Whitewater Rafting Guide / River Guide

ROW Adventures works hard to create a healthy, diverse, supportive, and inclusive environment where everyone on our team is treated with respect. Our team is our most valuable asset, and our success is the direct result of our outstanding, quality-driven team members who enjoy working and playing together. We enjoy a high return rate among our staff, yet still hire many new people each year.  To meet some of our current team members, click here. When applying for a position with us, know that we demand a lot from our staff.  One reason is that we provide a level of service that is well above the standard in the rafting, adventure travel, and outdoor resort arena.  Another is that we expect our guides to excel at cultural and natural history interpretation – meaning our guides are continually learning about the resources where we operate so they can share this knowledge with our guests in engaging, entertaining ways. We look for people seeking to set the high watermark in their personal and professional lives. If you are a friendly, self-starting, energetic, creative and hard-working person with a love for people and the natural world, and are interested in a long-term relationship with ROW, we want to hear from you!

Job Overview

Each year ROW seeks to hire a few experienced guides to join our summer guide staff in guiding single and/or multi-day whitewater rafting trips on some of the most beautiful wild rivers in Idaho, Oregon and Montana, rivers like the Lochsa, Rogue, Salmon and Clark Fork. ROW guides are a fun-loving, thoughtful and talented group of people with a tremendous passion for the natural world. As much as we love boating, we love sharing nature with our guests even more. Guiding for ROW can be hard work, full of long hours in often physically demanding situations. Yet we find it immensely rewarding to enrich lives through safe and memorable outdoor adventure. To do so, ROW hires guides who are committed to excellence in hospitality and safety, provide meaningful interpretation to guests, support conservation efforts, desire to grow and learn, and who seek to set the high water mark in their professional and personal lives. Does this sound like you? Then apply to join our team!

Guide Duties and Responsibilities:

• Safely navigate oar and/or paddle rafts down Class I – IV+ rivers
• Excellent risk management capability in remote settings
• Work positively with other team members to implement all aspects of a ROW trip from pack-up to clean-up in order to provide guests with a safe, meaningful and memorable experience
• Engage and respond to guests in a positive, friendly and supportive manner, including meeting their expressed and unexpressed needs
• Provide meaningful interpretation to our guests on natural and cultural history topics pertinent to the trip, such as geology, Wild and Scenic Rivers, early homesteaders, Pacific salmon etc.
• Lead guest activities, such as hikes, camp games, storytelling or campfire music
• Prepare tasty, appealing riverside meals
• Take care of ROW equipment and facilities
• Professionally represent ROW and its Mission, Vision and Values
• Follow all policies and procedures as outlined in ROW’s Guide Manual
• Act as a good steward of the natural world and follow Leave No Trace practices
• Perform other duties, including a minimum of 15 hours of off-river warehouse work each season, as needed or assigned

Special Benefits

• Some of the most pristine and remote work environments in the USA including the Frank Church Wilderness Area
• Free and discounted rafting trips for friends and family
• Gear available for use on days off
• Training opportunities on numerous northwest rivers
• FSA (Flexible Spending Account)

Minimum Requirements

Guide Qualifications:

• Legally allowed to work in the United States
• At least one year of previous commercial whitewater guiding experience; multi-day experience and experience with both oar and paddle rafts preferred
• A current 16 hour minimum or higher advanced First Aid certification like WFA (WEC, WAFA, WFR, WEMT, EMT preferred) along with current CPR
• Certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician 1 or higher at some point in professional career
• A positive, supportive team player
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Physically fit, able to work long hours in the field and lift and carry heavy objects over awkward terrain
• Willing and eager to interact positively with a range of age groups, from small children to seniors
• Experience in guest services or group leadership preferred
• Academic or professional background or equivalent experience in natural science, western American history, environmental education or conservation related field preferred
• Ability to follow ROW's drug-free and tobacco free workplace policy
• Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (SARS - COV - 2) prior to starting employment