News

Glacier Raft Company River Safety Education For Professionals, Community, And Local Youth, West Glacier, Montana

2009-07-30 08:00:00

The Beautiful Rivers of Montana

Contact: (406) 888-5454 http://matr.net/click.php?id=1451&url=http://www.glacierraftco.com/

Glacier Raft Company of West Glacier, Montana Offers New River Safety Education for Professionals, Community, and Local Youth

Carl Motes-Conners Gains National Certification to Lead New Courses

As the spring waters begin to rise on the rivers that border Glacier National Park, Glacier Raft and Outdoor Center http://matr.net/click.php?id=1451&url=http://www.glacierraftco.com/ will offer new river education courses for both professionals and community members of all ages and skills interested in river safety. Veteran guide Carl Motes-Conners, who will lead the courses, was recently certified as a Rescue 3 International Independent Instructor, one of only four individuals in Montana to hold the elite certification after completing his certification this spring.

“As the oldest raft company in Montana, our team has a lot of experience and we decided to use this knowledge to create a school to streamline training—not only for our guides—but also for the community,” said Motes-Conners. “While standardizing our own guides’ training is important, interest from community members purchasing their own rafts continues to increase and we wanted to develop education opportunities so people can better enjoy the river and have the skills to stay safe.”

Four different courses for a range of skill levels are offered this spring through The River School at Glacier Raft Company.

“Introduction to River Skills” is a two-day course for beginner boaters who want to learn the basics of running whitewater. The course covers fundamental river safety and boating skills, including maneuvering both paddle rafts and oar-rigged boats. Students will gain experience reading and running class III whitewater.

“Whitewater Rescue Technician” is a Rescue 3 International course designed for the river enthusiast, professional guide, or experienced private boater to learn advanced river rescue skills. Skills covered include rescue philosophy, hydrology, rescue swimming, throwbags, medical considerations, ropes and anchors, shallow water crossings, entrapments, and unpinning boats.

The “Extended River Trips Workshop” is designed for the professional river guide or the advanced boater looking to polish skills on the river and in camp. Students will learn how to assess equipment needs for extended trips, rig a boat, plan meals, set up a campsite, and prepare meals on the river.

Finally, a comprehensive 6-day “River School” course is designed for the boater who would like to guide professionally or gain extensive knowledge about rivers and river safety. Students will learn how to command a paddle crew, maneuver an oar rig, and become ready for commercial or private guiding, as well as become certified as a Rescue 3 International Whitewater Rescue Technician.

While the goals of the Guide School and River Running Education have been to standardize raft guide training and to create a solid base for current and future guides, Glacier Raft Company has also launched an initiative to educate the younger members of the community on river safety through a summer youth program called “River Sense.”

“We are pioneering this type of education for kids and young adults in Montana,” said Motes-Conners. “We create a fun environment and designed our program to develop responsible practices in our future river enthusiasts.”

The one-day “River Sense Level 1” course is for ages 9-12, designed to introduce kids to a moving water environment and identify dangers while stressing safety. Under supervision, participants will have the opportunity to practice self-rescue techniques in a fun, controlled environment. The goal is to develop awareness in each participant that might save themselves or a friend should an emergency arise.

The Level 2 course for ages 12-14 is designed for kids who are starting to get out on the river with friends. This one-day course teaches basic river skills and gives an introduction to rescue techniques. Participants will have the opportunity to swim in moving water and practice self-rescue techniques in a controlled environment. The overall goal is to help kids develop awareness of hazards and ways to pre-plan in order to prevent emergencies.

For high school-age teens, a two-day Level 3 course is offered to model a swiftwater rescue program with emphasis on self-rescue and planning for safety. In addition to the skills learned in the level 1 & 2 courses, students will also work on simple rope rescue systems and working through rescue scenarios. Students will also have the ability to practice swimming and catching eddies in whitewater. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to help set up a tension diagonal water-based “zip-line” for moving across a current.

“We’re really taking river education and safety to the next level,” said Motes-Conners. “While we wanted to train our own guides to be at the top of their skills as they guide customers, we chose to expand the offerings for the community so they can better enjoy the rivers on their own.”

Guide School & River-Running Education course begin on May 9 and run through July 26. River Sense courses begin July 30 and run through August 2. For course descriptions and pricing, please visit http://matr.net/click.php?id=1451&url=http://www.glacierraftco.com/ or call (406) 888-5454.

Posted in:

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.