white water safety talk wet river trips

white water safety talk wet river trips
Originally uploaded by W.E.T. River Trips

What an incredible year we had! The best white water rafting in 10 years was delivered to us in 2010.

Great flows in the early season with a long North Fork American season. Then, came the Middle Fork American with the longest river rafting season we have had in a very long time!

Yesterday, was our last final Middle Fork trip for 2010. The weekend had approximately 30 people showing up in summer gear! The weather was hot and the white water rapids were awesome.

Justin was smooth as ever as he delivered his no-nonsense white water safety talk. He is a former outdoor counselor/instructor and knows exactly how to instill both respect for the river and trust in his skills with his guest paddlers. As a surfer, kayaker, whitewater rafting guide and explorer, Justin brings a world-class experience to our rafting trips.

Jonny gave quite a show as he navigated his raft over Class 6 Rucka-Chucky rapid. The guests were cheering from the side of the river high above the falls since we do not allow any of our commercial guests to attempt this rapid. Jonny is one of WET's longest employed guides on our staff. He started so young that he is still a young man, and his enthusiasm never wains. His love of the river and his unique approach has brought him to a career in education. It was a natural outcome to his experiences with WET and educating our guests.

Duff was fishing on his day off nearby. The WET crew saw him on shore as he fished for trout. The guy can't stay away from this beautiful wilderness river and the trout fishing there is very good.

The cool thing about the entire weekend was WET River Trips was the only rafting trip on the river. Middle Fork American was at its supreme beauty! Crystal blue skies, 85+ degrees, beautiful white water and a group of guests who appreciated the river.

This is why we do our trips. WET guests are the best! And, we appreciate their patronage, their trust and their goodwill. We will see you all soon in a few more months for the North Fork American starting in spring of 2011.

First trip in 2011? March 4th on Friday for Class 4+ North Fork American Chamberlain Falls run. Are you gonna be there?

RED CROSS Hometown Hero Awards for WET Guides!

RED CROSS Hometown Hero Awards for Alex, Jason & Nate
Originally uploaded by W.E.T. River Trips

On a beautiful June in 2010, our guides were preparing a lunch on a South Fork American river trip for our guests. One of the guests started yelling, "There's a person in the river! He's not moving!"

Alex, Nate and Jason ran down to the river to see a lifeless child moving fast in the swift water. They jumped into a tethered raft, paddled as hard as they could and quickly reached the child.

Life saving measures were executed by these trained professionals with Red Cross training in First Aid, CPR and also Wilderness Responder.

The three guides, Alex, Nate and Jason, brought the child back to life. Alex then ran an adrenalin-pumping one mile up stream over trees, boulders and river to see if there was anyone else in jeopardy. He found the child's parent and their friends and let the Dad know his son was alive and safe.

The Red Cross heard about the rescue through the whitewater rafting community. They verified the story with the regulatory agencies on that river... and then they called our office. As the story unfolded, the Red Cross representative asked our company to submit the information in behalf of the guides.

A Red Cross award ceremony hosted by KCRA TV showed a film with an interview of the guides. A beautiful luncheon accompanied the ceremony honoring Alex, Nate and Jason for being Hometown Heroes!

All three guides have worked for WET for over 10 years or more. They are professionals that put their lives last when it comes to providing a safe environment for our regular commercial guests. They have done river rescues in the past where they have faced death and lived to tell about it.

This rescue saved the life of a young boy who now has an opportunity to share water safety and life saving measures with his friends and family. We hope Joseph has a wonderful future of life, love and prosperity!

Congratulations! to WET River Trips' guides for their incredible rescue that day. Hats off to Alex, Nate & Jason for putting their own lives at risk to save another.

For those of you who dream of becoming a professional whitewater guide, here are some resources for you wannabes:

• Red Cross : First Aid and CPR; advanced training available
• Wilderness Responder : wilderness rescue techniques and life-saving measures
• Wilderness EMT : highest level of wilderness medical training
• White Water Guide School : professional whitewater rafting guide school in California
• Swift Water Rescue : rescue on fast-moving rivers and water; university approved
• Technical Rope Rescue : river bank and vertical scenario rescues

Whitewater Rafting Guide School

The Sierra's have had a first snowfall. Hey, kids! It's that time again. Start researching your options for white water guide schools.

