Raft Guide School

Raft Guide Schools (Five Days)  and Whitewater Rafting Workshops (2 Days) are all available in Missoula this spring and summer. We have taught raft guide schools on Montana rivers since 1994: We offer our classes cooperatively with Montana River Guides, The Whitewater Rescue Institute, and Aerie Backcountry Medicine.

Our Raft Guide Schools are intended for novice river guides and rafters who want to lead family and friends on whitewater trips. These 5-day Guide Schools offer comprehensive training with a hands-on approach, for the individual interested in becoming a professional raft guide or leading family and friends on whitewater trips. This is an ideal introduction to whitewater rafting, whether you intend to become a professional guide or run private river trips. The school is fast paced, physically and mentally challenging, but also rewarding and a lot of fun. No experience necessary.

Whitewater Rafting Workshops

Our two day whitewater rafting workshops are a great introduction to basic rafting skills and river safety. Learn rowing river rafting skills on the whitewater of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers near Missoula, Montana.

Jump start your raft guide skills with comprehensive training that will include plenty of guide time with our instructors. After a short classroom session covering equipment, hydrology and safety basics, we train and develop our river skills on Western Montana’s finest rivers. We offer our classes cooperatively with Montana River Guides, The Whitewater Rescue Institute, and Aerie Backcountry Medicine, and strive to offer the most comprehensive raft guide training available in the industry.

Looking For A Montana Rafting Guide School?

10,000 Waves Raft Guide Schools offer hands on training, and experienced instructors, Whether you are a novice looking to learn how to lead a family whitewater trip or you’re hoping to become a new professional guide, 10,000 Waves has a course that is tailored just for you. Catering to a wide variety of levels, we help students develop river skills and gain experience that will lead them to guiding safer river trips.
Learn to read the water, avoid hazards, and maneuver both oar and paddle rafts in whitewater. Our Raft Guide Schools also include certified swift water rescue training that include state of the art river rescue techniques. The Clark Fork River’s Alberton Gorge and the Blackfoot River combine to offer a variety of great rapids and river conditions during the training.

Swiftwater Rescue Certification

Designed for private boaters, rescue professionals and river guides, our swift water rescue classes cover equipment, hydrology, risk management and plenty of hands on training and rescue scenarios. You’ll learn how to swim rapids, self rescue, and rescue others. Each class includes entrapment situations, rescue swimming and technical rescues. Swiftwater Rescue Trainings and Raft Guide Schools are listed on our website, as well as Whitewater Rafting workshops, Swiftwater Rescue Technician courses, and all kinds of teen skill and safety camps.

How To Become A White Water Rafting Guide

If you want to live the dream and become a white water rafting guide, signing up for one of our rafting courses will be a good place to start. If you want to become a more competent and safer trip leader for family river adventures, learn the fundamentals of river risk management and river running skills with 10,000 Waves.

To become a commercial raft guide, you’ll need Swiftwater Rescue, First and CPR certifications at a minimum. If you complete our Guide School you’ll receive a Swiftwater Rescue Technician certification. Like many rafting companies, we require first year guides to complete about 300 river miles of training trips before completing a guide exam and checkoff trip. To become a great guide takes a lot of commitment and training, but the key ingredient seems to be loving to run the river. Be smart, careful, responsible, and have good judgment and you will be on your way to becoming a great guide.

Why Choose 10,000 Waves?

10,000 Waves has a proud history of great guides running professional trips on Montana’s finest rivers. With more than two decades of teaching guide skills, we work to set the standard for professionalism in our industry. Our rafting workshops and guide schools can emphasize either rowing or paddle rafting depending on students’ needs. We partner with Montana River Guides and the Whitewater Rescue Institute to offer the best classes possible. At 10,000 Waves, we love our work, our rivers, and our community.

Guiding Requirements for 10,000 Waves:

*Complete guide school and guide check-off

*FAS permit

*First-Aid & CPR

For more information, don’t hesitate to give us a call, (406) 240-9833.