Recently Glacier Raft Co marketing guru Rachel VandeVoort and Great Northern Resort GM Carl Motes-Conners brought the Glacier River Schools’ youth river safety course called The River Sense Program to sixth, seventh and eight-graders. Sixteen of Whitefish Middle School’s health enhancement classes learned basic skills regarding rafting equipment, self-rescue, risk awareness and navigation. Carl is an independent River Rescue Instructor for Rescue 3 International as well as an American Canoe Association Raft Guide Instructor, and is certified in First Aid/CPR.

Whitefish school administrators say river safety is an important part of their students’ overall education, especially as young people prepare to enjoy local waterways with their friends and family this summer.

We’re bringing the course to Whitefish High School later this month.  Whitefish school administrators encourage parents to talk with their children about the importance of river safety.   Parents can also sign their kids up for The River Sense Program taught on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River this summer.   Registration is open through both raft companies.  Both companies also offer river safety, whitewater skills and boatman classes for adults through Glacier River Schools.

Shallow Water Crossing

We’ve got our course dates dialed in for the 2010 season! Join The River School at Glacier Raft Company to brush up on you boating or river rescue skills. Learn more about individual courses at The River School. Hope to see you on the river!

• Apr 30 – May 2        Whitewater Rescue Technician
• May 15 – 16                Intro to River Skills
• May 17 – 23               The River School
• May 28 – 30              Whitewater Rescue Technician
• Jun 7 – 13                   The River School
• Jun 18 – 20                Whitewater Rescue Technician
• Jun 26 – 27                Intro to River Skills
• July 17 – 18                Intro to River Skills
• July 29                       Level I River Sense
• July 30                       Level II River Sense
• July 31 – Aug 1         Level III River Sense

Check out footage of everyone swimming in the notch. These are students in Glacier Raft’s Whitewater Rescue Technician course for May. Try not to get sick watching. Next time I’ll try to keep my head still while swimming. Check out the classes at http://glacierraftco.com/guide-school.htm#river%20skills. Hope to see you on the river!

Glacier Raft Company is pleased to announce that we are now offering river education courses for kids and teens. If you or yours would like to learn more about rivers and river safety, then join us for our river sense program in July and August. We will cover all kinds of topics to help keep you safe in and around rivers. Our instructors are certified with Rescue 3 International and the American Canoe Association. There is minimal inside time and maximum river time, with the Level 2 & 3 courses taking place on the whitewater stretch of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. We are currently developing the webpage for riversense, so check back soon. Call 1-800-235-6781 for details. See you on the river!

Making Dinner

Have you wanted to brush up on your river skills? How about learn more about planning and packing for an extended trip? Join Glacier Raft Company for its extended river trip workshop in May or June. To learn more visit the river education page.

• Rescue Philosophy
• Hydrology
• Equipment
• Rescue Swimming
• Throwbag Skills
• Medical Considerations
• Anchors
• Rope Systems
• Rope Handling
• Shallow Water Crossings
• Entrapments
• Unpinning Boats

To sign up, call our reservations staff at 800-235-6781. Hope to see you there!

Pulling over to scout

Check out all of our river education courses. We’ve got river rescue courses, river running education courses, and river sense programs for kids. Come hit the river with our certified instructors.