Rookie Whitewater Paddler Moving to Helena, MT.....seeking paddle buddies.

Hello all,
I'll being working for the Forest Service out of Helena, MT this summer and am considering bringing my whitewater boat out, but none of my Montana friends paddle, so I've taken to the internet to try and link up with some people. I'm very new to the whitewater game as far as kayaking goes, but I've done a few rafting trips all over the east coast and have kayaked and canoed non-whitewater for over a decade. I'd love to get into it more, and this summer seems as good a time as any. I'd like to take a class or two to get the basics, then hit the rivers. I've heard you can meet people just by hitting the rivers, but I'd really like to meet some locals who can shorten the learning curve a bit. Thanks!

Check out the Mountain Buzz....More of a paddling focused user forum....

Too bad it's Helena and not Missoula, which is absolutely filled with dirtbag kayakers. That said, your idea to take a class or two is a great one. Depending on what you are looking for, check out Team Tarkio. Land Heflin is one of the best kayak instructors on the planet and lives in Missoula. For a little less $$, Zootown Surfers has a number of clinics this summer.

I am sure there are boaters in Helena, but I'm also not sure exactly what they paddle on a regular basis. Good luck.