Acquire the skills to navigate a raft full of guests through Class IV whitewater — and get paid to do it.
Acquire the skills necessary to successfully navigate a raft full of passengers through exciting Class IV whitewater — and get paid to do it! No whitewater experience is necessary. We will teach you commercial river guiding from the ground up, equipping you with the experience, knowledge, and official certification to begin working as a professional whitewater river guide anywhere in the state of Colorado.
Although we are happy to train individuals who have no intention of employment, this course is designed for those who will begin employment with Liquid Descent on Clear Creek and the Colorado River once training is complete.
The state of Colorado requires 50 hours of on-river training to be a certified river guide. We require at least 100 hours of on-river training in addition to pool sessions and classroom lessons. Trainees must demonstrate the necessary skills to be a competent river guide before beginning employment. Our trainers are highly motivated to help you succeed — extra coaching, one-on-one training, and after-hours sessions are all available. We intend to hire every guide we train, though participation in training does not guarantee employment.
Training begins May 14th and runs through the first week of June. Monday–Friday participation is required. Weekends are available for those who want to finish faster. Most trainees complete their coursework and river miles in early June and are ready to begin employment.
On-river training takes place at a variety of locations including the Colorado River and Clear Creek. Time in the pool and classroom covers the many aspects of running rivers:
Learn to read whitewater and recognize hazards: river characteristics, currents, eddies, rapids, and more.
Practice knots, mechanical advantages, rescue systems, and understand the benefits and hazards of rope use in swift water.
Proper use, maintenance, and rigging of paddles, boats, and gear.
The techniques, uses, and effectiveness of every stroke and command you'll use as a commercial river guide.
Self-rescue, rescues from shore, rescues from other boats, throw bags, technical rope systems, and additional scenarios.
Safety is a game of inches. We teach you to think critically and mitigate risk — many safety mistakes happen before the raft ever leaves shore. You'll learn to identify and mitigate hazards that others miss.
River guiding is a form of expression. As a guide, you're also a performer and entertainer. Style points matter — guests tip guides they enjoy. We teach public speaking, personality, humor, and confidence on the water.
Technical navigation is the core skill. We teach all the tips and tricks from years of commercial guiding: angles, commands, customer placement, boat selection, and pod integrity. Most importantly — how to turn inexperienced guests into a powerful paddling engine.
Our instructors are some of the most experienced guides in Colorado — all with thousands of river miles and experience on rivers worldwide. They're also hilarious and great to be around. The training is challenging but genuinely fun. The camaraderie you'll build with fellow trainees and the Liquid Descent crew is unparalleled.
We run some of the most exciting commercial sections in the country, including Gore Canyon. As a trainee and first-year guide, you'll experience all of it.
Cost: $450.00 — This covers every aspect of training and all the river gear you'll need. Trainees are welcome to camp during training.
Trainees who become employees will have half their training fee returned after completing their 1st season, and the remainder after their 2nd season. CPR and First Aid certifications are required before employment can begin.
Training begins May 14th, 2026 at 9am at our shop in Idaho Springs, CO.