From North Fork American HIgh Water

W.E.T. River Trips is an old rafting company out here in the west. Our guide school is legendary for training serious professional guides. For this year, we start our program the first week of March. Brrrrr. Actually, March is usually a great month with intermittent weather ranging from brilliant blue skies and sunshine to days of rain. (Come on now... professional guides don't whine about the weather!)

From Klamath 2009

From North Fork American HIgh Water

We start early so that when the bulk of the rafting season begins for our guests, you will be bomber at your paddling skills. Deposits and payments are being collected now. Our manager will have overlapping sessions from March through June. But, he wants to limit the numbers to 12 per session. This way you will have a more one on one experience as you mentor with our seasoned guide instructors.

From Klamath 2009

From Klamath 2009

Here is a list of old posts from the past that may help you with making a decision on who to train with and who to approach. Our prerequisites for training with us are on our main website at raftwet.com. Guide School information will be found there. But, take a read on these past funny posts and you will see why our guide school is legendary among the best professional guides in the world. (Yes, we have a lot of fun while you train to be best of the best on the A-List of whitewater guides.)

Guide School and Early Season Rafting:

Guides from UC Berkeley : Alex tells his story about being a guide for WET River Trips

Sunshine is Finally Here : about the early spring sunshine for guide schools

April 8th Weekend : whitewater guide school and glimpses of early season commercial rafting

High Water Gift from Mother Nature : UC Berkeley and early season whitewater rafting

Mikes Story A Man and His Paddle : a personal story about his rafting guide school experience

Toilet Bowl is Back! : spring flows can change a river and how guides rate a rapid

Rafting Guides : whitewater guides celebrate seasonal parties with the company & crew

High School Senior Year! : our lifestyle division leader makes her observation on rafting

WET River Trips Guide School : how-to organize your whitewater guide school plans

Jonny, Jonny BoBonni : long time professional guide gives us a view on WET's guide school

Unbearable Likeness for a New Guide : Heffe shares his guide school experience

Horseshoes, Class 5 Rafting : Senior WET guide tells his story about spring training

Getting Ready for Spring Rafting : winter guide staff info and snowpack updates

Whitewater Guides : annual North Fork American River race (WET wins every year!)

Speedo Sunday, Fun Guides! : outdoor guides having a great time as a team

WET Throw Down : spring rafting challenges on North Fork American Class 4+

WET Whitewater History : da boss reminisces about the past 30+ years with WET

Spring Rafting on North Fork American : 2009 blog about the North Fork American

Now you can see that we have a blast on our white water guide school and early season spring rafting trips. There are so many stories and we want to share that experience with you as the newest member of our guide crew. Bring it on with a great attitude, healthy mind and strong bodies and you will exceed your wildest expectations.

From Klamath 2009

From Klamath 2009

For more information on our upcoming 2012 Whitewater Guide School click on these links:

Rafting Guide School : info on prerequisites for whitewater guide school

White Water Guide School : schedule for upcoming season (new dates posted 11/15th)

Online Store Guide School Buy Now : use the online store after you call us for questions!

Or we can help you by phone at 1.888.723.8938

Call : WET River Trips in California at 888.RAFTWET (888.723.8938) for more info.

Website : raftwet.com

FaceBook Fan pages : Be our Fan! WET River Trips or American River

W.E.T. THROW DOWN : Rafting

I know it's been a lazy winter when I'm ready to quote Bobby Flay from the Food Network: "Are you ready for a Throw-Down?"



Except we're not talking about ribs or apple pie... we're down with white water rafting!

No more talk and no more posing.  Sooner than you know and the Party starts. Plan now for those group trips and and early runs on the Class 4+ North Fork American. With our "Perfect Storm" under our belts and on the upper slopes, we know we'll have run-off from the snowpack and melt will make our spring rivers a gush and foam with whitewater. (Note: check Leon's site for incredible shots of North Fork waterfalls & conservation info)

This is also a time for us to look to our guides and staff to gear-up for the "throw-down" that the Sierras, Cascades, and Siskiyou Mountain ranges have in store for us. Veteran and new guides can't just jump into a raft from the couch (Ok...I do; but, getting off the couch is major work, and I get warmed up that way). 

Rafting guides, drivers, food buyers, managers, and sales staff need to get psyched for the Big Show and 2009 river rafting looks to be awesome. Our Guide School for rafting will take place early in the Spring and will allow even 1st year guides to become seasoned veterans by May and June. Schedule dates are posted and some will start as early as March 13, 2009.

