. They will help visualize what is happening on the river and to understand why the boat acts a certain way in rapids. Classes are held early in the training process so that the skills learned in the classroom can be applied to the river.

• Monday, May 20th – 8 am: Paperwork, Employee Handbook, Equipment & Gear, Rigging
• Tuesday, May 21st – 9 am: River Currents, River Features, Paddle Commands, rating scales
• Wednesday, May 22nd – 9 am: Running the Rapids, Safety, Safety Talk, River Hazards
• Thursday, May 23rd – 9 am: River Rescue, Emergency Procedures, Rope Rescue
• Friday, May 24th – 9 am: Miscellaneous, Outdoor Impacts, How to be a Better Guide

Requirements

All trainees are required to meet the following criteria to become a raft guide at Mountain Whitewater.

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must be able to attend all the above-listed class sessions
• Complete 100+ hours of on-river training required by Mountain Whitewater
• Must complete the Mountain Whitewater Rapid Check-off Sheet
• Must pass a basic First Aid and CPR class if not currently certified. Mountain Whitewater will host a class for staff and trainees sometime in the spring.
• Must complete the Mountain Whitewater Swiftwater Rescue class (included in training investment)
• Must pass a top to bottom check-out run with a trainer
• Treat the training course as if it were a very long job interview to show why you deserve to be part of the Mountain Whitewater team.

Instructors

There will be three main guide trainers; however, we will also have some of our returning guides help with training and instruction as well.

Brad Modesitt (Owner), 24rd-year guide, Canyons Inc. River Rescue Course, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (trained), Outdoor Emergency Care Technician, Wilderness First Responder. Brad Modesitt is from Michigan but has lived in Colorado most of his life. Privately he has boated on four continents while pursuing his passion of traveling. He has over 24,901 river miles which is the circumference of the earth! His favorite trip so far has been canoeing to New Orleans and then bicycling to Chile.

Justin “Baby J” Romero- Justin grew up in Fort Collins where he explores the mountains.  Justin Graduated from Colorado State University in December with a degree in Forestry and Rangeland Management.  He enjoys spending time in a hammock in the mountains and listening to the wind whip through the trees.  When not on the river, Justin can be found eating burritos and listening to rock ‘n roll.  He likes fishing, hunting, hiking snowboarding and many other things.  He is trained in SwiftWater Rescue Techniques.  This is Justin’s 5th year guiding on the Cache La Poudre

Evandel “Vano” Crabtree- Vano is from Dayton, Ohio where he grew up playing football and running track.  He graduated from Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.  Vano’s next adventure was to follow his heart and chase his passion for rafting.  That passion found him in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Vano’s love for rafting came from rafting trips as a kid in West Virginia.  After discovering that guides were like superheroes, he decided that would be a perfect fit for him, we agreed.  Vano is a SwiftWater trained and this is his 4th year as a guide on the Poudre River.

Also assisting with Training for 2024

Matt Troyanek, Coe Stemple, Casey Batezel, Jack Reed, Melissa Matsunaka, Jacque “tiny” McVey, Casey Kramer

How to Apply

Training Investment: $395. Taking the class is not a guarantee of a job, but all new guides will be hired from the training class. If hired, half of the class fee is returned after the second full-time season working with Mountain Whitewater, the other half is returned after the third full-time season working with Mountain Whitewater. This cost covers the classroom sessions, dry-land sessions, equipment used during training (PFD, wetsuit, booties, splash jacket, and helmet), Swiftwater rescue class, and transportation to and from the Cache La Poudre River Canyon. Being a river guide is a multidimensional job requiring both physical skills and an outgoing personality. We are looking for people who can fulfill those needs. Ask around…we have the best-trained guides you will find.

If interested, contact us at contacts@raftmw.com or by calling 970-419-0917.

 

Wild & Scenic Rivers Act 50th Anniversary

by Ben Costello, April 2018

2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the Wild & Scenic River Act which was enacted by Congress on October 2, 1968. The anniversary of this landmark legislation brings the opportunity for us to celebrate wild, free-flowing rivers and the impact that these rivers have on our lives. We are very fortunate in Fort Collins, that we live next to the only Wild & Scenic River in Colorado, the Cache La Poudre. The Poudre River is near and dear to many in Northern Colorado. I believe it is the lifeblood of our community and our most important natural resource. Let’s take time in 2018 to celebrate the Cache La Poudre, spend time in or near its waters, and make sure we truly understand how positively it impacts our wellbeing.

The Wild & Scenic River Act

The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act is an extremely important piece of legislation because it protects the character of our best free-flowing rivers. Free-flowing rivers are the most healthy ecologically of any river systems and provide for the most impactful recreational experiences. The act allows for management of the rivers for public enjoyment and prevents the rivers from being dammed. It also promotes public involvement in setting goals for rivers while also promoting management that crosses over political boundaries.

Section 1, (b) of the “Wild and Scenic Rivers Act” states, “It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.”

Section 2 (b) of the “Wild and Scenic River Act” states rivers “shall be classified, designated, and administered as one of the following:

(1) Wild river areas – Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free of impoundments and generally inaccessible except by trail, with watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and waters unpolluted. These represent vestiges of primitive America.

