Training Calendar

2026 Training Calendar

Please contact Mia Gabel (Operations@rowadventures.com) if you have any questions about trainings, dates, and what sessions you should plan to attend. 

Please note that the dates below are subject to change.

Welcome to the Season BBQ: May 4th in Clarkston, WA  - Arrive By 3:00 pm

The best BBQ of the year, and the official kick-off event for the 2026 season. ROW provides the food and drinks. 

Staff Trip: May 5-11th, starting in Clarkston, WA, on the Salmon or Grande Ronde 

This trip begins with a full day at our warehouse in Clarkston, WA, and includes a five-day river trip. Most of our returning guide staff, management team, and ROW’s Operations Manager will be there.  This is a key event for learning ROW systems & policies, preparing for the season, and a chance to bond with your fellow guides.

Lochsa Training: May 13-15th in Syringa, ID

This is a great opportunity to knock the rust off, get in shape, gain exposure to more difficult whitewater, and prepare for the upcoming season, regardless of where you will work. It is also required for guides hired to work on the Lochsa.

WFR Recertification Course OR PRO-1 Swift Water Certification: May 13-14th in Salmon, ID

These courses are happening simultaneously and being hosted by the Redside Foundation. Space is limited.

• Pro-I Swiftwater with the Swiftwater Safety Institute. To register & more info, please go here.

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) recert with Desert Mountain Medicine. To register or for more info, stay tuned!

Redside Rendezvous: May 15-17th - Salmon, ID

A weekend gathering for guides and outdoor professionals focused on connection, professional development, community celebration, and fun—including meals, a health fair, and live music. Hosted by the Redside Foundation, buy tickets via this link.

Wilderness First Responder Course: May 18th-22nd - Lewiston, ID

Hosted by Desert Mountain Medicine & Lewis-Clark State College. Course Cost: $825, Spots are limited and we encourage early registration - registration link

Alternatively, please check out the companies below and their schedules to find a course that works best for you: 

• Desert Mountain Medicine 

• NOLS

• Wilderness Medical Association International 

Rogue River Training Trip: May 24th-27th

This trip will build familiarity with the Rogue River and serve as a training run for guides whom we identify for early season work on the Rogue. There may be additional availability for guides who are not scheduled to work on the Rogue but who are interested in seeing it or guiding there at some point. 

St. Joe Training: May 26th-28th

This is for our St. Joe early-season guides; it is just a few runs on the St. Joe to warm up before guests' trips launch that last weekend in May.

Middle Fork Training Trip: June 1st-5th, starting in Salmon, ID

This trip will be 4-5 days of river and system familiarization for all new Middle Fork guides, or guides that need to license before the season starts.

Bike Training Trip: June 1st-5th in Coeur d'Alene, ID

This trip will be 4-5 days of trail and system familiarization for all new bike guides.

Alternative Onboarding Day: June TBD 2026 in Clarkston, WA

This day is intended for guides coming on the Multi-day Training Trip (MDTT) who may have missed the staff trip in early May. We’ll go over important info like pay, licensing, and other topics typically covered on the first day of the Staff Trip.

Multi-day Training Trip: June 6th-13th, starting in Clarkston, WA

The Multi-day Training Trip begins at our Clarkston, WA warehouse and covers some of the same general information about ROW as the Staff Trip, but with increased focus on ROW multi-day systems such as camp set up, cooking, on-the-water systems, safety procedures, etc. This is led by senior ROW staff and may include other returning staff who want to move from single-day to multi-day guiding or who were unable to attend the earlier spring trip. So long as water levels allow, we offer this trip on the SA8 section of the Salmon River (Hammer Creek to Heller Bar), which fulfills Idaho licensing law requirements for this section of river, what we call the Salmon River Canyons. These two trips will be the primary chance for new multi-day guides to work on their rowing skills, preparing them for the multi-day season. Guides may be asked to attend additional trips should they need the additional time to work on their rowing skills.

Interpretive Techniques Workshop: June TBD in Clarkston, WA

This two-day course introduces guides to techniques of interpretation and various topics relevant to the natural history of the rivers we run. Attending this workshop qualifies as the ROW equivalent of CIG Interp Certification outlined in the payscale. Please note that guides are asked to come to this workshop with a presentation topic, some preliminary research completed, and a written or outlined presentation. 

Whitewater I (aka “Guide School”): June 18th-24th, on the St. Joe and Clark Fork

This is our introductory whitewater skills course and covers the fundamentals and hard skills of whitewater rafting. This training is primarily for those with no prior guiding experience. 

Oregon Bike Training Trip: July 20th-24th in Willamette Valley, OR

This trip is specifically for guides who are going on the bike trips that launch from Oregon following this training.