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New Wave Rafting New Mexico Whitewater Rafting
New Wave Rafting New Mexico Whitewater Rafting
New Wave Rafting New Mexico Whitewater Rafting
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New Wave Rafting Blog

Whitewater Rafting in Northern New Mexico


Category: Guide Training Program

Guide Training Program: 4/19-22, 2019. 8AM – 4 PM

The most fun you can have, and still be working!

This is the 37th year of our Guide Training Program (GTP). The GTP consists of 4 days of on-the-water instruction and a practice period that follows. Training will take place on Class 2 (easy) and Class 3 (moderate) stretches of the Rio Grande. We provide all gear for the GTP and Standard First Aid and CPR training.  The GTP equips trainees with the skills of paddle raft captaining and rowing oar boats. Also, memorizing the easier stretches they will be initially be guiding. Safety and rescue procedures and natural and human history of the river and environs are covered.

Guides train to bring a raft back over
Training to right the raft

Raft Guide Training 2024

New Wave’s Guide Training Program

New Wave Rafting Guide Training Program

FREE to those who qualify (see note below)

Training starts May 1st 2024 and is your ticket to:

The GREATEST Job In The World.

This is New Wave Rafting’s 44rd year of offering our Guide Training Program (GTP) to the general public. It begins with an intensive 7 days of on-the-water instruction and class work, followed by a period of apprenticeship in which you will both guide NWR guests in the company of a NWR instructor, and practice with other trainees. Trainees demonstrating an adequate grasp of guiding essentials or the Memorial Day holiday, which ever comes first, will conclude the apprenticeship. Expect your training to include between 20 to 30 trips on the Racecourse section. In addition, NWR provides all necessary safety equipment for participation in the GTP.

First Aid and CPR certifications are required prior to employment.  “River Guide Personal Gear”will then need to purchased .

Practice

Further more, NWR’s equipment will be available for practice trips done with other trainees (no friends/no family). Such practice will be organized by trainees.

Cost

$525.00 (tax and user fee included) A $100.00 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your space, with the balance due prior to the beginning of the GTP.
After commencement of the GTP, no refunds will be given.
NOTE: On the other hand, a refund of 100% the cost for the GTP will be given to new guides who commit to a full schedule (5 days/wk) and complete the season.

Requirements

18 years of age and a good swimmer.

What to Bring

In addition participants will provide their own lunch and a change of clothes for the end of each day.  This program is no push over. However, you will discover that guiding is
 The Greatest Job in the World!

Feel free to call or email with any questions. 1-800-984-1444 newwaverafting@gmail.com

“Why the Job of the Professional River Guide Will Never Die” from Paddling Magazine

New Wave Rafting

How to Be a Raft Guide

What is a Raft Guide?

Raft guides are trained professionals. They lead commercial whitewater adventures on rivers of various difficulties.

Learning how to be a raft guide can be challenging. However a raft guide job with New Wave Rafting is a great way to live and work in the outdoors. If river rafting fascinates you and you want to pursue a career in rafting, you do not need a license or experience.

___________________________________________

This is New Wave Rafting’s 43nd year of offering our Guide Training Program (GTP) to the general public. It begins May 1st with an intensive 7 day session of on the water instruction and class work, followed by a period of apprenticeship in which you will both guide NWR guests in the company of a NWR instructor, and practice with other trainees. Your apprenticeship will conclude when you demonstrate an adequate grasp of guiding essentials.
NWR will provide all necessary safety equipment for participation in the GTP.

To reserve your space a $100.00 non-refundable deposit is required, with the balance due prior to the beginning of the GTP.  The cost for the guide program is $525.00

★  It’s FREE to those who qualify!  ★
New guides that are available to work a full schedule (5 days/week) and complete the season will be refunded the cost of the program.

 Bring your fortitude, patience, perseverance and vigor. This program is no push over, but once completed, you will discover that guiding is
 The Greatest Job in the World!