(2) Scenic river areas – Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free of impoundments, with shorelines or watersheds still largely primitive and shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads.

(3) Recreational river areas – Those rivers or sections of rivers that are readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have some development along their shorelines, and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion in the past.”

The Wild & Scenic Rivers System

Today, the National Rivers System protects 12,734 miles of 208 rivers in 40 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. This is less than one-quarter of one percent of the nation’s rivers. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams nationwide have modified at least 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American rivers.*

Key Facts:

1. Designation as a Wild & Scenic River does not prohibit development or give the federal government control over private property. Recreation, agricultural practices, residential development and other uses can continue (See detailed FAQs here).*

2. Rivers, or sections of rivers that are designated as ‘Wild’, ‘Scenic’, or ‘Recreational’ are protected through voluntary stewardship by landowners and river users, and through regulation and programs of federal, state, local or tribal governments.*

3. Not all land within the boundaries of designated rivers is, or will be, publicly owned, and the Act limits how much land the federal government is allowed to acquire from willing sellers.*

4. The Act strives to balance dam and other construction at appropriate sections of rivers with permanent protection for some of the country’s most outstanding free-flowing rivers. To accomplish this, it prohibits federal support for actions such as the construction of dams or other in-stream activities that would harm the river’s free-flowing condition, water quality or ‘outstandingly remarkable’ resource values.*

5. Designation does not affect existing water rights or the existing jurisdiction of states and the federal government over waters as determined by established principles of law.*

The Wild & Scenic Cache La Poudre River

On October 30, 1986, portions of the Cache La Poudre River were designated for protection under the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. The State of Colorado has approximately 107,403 miles of river, of which 76 miles are designated Wild & Scenic. That is less than 1/10th of 1% of the state’s river miles. All 76 of those designated river miles are found in the Cache La Poudre watershed. The main stem of the Poudre from its source at Poudre Lake to Hewlett Gulch Bridge is protected, as well as the South Fork of the Poudre from its source to the confluence with the main stem. 30 miles of the 76 designated miles are considered ‘Wild’ while the remaining 46 miles have a ‘Recreational’ designation.

 

Referrences & Resources

– Wild & Scenic Rivers 50th Anniversary Website, https://www.rivers.gov/wsr50/index.php
– 5,000 miles. 5,000 stories. One Unified Voice for our Nations Rivers, https://www.5000miles.org
– Wild & Scenic Rivers Flicr page, https://www.flickr.com/photos/wild_rivers/
– Cache La Poudre River “Wild & Scenic River” Map, https://www.rivers.gov/rivers/cache-la-poudre.php
*from Wild & Scenic River Act 50th Anniversary press kit, http://wsr50.onlinepresskit247.com

Volunteer River Cleanup | Clean the Poudre 2016

The 16th annual downtown Fort Collins volunteer river cleanup event

by Ben Costello, February 2016

Mountain Whitewater is organizing their annual volunteer river cleanup event for May 28th, 2016. The event will meet at Lee Martinez Park in Fort Collins. Check-in will begin at 8:30pm, with the cleanup scheduled for 9am to noon. Thanks to our partners at Fort Collins Natural Areas, Save the Poudre, American Rivers, Gallegos Sanitation and New Word Sports.

There will be a volunteer appreciation event starting at 12:30pm at Mountain Whitewater sponsored by Odell Brewing, Serious Texas BBQ, Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, LaPorte Pizza and Backcountry Delicatessen. Everyone is welcome and there is no preregistration required. The event flyer is pictured below, contact us at 970-419-0917 or contacts@raftmw.com for more information.

Clean the Poudre 2016 Flyer

Raft Guide Training with Mountain Whitewater

Whitewater raft guide training offers the chance to learn the skills needed to be a certified guide in the Sate of Coloradoand the chance to earn a job with the best rafting outfitter on the Cache La Poudre River.

by Ben Costello, January 2016

This year’s raft guide training will start on Monday, May 16, 2016. The first week of the course will consist of classroom style training at Mountain Whitewater in the mornings with on-river training in the afternoons. These classroom sessions will consist of a compilation of videos, slides, handouts and lecture.

The following weeks of the course consist of mostly on-river training. We will take two trips per day, seven days per week to complete the state mandated number of hours required to be a guide. There is a Swiftwater rescue training and a CPR and First Aid course during this period of guide training. We will be doing some intense training so that we can get you on the river as soon as possible.

Class Schedule for the 2016 Raft Guide Training Course

• Monday, May 16th – Paperwork, Employee Handbook, Equipment & Gear Rigging
• Tuesday, May 17th – River Currents, River Features, Paddle Commands, rating scales
• Wednesday, May 18th – Running the Rapids, Safety, Safety Talk, River Hazards, Poudre Bloopers Video, Slammin’ Salmon Video
• Thursday, May 19th – River Rescue, Emergency Procedures, Heads-Up Video, Rope Rescue
• Friday, May 20th – Miscellaneous, Outdoor Impacts, How to be a Better Guide

Other Requirements

• Colorado State law requires that guides have First Aid and CPR certifications. Classes are usually between $50 and $80.
• The Mountain Whitewater Swiftwater Rescue class will also be a required part of guide training. The cost of the Swiftwater Rescue course is included in the training investment.
   
