Would you like to be a river guide? By far the best way to prepare yourself to be a guide is to enroll in a professional guide training program. The profession of river guiding offers an unsurpassed mix of fun, excitement, camaraderie, fresh air and challenge, all in pristine outdoor settings. The hours are long and the work is demanding. But river guiding is also exceptionally rewarding.
We expect to have openings for both full-time and part-time employees for 2010, and we will be hiring graduates of our 2010 guide school (as well as people with prior experience) to fill these positions. Our 2010 guide school will be intended primarily to train guides who will become professional members of our 2010 staff, but students with other interests may be accepted into our program as well on a space available basis.
For more information about employment with O.R.E. please see our Job Opportunities page.
Oregon River Experiences
O.R.E. is one of the oldest and most highly regarded operators of both raft trips and whitewater training programs. We run 1/2 to 6 day whitewater raft trips on some of the most beautiful and exciting wild rivers in the Northwest, including the Rogue, Owyhee, Lower Salmon, Grande Ronde, Deschutes, John Day, McKenzie, North Umpqua, North Santiam, and Clackamas rivers.
Our Training Program
For 32 years O.R.E. has been a leader in teaching whitewater skills in a safe, supportive, and innovative manner. Our 2010 training program is designed primarily to assist students in developing the skills needed to become professionals. But the curriculum can also be appropriate for those who seek to develop the skills needed to run private trips. No prior experience is required, but enthusiasm, a commitment to learning, a positive attitude and a solid work ethic are a must.
Tuition covers individualized, skilled instruction by senior O.R.E. staff (1 instructor for every 4 students); all meals; all local transportation; use of lifejackets, wetsuits, paddle jackets, helmets, and dry-bags; all river permits and camping fees; and complementary copies of both O.R.E.'s Guide School Handbook as well as "The Complete Whitewater Rafter" by Jeff Bennett. Transportation from O.R.E. headquarters or from the Portland airport to the river is also available at no charge for those lacking transportation of their own.
Graduates will receive a certificate of completion, opportunities to gain additional, post-graduate experience at no charge, and assistance in finding work with O.R.E. and with other companies.
The training is a hands-on experience. Dry land and on-river instruction cover a comprehensive array of skills and topics. Our Instructors begin by explaining the basics and teach by example. The emphasis throughout is on learning by doing, so students will be actively involved in every learning experience, from cooking with a Dutch oven to paddle captaining to river rescue to rowing a gear raft.
For information please see our Itinerary and Curriculum page.
After completion of an O.R.E. training program
Even the most adept student requires additional training time beyond the time spent on the water during the school. For this reason O.R.E. provides additional, no-cost training to those interested students who we intend to hire.
How likely is it that I'll be hired?
Click here for more information.
To apply, or for additional informationTo apply for admittance to either our spring or our summer session please contact our office, or download this application form. Once accepted for admittance you will be asked to complete an enrollment form, and you will need to submit a $100 deposit to reserve your space. Tuition balance will be due three weeks prior to your session. We accept credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and Discover) as well as personal checks. For questions or to apply please contact
us by
phone, mail, e-mail or fax. |
