getting into guiding

[carvedog]

Gotta about 15 years of guiding in before I semi-retired. Some of the best times of my life. I have worked on all the Payettes, the Salmons - mostly on the Headwaters Salmon cuz that is where the money was. ( these are all Idaho rivers ) And did a few years of multidays on the MF so I might have some thoughts for you.

I came into guiding with an OEC cert ( bc ski patrol requirement here ), a CDL license so I could drive the bus and I could cook. I got work the earliest of all the trainees because of that. I also took a river rescue course that first year which helped with some of the opportunities later.

Almost every company up here runs (did) a spring in house guide training. I ran ours for three years and made the recommendations for hiring from the river skills side of the equation. Ours was a week long with doubles on the river every day with two paddle boats usually. Add another boat or so of returning guides and a kayak or two - that was the usual makeup.

What I looked for was not the guy who was the best to start of guide, but the one who learned the most and could read the river by the end of the week. A lot of people didn't have a clue when they started but were well on their way at the end. I also looked for the trainee who works best with the team. You are doing lots of group things, from rolling boats, to tossing them around etc. Some people couldn't quite get how to work with others. Hustling too much, or at the wrong times to sort of show how fast they could move, was almost as bad as goldbricking. Seems like there are lots of ways to get hurt in the handling of the gear so you need to work with the crew to make it safe.
Keep moving, always look for where you could help out.
Watch lots. Speak less. Work out how to paddle exactly in time with whatever crew you get tossed in with, even the incompetent ones.

And there are a few, yes there are a few people who can't read water. I don't know how they can't - maybe the mechanics of it are too abstract in the viscous state. I am thankful that I can, it is such a great medium to interpret.

Don't know where wages are now, I was at about $125 a day when done. I made almost as much in tips as in wages to start.

The crews that are worked with on the river are still some of my closest friends. The drop everything, bail you out of jail at 4 in the morning kind of friends. Hope to hell I never need that. Something about working with people in that kind of environment and you get close.

Good luck with everything. PM if you want for more info.

[nbt]

If you're gonna be in Bozeman, Gardner is probably the warmest, chillest spot with the most opportunities. Good raft companies work the Gallatin as well but its cold and a short season, not a lot of business. Gardiner is a really chill spot and good people, but absolutely zero chicks, you have a better chance of converting a bison to sleep with you, your in the middle of nowhere but have Yellowstone Park as your backyard. Yellowstone Raft Company is definitely the most established company to work for there. Plus if you don't kayak you won't get pissed off about the Black Canyon being closed to kayaking.