GUIDE TRAINING
Dates
2008 training Sunday May 18 - June 4
Raft Masters has a reputation for training top-notch guides. We emphasize quality training rather than the quantity of guides we can "crank out". Our training is not easy, and we will make you do things other trainers will not. We want you to experience and learn to deal with most situations you should expect to encounter as a guide under controlled circumstances rather than "under fire".
Our guide-training program is designed to train guides to our standards for possible employment at Raft Masters, although we cannot guarantee you will be hired. If we are unable to hire you, you should not expect difficulty finding a job with one of the many other outfitters in the area. However, we only hire first-year (rookie) guides from those who we have trained.
We hire only professionals and we expect the highest level of professionalism from our staff. The job of a raft guide is difficult and demanding at times, but the rewards are commensurate with the demands. You can expect one of the best pay scales, generous tips, and a very liberal policy regarding the use of company equipment for personal use in your free time here at Raft Masters. Also, guides who work at Raft Masters have the satisfaction of knowing that they work with one of the most highly regarded companies (especially by other guides) on the Arkansas River.
Job Requirements
You must be available to work from late May until mid August to be considered for full time employment. By Colorado law you will be required to have a minimum of Basic First Aid and CPR, but higher levels of medical skills will improve your job prospects. We have a very close-knit staff and most of our guides return year after year, so we are primarily looking for new guides who are interested in more than just one season's work, and this will be taken into consideration during hiring.
We are not your parents, nor do we want to be (although we may act that way occasionally), but we expect all of our staff to be responsible in their personal recreational habits. If you are interested in joining our first class staff, and meet our requirements, please send a letter of interest and summary of your qualifications to us at Raft Masters so we can arrange an initial phone interview.
The Course
This course is primarily intended for those who wish to seek employment as a raft guide, although we occasionally train individuals seeking to become private boaters. Upon successful completion of the course, you will be qualified to run commercial river trips through Bighorn Sheep Canyon on the Arkansas River (and other Class III rivers, with proper orientation) in a paddle-raft, paddle-assist raft, or an oar-raft while in the employment of a licensed outfitter. The State of Colorado River Outfitters Licensing Statutes and Regulations require all commercial guides to have received a minimum of 50 hours of on-river training by a qualified instructor. You should expect to have 100 or more hours of training by the time you complete the Raft Masters program, excluding "land" instruction and CPR and First Aid requirements.**
Course Details
This course will cover and progress through the following:
- Care and Use of Equipment
- Rigging Rafts
- Maneuvering Rafts
- River Features
- River Hazards
- Scouting and Running Rapids
- Orientation and Safety Talk topics given to guests
- Trip Organization and Trip Leader Responsibility
- River Rescue and Emergency Procedures
- Minimizing Outdoor Recreation Resource Impact
- Overnight River Trip Orientation raft trip and instruction
What Is Provided During Training
During training Raft Masters will provide a Personal Flotation Device (PFD or lifejacket), helmet, splash jacket, wetsuit, booties, and all group river gear. If you presently have personal river gear please bring it. In addition, we strongly recommend that if you have thermal layers such as polypropylene you bring them. Additional warm layers, hats, wool socks, pile jackets, etc. would also be of value. We will be in the water frequently and it is cold. We have shower facilities available. You will need a bathing suit to wear under the wetsuit. Bring personal water bottles, sunscreen, sunglasses, and any other personal items for around camp and off-hours. You will be responsible for your own meals. A full kitchen is available on the property for your use (including washing your own dishes!). Be prepared to pack your lunch as some days you will not return to Raft Masters until late in the afternoon. Training is strenuous and the days can be long, but they will prepare you for real life as a raft guide. The day begins at 8 AM and will end when the instructor says (usually between 5 & 6 p.m.)
Course Requirements
To meet Colorado minimum guide qualifications you need to be at least 18 years old. As above, a guide needs to have a minimum of fifty hours of on-river training utilizing paddle and/or oar rafts and any other equipment that the guide will be using on regulated trips. Of this fifty hours, thirty hours must be with a qualified guide instructor aboard the same raft with the trainee. The remaining twenty hours can be with a qualified guide instructor on the same training trip. Twenty hours of training need to occur on the specific river on which the guide will be guiding regulated trips or on a river section of comparable difficulty. Your training will far exceed these requirements.
Participants should be reasonably physically fit and at least 18 years of age. Raft guiding is a physically demanding and sometimes stressful activity. Participants should be comfortable in water, with moderate to strong swimming ability. Participants should be aware of the inherent risks involved in raft guide training and be willing to assume personal responsibility of such risk. Participants will be required to sign a Waiver of Liability and Assumption of Risk document.
Housing
Raft Masters has an on-site employee bunkhouse capable of accommodating 12 people. The bunkhouse has a shower room, a separate bathroom, refrigerator, and kitchen sink. These bunks are reserved for trainees first, and are available at no charge for the guide training session. After training they are available to employees for $25.00 per week. A full kitchen is available at the Raft Masters shop for those who wish to do their own cooking.
Dates
2008 training will be Sunday May 18 - June 4
Registration and Cancellation Policy
The cost of this course is $500 per person plus a 8.5% Arkansas River Access Fee ($542.50 TOTAL). Personal checks and credit cards are accepted. Contact Raft Masters to register for this course. Class size will be limited and early registration is suggested. Payment of $250.00 is due upon making your reservation. The entire fee is due two weeks prior to the first day of class. We only give refunds with 14 days notice of cancellation (less $50.00 administrative fee) or if we must cancel; otherwise we give no refunds. To enroll for the Raft Masters' guide training class the $250.00 deposit is required. Enrollment is limited and on a "first come" basis. The application is not necessary at the time of enrollment, but we reserve the right to reject applicants at our discretion, in which case your deposit will be refunded.
** By law, guides must have Basic First Aid and CPR. You are not required to have these for training, but they are required for certification, and by any future employer. For those who do not already have them, a First Aid and CPR course with a certified instructor will be held on an evening during the course. There is an additional charge for the instructor (usually about $40.00 per person, payable to the instructor). Please inquire when making your reservation.
Location
Raft Masters is located in Canon City, Colorado (about 45 miles southwest of Colorado Springs). We are directly across Hwy. 50 from McDonald's in Canon City. We do not offer guide training out of our Clear Creek office.
To Apply
If you are interested in any of the positions available at Raft Masters, please fill out an APPLICATION and send a letter of interest and a summary of your qualifications to us. Please include resume and copy of drivers licence. We will contact you for a phone interview upon receipt of your application and letter. (We request letters of interest because they require some initiative on your part and help us weed out the "recreational" applicants from serious inquiries.)