Welcome to the Big Show! Think you have what it takes to get a couple of buddies and some new found friends down the whitewater gnar of the PNW? Or are you looking to take your rafting to the next Class? Guide training with BEWET is for you!

Our guide training program offers two opportunities for Boeing employees to take their rafting experience to the next Class: Guide Training and Informed Passengers. Both courses will offer training on reading whitewater, setup of a raft, and rescue techniques. Guide Training will prepare you to successfully lead passengers down river, while as an Informed Passenger, you'll become the backbone of a solid crew for any Class of water.

Training Events:

  • 13 Mar | Infomation (Q&A) Session | Seattle (Flying Bike Co-op 5-6 pm)
  • 23 Mar | Classroom Session | Seattle 2-22 Building Special Events Room 6-8 pm
  • 28 Mar | Work Party | Maple Valley 10-1 pm
  • 28 Mar | Pool Session | Renton 2-5 pm
  • 30 Mar | Classroom Session | Seattle 2-22 Building Special Events Room 6-8 pm
  • 3-5 Apr | River Weekend | Leavenworth
  • Apr-Sept: Train at your own pace on BEWET trips (see Calendar for dates)
  • *Note: for training events other than the info session, actual locations will be provided after registration

Program Overview

Snapshot

  •   Season: March-April

  •   Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced

  •   Time: 1 year (to complete course)

  •   Age: 18+

  •   Price:
    • $350 Guide Training
    • $350 Informed Passenger
    • $175 Returning Guide

Orientation & Classroom Sessions

Orientation will be a classroom session held before Guide Training Weekend and the Pool Session to inform trainees of the expectations as well as answer any questions in depth. It will also cover club history, rivers we run, opportunities within the club, as well as what gear trainees should have/will need.

The classroom sessions will handle the introductory information on river hydrology, paddle techniques, and boat dynamics as well as other topics, prior to you actually getting out on the water.

Pool Session

The pool session will offer a controlled environment for learning some of the "basics" that most guides take for granted on the river. First will be the classroom session, going over the topics that will be covered over the course of the day. Once in the water, trainees must demonstrate the ability to swim a lap in full rafting attire and some of the swimming techniques and positions. This will follow with boat positioning and proper bracing techniques. The pool session concludes with boat flipping and throw bag practice.

Garage & Gear Introduction

Help pack all the gear for the training weekend to follow. We'll go over all the different gear that goes into rafting from the basics for a day trip, to what you might want to rent from the club for an extended trip. We'll talk about how the club organizes it's gear and how to store and maintain it properly.

Guide Training Weekend

Training Weekend takes place on the Wenatchee River, where we provide your lodging in scenic Leavenworth. Trainees are free to arrive Friday night or early (typically 7am) Saturday morning, when orientation will begin. Saturday morning will be a classroom session on reading whitewater and a runthrough of equipment, commands, and professionalism. The afternoon will be on the river, giving you hands on experience with navigating a rafting through Class III whitewater with a BEWET guide as part of your crew. Guide Trainees should expect to be on the "stick," as you will be the ones running the raft and giving the commands. Informed Passengers will be working on how to properly execute commands and work as a team in communication with the Guide to navigate the rapids. Sunday morning will be another brief classroom session, and then back out on the water in the early afternoon.

On River Training

This is where the real training takes place. Every trip that BEWET runs is available for you to continue your training on. For Guide Trainees and Informed Passengers, every trip is included in your registration fee; this includes the Class IV Skykomish, Chilliwack, and Green! Keep in mind that most of our Class IV rivers will only be run if water levels fall within the club's limits, so they cannot be guaranteed every year.

Perks

Guides

(Once a Guide Trainee gets rated)
  • Every trip you guide is free for you and your +1
  • Extended trip lottery pools (increase the odds of your MF Salmon or Snake trip)
  • Discounted gear rentals on any club gear
  • Pro deals on outdoor brands (think Petzl, OR, North Face, etc)

Informed Passengers

  • All trip fees are covered by your registration fee for 3 years
  • Ability to run any river on our schedule (including Guides Only rivers) as a passenger
  • Must attend all Guide Trainee activities
  • Ability to try you hand at guiding at any point if you become interested

What You'll Need:

  • Dry Suit*
  • Sturdy shoes
  • Non-cotton apparel
  • Sun screen
  • Day bagged lunch
  • Leash/croakies for glasses

* The waters during guide training will be extremely cold. We will be requiring dry suits for the Wenatchee training. They can be rented from Kayak Academy or Northwest Outdoor Center.

What We'll Provide:

  • Lifejacket
  • Paddle
  • Helmet

Note: Any personal safety gear used must be approved by the BEWET trainers. If you have questions about your equipment, please bring it to Orientation for approval.

Things NOT to Bring

  • Glass containers
  • Anything that cannot get wet