Case Study #1 Month: Mid July Time: Midafternoon A commercial solo raft on the Rollercoaster section of the Alberton Gorge was flipped at the rock/hydraulic in the middle of the rapid. A customer sitting in the front was knocked backwards and struck her head on either the rock or oar frame, it was unknown which. The guide was unable to get the customers back in the boat – but was able to get ...
John Amtmann, Ed.D., Professor, Applied Health Science, Montana Tech The phrase “use it or lose it” is never more appropriate then in January when it comes to cardiovascular conditioning after taking time off of training for the Christmas/New Year holidays. It’s also applicable to river folks during the off-season: don’t wait until the spring to think about conditioning for spring run-o...
Swift water poses many dangers to the rescuer. It is a dynamic environment, and one small mistake or misjudgment can snowball into catastrophe. In past years, one third of drowning victims in the United States were would-be rescuers. Many of these victims either lacked proper training or equipment. It is paramount, then, for rescue teams to not only purchase the proper equipment, but also to tr...
Vallecito Creek Durango, Colorado Class V-V+ 500-1000 cfs 250 feet per mile River Description- Vallecito Creek is a popular 1 mile stretch of class V whitewater in Southern Colorado. Paddlers start the trip at the take out and hike upstream. Typically, paddlers put in at the top or bottom of Superboof rapid. Regardless, there is only a few hundred yards of class II-III rapids before Entran...
When working or playing on the river, safety is always our first priority. We know that most accidents are not caused by one single action, but rather a series of small mistakes, that can ultimately lead to a devastating outcome. It is fair to say then, that our safety is contingent on our ability to see any given situation clearly, and make effective decisions. We are experts at making decisio...
Sports, mainstream and non-mainstream, can be very challenging mentally and physically. I admire the athleticism of the non-mainstream athlete (climber, kayaker, skier, etc…) as much as the mainstream basketball or football player. It is essential that coaches of all sports understand the requirements of their particular sport, and when I work with athletes I always set up the training program t...
Aerie’s Semester in Wilderness Medicine is a completely unique program in the wilderness medicine field, providing students with industry-leading certifications earned through unparalleled experiential learning opportunities. The rigorous academic program employs realistic scenarios, interactive lectures, as well as clinical observations in a variety of settings, including an urban American emer...
WRI will be heading out to NOC for the Whitewater Symposium. We are very excited to be participating in this great event again. The Symposium is a unique opportunity to sit down and listen, discuss, and share thoughts about the whitewater industry. We hope to share some of our river safety knowledge, but even more than that, we hope to learn what else is happening on rivers. If you're in the area...
We are very excited to announce a few new additions to the 2010 schedule. First, we will be offer two Advanced SWRT courses on the Gallatin River on May 15-16 and May 30-31. We will also be offering an Advanced course here in Missoula sometime in July. Next, we are excited to be working with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad again. We are working with their containment teams in Havre, Monta...
The Montana River Association (MRA) is up and running. It's mission is to provide education, stewardship, and advocacy for the river recreation community of western Montana. MRA will be hosting a series of Rolling/Paddling session in the Currents Pool in Missoula. The first session is on Sunday, Jan 24th from 6-8pm. MRA will be asking for a $5.00 donation from members and $15 donation (this wil...
“Whether you are a river-rookie or an experienced boater, WRI tailors their classes to what you need to learn in a fun and challenging environment. Their scenario based teaching approach creates an electric learning atmosphere where you feel like you are in actual river rescue situations. I would recommend them to anybody!”