The Guide School allows the veteran staff to share their acquired knowledge and skill sets with new and old guides alike (yes...and have a freakin' awesome time while doing it!). And we also take care of your outdoor gear, too... though, as a guide, you really should have your own, puppies).

By all accounts, our guide school last year was Epic (wasn't it K-Dawg?). 2009 rafting can only be bigger and better (except, Wolf is not allowed to chew open any more glow sticks!). We'll even have plenty of propane (we had a little propane-prank last year...). 

W.E.T. River Trips' date schedules are flexible and reactive to flows and snows (last year we did five rivers in six days). So if you want to gain the skills of a commercial river guide or you are a guide that needs to get to know us, the Guide School is for you!

Bring It! Throw it Down! Less than three months to lift off!

Now, let's see what the Iron Chef is cooking with tonight!

WET River Trips North Fork American Race

Team W.E.T. River Trips: 1st place commercial raft in the 1st annual Nork Fork American River race held a couple weeks ago.



Yes, the W.E.T. River Trips team got off the couch (not really... we've been out running rivers almost every day for the past five weeks... everyone except Sollie and Harpo.)

Sollie flew up at 8 am on race day from Newport Beach to Sacramento, and we were shuttled to the river by Jason (oh yeah, he was off the couch, too) to make our rendezvous in Auburn where Maggie was waiting (oh ye ... she was off the couch).

The rest of the team had just returned from (6) consecutive days of guide school, commercial trips, and side adventures on the North Fork American, South Fork American, Cal Salmon, the "Ikes" section of the Klamath, and Burnt Ranch Gorge (more on that trip next... it needs serious edification).

Anyway....back to the race: We entered two raft teams. One was comprised of the "old" guides and the second raft was made up of "noobies" (they are all under 30 years old). The old guys dominated all other commerical raft teams and came in behind two "competitive" teams that dedicate themselves to racing. (Note from W.E.T.; the pro teams came with pro racing gear and are sponsored... W.E.T. crew on the other hand, rolled out with pure commercial rafting gear.)

Team W.E.T. River Trips remains dedicated to simply running rivers for fun, for work, for you and just because...


Sollie, Jason, Andrew, Harpo, and Justin (ok he's under 30) showed the pups (Maggie, Wolf, Dax, Country Mike ...he's over 30, Ninja Shanahan) the "way." If you shut your eyes and listen... you can probably still hear the echo of Andrew's boasts and the re-telling of the glory, the thrill, the strategy, the effort, and the pleasure of kickin' down some smack to the rest of the whitewater rafting companies.

Sollie flew to Singapore the next day and was still sore three days later as he searched the city for jaywalkers in hopes of seeing a "caning" or two. Advil did the trick for the rest of the crew.

Jonny, Jonny BoBonni Banana-Fana FoFonni...

Jonny is our longest tenured guide for W.E.T. River Trips. He is a remarkable man of distinct personality, far different from the standard guide on the river.

Jonny started out at the warehouse at age 14. He and his best friend would hang out there trying to get on a whitewater trip. The older brother was also quite well-known around the paddling community as a very accomplished kayaker, so Jonny always had his big brother ahead guiding the way towards the rafting community.

He started training and guiding when he ended high school. There was a joke around that time about his time management skills as we always referred to "Jonny-Time." A loving reference to his delayed execution to just about anything including preparing lunch or packing gear. We all loved him regardless, and he has stayed with W.E.T. for many years. Here are his words...

My first experiences with whitewater rafting started in the spring of 1982. A wet spring and I would hear all about the adventures of my oldest brother David when he came home from raft guide training. A high water year, and he had lots of stories to tell. I was drawn-in by the adventure of it all. A year passed, and I was overjoyed and surprised to find that David had offered to take me, my family and a friend down the South Fork of the American for my 14th birthday. I remember seeing Chili Bar for the first time, as well as helping David blow up the raft with a foot pump. Even though it was July 18th, the water was still high. I remember David knocking my dad out of the boat by maneuvering it into rocks. My dad was a bit shaken but he was fine. The thought of having a captive audience and total control of one's environment seemed pretty appealing. I must admit I thought big brother was pretty cool. Later that summer, I met the W.E.T. boss, Steve.