  

• The State of Colorado requires that you have 50 hours on river time before you can guide commercially.
• Mountain Whitewater will require that you have 100+ hours.
• We will have a Poudre rapids check-off sheet that will require all trainees to run all of the rapids of the Poudre Plunge at least 5 times.
• Once complete, if deemed appropriate, there will be a check-off run, top to bottom, with customers and a trainer in the boat. If all goes well, you will now be part of the Mountain Whitewater team.

Training Investment

The cost for the course is $395 (half is returned after the second fulltime season working with Mountain Whitewater, half returned after the third fulltime season working with Mountain Whitewater).

This cost covers the classroom sessions, dry land sessions, equipment used during training (PFD, wetsuit, booties, splash jacket, and helmet), swiftwater rescue class and transportation to and from the Cache la Poudre River Canyon.

Being a river guide is a multidimensional job. It is physically and mentally demanding, days can be long with exposure to the elements. It is also very rewarding and tons of fun. We are looking for people who can fulfill those needs. Ask around…Mountain Whitewater has the best trained guides you will find. Call 970-419-0917 if interested or email contacts@raftmw.com.

Third Annual Poudre River Forum – February 5, 2016

The third annual Poudre River Forum theme is Cultivating Connections for a
Healthy, Working River.

by Ben Costello, January 2016

The Poudre Runs Through It is a study/action work group dedicated to all things concerning the Cache La Poudre River. The group is made up of about 25 citizen experts representing a diversity of interests who were selected to study the Poudre River and formulate cooperative actions based on what they learn. One of those members is Brad Modesitt, Owner of Mountain Whitewater. The goal of the group is to build relationships and to put in action the initiatives they have identified, “to make the Poudre River the world’s best example of a working river that’s also healthy.”

The groups flagship event, The Third Annual Poudre River Forum will take place on February 5, 2016 and will be held at The Ranch in Loveland from 9am to 4pm. This years event theme is Cultivating Connections for a Healthy, Working River. The event will feature several different informational sessions and discussions surrounding the current state of the Poudre River. I have been able to attend the past two years and the event is very informative and well worth attending. It is important for anyone who cares about the Cache La Poudre River to be involved with groups and events like this as the river is the lifeblood of our Front Range communities.

The event will also include sponsor booths, door prizes including a rafting trip from Mountain Whitewater, networking opportunities, lunch, fun videos, and a closing celebration with music from Blue Gramma and beer from Odell Brewing Company. This will be a great event and I hope to see you all there!

Register for the event here: http://cwi.colostate.edu/ThePoudreRunsThroughIt/forum_2016.shtml

Team Building the Mountain Whitewater Way

Group whitewater rafting trips are the perfect activity for an impactful and worthwhile team building experience for any business or corporate group.

by Ben Costello, December 2015

Team building outings are a very important tool for managers, corporate officers, team leaders and business owners in developing a high-quality, professional staff. Most employees are more comfortable in a work place where we get along with our coworkers and can understand and relate to each other more effectively. Shared experiences through team building, especially those that take place in an unfamiliar setting, can help facilitate positive bonds between coworkers. Don’t waste time gathering in an onsite meeting room to try and build team camaraderie. Team building is a lot more effective when you take people out of their normal environment and put them in a situation that encourages them to break out of their shell. A whitewater rafting trip with coworkers provides the ideal scenario to build a cohesive team.

So why is rafting such a great activity to facilitate worthwhile team building? Simple. Whitewater rafting is a natural team building activity. Getting six or seven people to work together and paddle in unison to get a raft through the rapids requires teamwork, leadership, cooperation and communication. Everyone from the owner and managers to the newest employees must contribute equally to paddling for a successful run through any rapid.

Skills used during a rafting trip can be applied to many different scenarios at work. In a successful workplace, everyone needs to paddle towards common goals. The more efficiently everyone paddles together towards a common goal, the easier that goal is to achieve.

As a rafting trip travels down the river it will encounter many situations that can relate to challenges your team can face. During times of calm waters it is important to remember to take-in the fantastic scenery and not focus on just your own raft. During times of turbulent rapids it is critical for everyone to buckle down and work together to make it through with success.

Following a guides instructions and helping others understand those instructions leads to improved communication. Relying on the paddling skills and effort of your team members builds trust. Collaboration is needed between raft mates to avoid swimmers. Down time between rapids gives everyone the chance to get to know each others back grounds a better through conversation. The action during a rapid helps to identify and respect strengths and weaknesses of team members. The adrenaline of rapids teaches paddlers how to perform in a fast-paced and unpredictable environment. Not to mention the chance to have FUN together. People naturally learn more when they are having fun and tend to remember those learned experiences better when the experiences were enjoyable.

Mountain Whitewater can facilitate a team building trip for groups ranging is size from 14 up to 50 people on any half-day trip. Group rates apply to team building trips as well. Custom programs are also available that include additional exercises and debriefing sessions at Mountain Whitewater.