Not really. You’ll need to be a reliable swimmer and comfortable around water in general, but whitewater skills are a big part of what we teach in our Guide Training Program. If you approach this job in a natural, outgoing, people-friendly manner, you’re already more than halfway there. The rest you can learn from our trainers, and by shadowing real trips down the river.

You must be at least 16 years old in order to enroll in our River Guide Training Program.

Every year, we increase our guide crew by attracting people who are excited about the river, and about sharing the river experience with our guests and with our senior guides. We’re all about safety and having fun. So we hire guides who have a keen appreciation for guest satisfaction, and who also have the physical capabilities needed to “do the job” of guiding whitewater trips. As a river guide, you’ll be interacting with people (fellow guides and guests) all the time. It’s your job to help ensure that every guest has a great experience, on and off the river.

Our busiest season is May through September. Weekends are always busy, and during the summer months, there is occasionally some weekday work, as well. You don’t have to be available every weekend, but it is important to be available on a fairly regular basis.

You can begin training as early as mid-April (with subsequent training classes also scheduled to take place in May and June). Each time you train, you’ll master an additional set of skills, until you’ve completed the requirements to be hired as a guide. Many guide candidates are able to complete their training in as little as a few weekends.

Weekend training begins with a Friday night meeting at the Whitewater Challengers “Staff House.” Free weekend lodging accomodations at the Staff House may be available for trainees who are over 18. On Saturday and Sunday, you’ll be on the river with a trainer. You’ll learn things like: the names of the rapids; how to run a trip through each rapid; how to paddle a raft and a kayak; rescue skills; emergency procedures; company policies and procedures; and ways to help provide exceptional guest service on every trip.

Most people need to train on the river for at least two weekends. Others may take a little longer. In addition to on-river training, you’ll also spend some time each day in the classroom. These classroom sessions will cover your “Guide Orientation.” We also require that all guide candidates become certified in Standard First Aid by the end of the first season. As such, we conveniently build this class into the training program. If you are already first-aid certififed (and your certification has not lapsed), we can begin your “on-trip” training even sooner. Once you’ve completed and demonstrated the basic river skills outlined on our trainee checklist, and you are recommended by a trainer, you’re ready to begin working as a river guide!

All trainees begin their training in a raft. On the second day of on-river training, you’ll be introduced to whitewater kayaking, at which point you will transition into using an inflatable kayak (or “ducky”). During subsequent weekends, you will begin to work on advanced rafting skills, and you will also be introduced to a “sit-on-top” kayak, which is the type of craft most new guides work out of. Once the core components of your training are completed, you may choose between a ducky or a sit-on-top for additional training and work trips. During the late Spring and Summer, there will be opportunities to train in a regular whitewater kayak, which is what most of our experienced guides use when they are facilitating trips along the river.

The guide pay scale is outlined below. Other benefits include complimentary rafting spaces for your friends, a free place to bunk at the Staff House (if you are 18 or over), a free guide lunch each day of work, occasional free dinners, a free staff shirt, discounts at our store and snack bar, an employee trip to another river, free kayak training, and more.

• Class I Guide: $80/day*
• Class II Guide: $85/day*
• Class III Guide: $95/day*

• Plus additional $6/day for Advanced First Aid Certification
• Plus additional $10/day for using your personal kayak
• Plus additional $16/day for being a trip leader
• Plus additional $25/day for being a kayak instructor or guide trainer
• Plus a one-time-per-season bonus of $100 once a river guide has worked seven weekend days.

Also, there are opportunities for additional (hourly) work at the Rafting Center before and after your rafting trip. Please let us know if you’re interested in learning more about this.

If you choose to stay at the Whitewater Challengers Staff House, all you’ll really need is a sleeping bag, a bathing suit, and a great attitude. We’ll supply all the gear you need. If you already have personal river gear, you are welcome to bring that along. Lodging is free, and food is easily purchased locally. If you are training in colder weather in early Spring, it’s a good idea to bring a wool cap, wool socks, and thin polypro long underwear. All of these can be purchased in our outdoor store here at the Rafting Center.

Just email us at training@whitewaterchallengers.com and we’ll get you all set up for one of our upcoming classes.

Email us at training@whitewaterchallengers.com, and tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. Feel free to attach a resume if you like (although resumes are not required). You can also feel free to call us at the Lehigh River Guide Hotline at 570-443-9728 if you have any questions about the program.