A few years later, big brother said I should try to be a raft guide and train with the crew... Along with my best friend, Bruce, (who is currently a Grand Canyon Guide and Firefighter) I headed up to Coloma right after graduating from high school in 1986 to try to find work with a company who would train us as a guide. We ended up at a rafting company, which shall remain nameless, who hired us to deliver lunches to designated sites on the river. Nonetheless, that company never trained us to be guides. It was later that summer and the following spring and became trained as guides with W.E.T. River Trips, the original "Punks on Water."

I remember reading a whitewater handbook which had helpful information as well as stuff that looking back I just wasn't going to use, such as the 15 or so signals to be given on the water. C'mon, face it, when it gets squirrely, the guy across the river is either going to give you an all ok sign or shoulder shrug sign of we're screwed. I received my practical on river experience from Steve. It was under Steve's watchful eye and expert tutelage that I slowly becamed trained in the art of hydrological adventuring. I remember running into a lot of rocks that first year simply because I couldn't be decisive about decisions on the water.

Guiding teaches you to be decisive and commanding as well as forcing oneself to look at the big picture in terms of planning and executing a professional rafting experience. I know many a guide who have had to adjust their thinking to keep up with W.E.T. protocol. By the time I became a guide, my big brother had started his outdoor clothing line of and opening his Snowboard shops in Sacramento, Placerville and the summit. I do, however, enjoy the rare day when both of us work together on a rafting trip.

Currently, I am teaching math in northern California. W.E.T. has had a lot of teachers work as guides over the years. I think because Steve is an educator and relates well to others who teach. Being a teacher helps when working as a raft guide because you have to think quickly on your feet. Being creative and being positive often helps when dealing with various situations in the classroom or on the river.

In the fall of 1995, I married my wife Megan who recently was hired on as a full-time Sociology professor at Sierra College. Yea! I am very type B, and she is a motivated type A. Her book "Fight Like a Girl" came out mid-January 2007. Megan is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She knows I enjoy working as a raft guide and supports my efforts to do so. Besides, she likes going out to dinner every now and then with my tip money! We are expecting our first child early July 2007. Another Cancer in the family. I am very excited and can't wait.

In my tenure over the years I have been more of a role player than a key player. I would like to acknowledge many of the key guides that I worked with over the years. People such as Ian, Andrew, and Saul. It was only this past rafting season that I took on such a role. It was satisfying as well as daunting at times.

I have been a guide for W.E.T. many years because even though the guides may change, W.E.T. always feels like a family. Steve treat us all very well and make us feel appreciated. And, yet, he will tell us when we are screwing up. I know that Steve wants the best for each and every one of us. When the guides get together and shoot the breeze, the tenor is often irreverent and playful. I recall Saul often saying things like, "Always remember you're unique." It was guides like Ryan, Nathan, Saul, Andrew, Vlad, Zack, Maggie, Alex and Jason among many others to keep it lively and interesting.

I will share one funny story from a raft trip. It was after a long day in which a group of guides just finished a full river trip on the South Fork of the American. We loaded up the people on the bus and sent the head guide Ian with them. It was after loading up all of the gear in the equipment truck that we realized that Ian had the key in his pocket. I remember sitting on the hood of our vehicle at the Salmon Falls parking lot and asking the other guides if anyone wanted to listen to the radio while we waited. I don't know about you, but that one killed em dead at the time.

As per me being the naked guy, I'm not sure how that started. I don't doubt that it was coaxed out somehow by Barb's trip. I distinctly remember a former guide named Lara who did an ass-out backflip off of the boat on one of Barb's trips and daring me to do the same, so. . . I did. I saw how much doing so charged the atmosphere and people were just giddy. I think I like seeing people's reaction when I do something unexpected or risque. I guess deep down I am just a people pleaser. I would like to say that it is really special having Barb's trip come every year and request me. I am truly feeling the love. Those gals are great. It is really fun just cutting loose and letting it all hang out (so to speak). It is an added bonus to watch Saul squirm because he gets uncomfortable with such things.

So many rivers to see... Life is an adventure, we need to all get out there. Don't take life seriously, it is not permanent.

W.E.T. River Trips - Guide School

Guide school reservations for W.E.T. River Trips started on January 15, 2007. We advise that you complete your First Aid and CPR requirements before you start our school. Those of you in college who are working on majors in recreation and plan on making this a long-term career, should also look at Swift Water Rescue, Wilderness Medicine and even EMT (emergency medical training) certification. All will be beneficial for your whitewater guide training advancement. Rafting outfitters in the State of California are required to have guides trained with the minimum of First Aid and CPR. Most agencies that govern the rafting companies also require Swift Water Rescue training. So be prepared before you come to join us. The rafting company will look upon you more favorably and you'll advance more quickly.