So feel free to call or email with any questions you may have. 1-505-579-0075 newwaverafting@gmail.com

Download the details ~ Guide Training Program 2022

Guide Training Program 2021

See You On The Rio!

Guide Training Programs for 2021

Guide Training Programs: March 13th, May 1st and June 1st 2021

GET 50% OFF (see note below)

This is New Wave Rafting’s 41th year of offering our Guide Training Program (GTP) to the general public. It begins with an intensive 7 day session of on-the-water instruction and class work, followed by a period of apprenticeship in which you will both guide NWR guests in the company of a NWR instructor, and practice with other trainees. Your apprenticeship will conclude when you demonstrate an adequate grasp of guiding essentials. Expect your training to include between 20 to 30 trips on the Racecourse.
Newly hired guides must have current First Aid and CPR certifications prior to employment. NWR can provide this training at a small additional cost or you may acquire certificates on line.
NWR will provide all necessary equipment for participation in the GTP.

guide program 2019

$525.00 (tax and user fee included) A $100.00 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your space, with the balance due prior to the beginning of the GTP.
No refunds will be given after commencement of the GTP.
NOTE: A refund of 50% of the cost of the GTP will be made to those new guides who work a full schedule (minimum 5 days/week) and complete the season.

Visit our website for more information.

Here’s a great article from Paddler Magazine about river guiding.

This program is no push over, but, once completed, you will discover that guiding is
The Greatest Job in the World!

 

Guide Training Program 2019

The New Wave Guide Training Program 2019 (GTP) is under way, in anticipation of a very good water year for the Rio Grande and Rio Chama. The 2019 GTP kicked off on Apr. 19, with seven eager trainees. What a good-looking group of men and women!  In the photo below, GTP instructor and New Wave Operations Manager Britt Runyon Huggins is seen on the right, and instructor Neil Oberheide is seen on the left. And, left to right, starting at Neil, are: Rick, Socia, Tristan, Calli, Mika, Mark, newly-hired guide Cat and Ethan. We know that our guests will love them, and that they will love being rafting guides. After all, being a raft guide is the most fun you can have, and still be working!

This is the 37th year of our Guide Training Program, which we began two years after our founding, in 1980. It consists of four days of instruction on the river, followed by a month of practise. The group should be ready to go by Memorial Day weekend, when things start to get very busy on the river. Come join us!

Guide Training Program 2019, New Wave Rafting Co
Guide Training Program 2019

Guide Training Program On the Rio Grande

Guide Training Program On the Rio Grande Racecourse, New Mexico

Today, on the last day of the instructional phase of our Guide Training Program (GTP), the candidates are practicing on the Racecourse stretch of the Rio Grande, near Taos, NM. On their second run, I took the following movies at three rapids: Big Rocks, Sleeping Beauty and Souse Hole. The level is 1910 cfs, and it’s been raining most of the day, with the temps in the high 40s. Brrrrr!

Vince captaining through all 3 rapids. He has taken the GTP to get the instruction, without intending to become an employee. The other three candidates (Greg, Michael and Todd) intend to become guides, and will continue into the practice period. We look forward to seeing them join our guide corps.

The GTP group and Britt, after their first run.

Sign up for our Guide Training Program here.

35th Guide Training Program

Guide Training Program On the Rio Grande, New Mexico

This is our 35th year of operating our Guide Training Program. Seen here are our trainees for this year, with Instructor Britt Runyon, Operations Mgr.  for New Wave. The trainees start with 4 days of on-the-water instruction, which ends today, April 25. This will be followed by a practice period that  should ready these candidates for guiding by the end of May. This footage was taken on the Orilla Verde stretch (Class 2), of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, where, on their first day of training, the trainees were learning and practicing fundamental maneuvers. They are now practicing on the Racecourse stretch (Class 3), our most popular run, and will do three trips today. We consider 20 trips on the Racecourse to be the minimum necessary to adequately prepare a guide trainee, and many trainees will do considerably more.

From 2008, trainees practice surfing the raft on the Racecourse stretch