Quick Facts
Adventure Level

Active participation in all facets of river running
Highlights
- Beginner whitewater rowing course for private boaters & aspiring river guides
- Train on Oregon's Class III Rogue River with professional guides
- Learn basic Swiftwater Rescue Techniques
- Elevate your prospects for getting work as a professional river guide
- Learn basic hydrology, boat-rigging, rowing, camp skills, and guest service skills
Adventure Overview
Learn to guide an oar raft down Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River with the company twice named the “The Best River & Sea Outfitter On Earth” by National Geographic Adventure magazine. You need no prior outdoor or whitewater rafting experience to participate in the OARS Rogue River Rowing Clinic. Our experienced river guides will teach you rafting and camping techniques that will be useful throughout your entire life.
This 7-day floating whitewater clinic is appropriate for:
- Anyone interested in working as a professional whitewater rafting guide
- Parties interested in guiding their own private river trip(s)
- Anyone who appreciates experiential learning and is interested in whitewater and river safety
- Adventurers seeking an active vacation experience in a beautiful forested canyon filled with wildlife
Our professional river guides, all with whitewater rescue training and extensive guiding experience, will share with you their outdoor and river knowledge. We’ll spend each day progressing down river; learning and practicing newly acquired skills, and set camp at a different location each night. Instruction and hands on learning occurs both on the river and in camp.
Why sign up for the Rogue River Rowing Clinic with OARS?
- Outside magazine, National Geographic Traveler, MSNBC, Good Morning America, Condé Nast Traveler and Men’s Journal have all recognized OARS as offering some of the “Best Trips” on the planet.
- We keep our trips small, with 1 guide for every 4 guests (1:4) participants receive plenty of personal attention
- OARS has been guiding people on rivers and coastlines worldwide since 1969
- More than 500,000 guests have trusted us to escort them on some of the most spectacular wilderness destinations worldwide
- We use top-notch, well-maintained equipment and set the gold standard in safety
One price includes:
- 6 days of whitewater rafting on Oregon’s Wild and Scenic Rogue River
- Essential guide training & rowing instruction
- 5 nights of riverside camping and a 2-person shared tent (You may bring your own sleeping bag/pad or rent them from OARS)
- Meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 7
- All rafting and expedition equipment, including helmet and PFD (personal flotation device)
- Transfers from Galice Resort to the river and back
An example of course content taught during the Rogue River Rowing Clinic:
- Reading whitewater
- Maneuvering oar rafts in Class III whitewater
- Route selection
- River hydraulics
- Knot tying
- Raft rigging/de-rigging
- River signals
- How to communicate with your crew
- River logistics management
- Camp skills – setting up a safe/comfortable camp, food handling/preparation, minimum impact strategies
- 7 Principles of Leave No Trace
- Tying up and anchoring boats, so you know they’ll be there in the morning
- Wildlife encounters – what to do about those pesky critters
- Multi-day group dynamics
- Team problem solving
- Basic River Rescue
- Equipment Maintenance
Start Your Career as a River Guide
While OARS’ rowing clinics are ideal for anyone looking to learn something new or develop their whitewater rowing skills, our whitewater guide school programs are better suited for aspiring river guides with no prior experience. If you’re an experienced guide, and would like to get your foot in the door with OARS, we encourage you to read our Hiring and Guide School FAQs and fill out an employment application.