Most white water guide schools in California are scattered from the far north, central and southern sections. In the north, rivers like the Cal Salmon and Smith are great runs in the early season starting in mid-March through May. In central California, the American River whitewater sections are best suited for rafting schools. The central California area has a very long rafting season from March through September. Most California guides work on the American River so no matter where you are employed, you'll end up there at least for a while. In Southern California, the Kern and the Kings are usually available for training purposes around May and June.

Top rafting schools include W.E.T. River Trips, a guide school that focuses only on professional rafting guides; Whitewater Voyages, a program that's been around since the 80's training both commercial and non-professional guides; and Zephyr Expeditions, a guide school open to the general public.

All guide schools should have experienced trainers leading the school. You should learn on the water and not from a manual. You should have a ropes component, swift water rescue techniques, emergency procedures, client-guide relationships, government rules and regulations for rivers in California, liability issues, food safety and preparation, warehouse management, equipment/raft management, and of, course, reading the water!

W.E.T. River Trips has chosen to focus only on commercial guides for our guide school. We decided that commercial guiding was too difficult of a subject to dilute with an open guide school program for the public. Commercial guides need to know so many more things than just techniques and gear management. Because we deal with the public on rivers that are very popular, our staff needs to have strong people skills and strong personalities to lead beginners, novices and advanced rafters down the river.

Our whitewater guides have to have many, many river miles before they are allowed to guide a commercial raft of clients. Because of this, our guide school starts in mid-March on all kinds of flow levels. Last season, one of our new guides trained in our guide school, and by the time busy May came, he already had approximately 45 trips under his belt. By the time August came around, he was a seasoned guide with approximately 100 trips.

Keep in mind that it's important that you start researching your options soon. Call the companies and see if the program works for your focus and your schedules.

Rafting Guides

The American River team is getting grouchy. I think everyone is really tired especially after that last heatwave. Our crew has been working since mid-March nonstop through very high water, all kinds of weather and tough rapids. Everyone is tired. So it isn't surprising that the team is picking on each other. What did the fight start over? G. made a silly comment and then J. got upset. Soon the two guys were in each other's face comparing work ethic and execution... it escalated until J. shoved G. and then big daddy S. stepped-in to break it up. "That's enough! Both of you...knock it off!" yelled S. "Get back to work." and then it was over. Hugs and handshakes and it was soon forgotten.

The guides work really hard. They work through bad (cold, wet or heat) weather, with paddlers who have very limited skills, and raft in conditions that could test even the most diligent soldier. They are a team. Unlike a sports team, they never know who is coming aboard their "court." It could be a rabid group of young dudes amping on paddling with the bravado of a class 5 veteran. Or it could be young kids and grandma with no paddling skills at all. The guides are taking care of people as if they were their own children. Corraling them and signing them in at the meeting site and then quickly placing them onto the bus and then dressing them into their lifejackets ...they are like substitute parents sending the kids off to the school of whitewater!

W.E.T. had the guide party last week at Poor Red's. Everyone came except for G. who got sick from the overwhelming heat wave. He forgot to drink plenty of water that day. Even the vets forget sometimes. Poor Red's was basically deserted since it was a Sunday night and the crew arrived rather late after a long day of rafting. This restaurant is famous for its ambiance and ribs and its incredible Golden Cadillacs. S. drove and was the designated driver which allowed the entire crew a free pass to an unbridled drinking fest. Golden Cadillacs for everyone! Soon cheers and toasts brought everyone to their feet as silliness reigned over the night. Toast for the best guide paddler. Toast for the most improved rookie. Toast for the best flip during high water. Toast to the company. On and on it went and soon guides were hugging each other and swearing their undying love for the company and each other... it's a lovefest... it's a team...

Only 2 more months to go and the guides are planning their exits soon. Some will be going back to school, some will be going on to the Gauley River in West Virginia and some will be back up at the ski resorts for winter fun. Some will be joining international trips throughout the world on to Costa Rica, South America, New Zealand and other exotic locales. Ahhh, what a life. A guide's life is full of dreams, of rivers and adventure... go on... you know you're jealous.