Trip Details
California Pro Guide Training

ARTA provides the following:

You are responsible for:

How to Get There:

Driving: Most students arrive at Camp Lotus by car. Driving time is 2 to 3 hours from the Bay Area and about 7 to 8 hours from Los Angeles.

From Sacramento: Take Highway 50 east 30 miles to the Ponderosa Road exit in Shingle Springs. Cross over the Highway and turn right onto North Shingle Road. Continue for 12 miles following the signs to Coloma and Lotus. At Bassi Road, (stop sign, just before entering the town of Lotus), turn left and go one mile to Camp Lotus on the right; meet your instructors at the ARTA sign in the parking lot.

From Placerville: Take Highway 49 north through the Gold Discovery State Park. Turn left on Lotus Road, (just before the bridge across the South Fork) and go 1 mile to Bassi Road, (stop sign). Turn right on Bassi Road and go 1 mile to Camp Lotus.

Flying:  The  nearest commercial airport to Camp Lotus is Sacramento. For transportation from the Sacramento Airport to Camp Lotus you can rent a car or pre-arrange an airport shuttle through Mountain Express 530-626-5500. Please call our office if you plan on using public transportation so that we can assist you in getting to and from Camp Lotus.

During the school: On the evening of day 5 we will car caravan to our facility in Groveland (3 hour drive from Camp Lotus). If you do not have a vehicle, we will be able to accommodate you in one of ours.

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Additional Information:

About the School:

Our 9 day Professional Guide Training Course is a fast-paced, active class designed to train prospective commercial river guides. The course is highly participatory and you should come prepared to pitch in, jump in, and do your share of the work.

While the emphasis of the school will be on rowing and paddling in low-volume, high-gradient, technical rivers, all aspects of commercial guiding will be covered, including training in river rescue, equipment maintenance, risk management, and emergency procedures as well as on-shore training in cooking, sanitation, and logistics. There will also be managed scenarios where your skills, judgment and responses will be assessed and reviewed, as well as team events, games, skills challenges and other fun activities to help hone your guiding and leadership skills. The rapids and the student responsibilities will increase in difficulty as the school progresses, making every day a challenge, an adventure and loads of fun.

Upon completion of the course, students should have the experience and skills necessary to qualify to be Assistant Guides on ARTA's commercial trips.

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Is this course for you?

This course is designed for active, enthusiastic and dynamic individuals who want a challenging, action-packed adventure. You don't need to be a world-class athlete but couch potatoes should definitely stay home. If you are the type of person who is first to get in line to wash dishes and last in line to get out of the surf, the course if for you. Some students come to the school with a lifetime of camping and rafting under their belts, others have never been in a boat before; all have succeeded (with no correlation). A positive attitude and solid work ethic are the most important things you can bring to the school.

Scholarships:

ARTA has a limited number of scholarships available for this course. Applications are available online or through the main office and should be returned well in advance

Description of Rivers:

The 9 day Professional Guide Training Course will take place on the South Fork of the American and Tuolumne Rivers. The South Fork is a Class III river with lots of medium-sized, fun rapids spread over a 20 mile stretch. We will spend the first 6 days of the school here, using Camp Lotus as our base camp and running between 10 and 20 miles of river each day. At least one night will be spent at a wilderness camp along the river, giving us experience rowing heavier oar rafts and setting up and breaking down a wilderness camp kitchen. After a thorough introduction we will transfer to the Tuolumne where we will encounter numerous longer and more challenging rapids as well as a more remote and inaccessible canyon. The stretches of river that we will run are designed to increase in difficulty as your skill level increases and may change due to flows or safety concerns.

Itinerary:

Days 1 - 4: After a brief orientation meeting the evening before the course begins, we will camp at Camp Lotus and spend the first four days rafting various stretches of the South and Middle Forks of the American. Depending on dam releases and skill levels we will raft 10 - 20 miles each day, concentrating on paddle techniques and basic paddle captaining. On day 4 we will depart Camp Lotus and car caravan to Groveland.

Days 5 - 7: We will raft the Tuolumne River from Meral's Pool to Ward's Ferry Bridge, camping along the river. On the Tuolumne, the number of oar rafts will increase to accommodate the additional gear loads that we will carry, but there will still be paddle rafts available. We will take out in the early afternoon on Day 7 and caravan back to the South Fork.

Days 8 - 9: Back on the South Fork for a "final exam."

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After the school:

We are looking for dynamic, hard-working people to work for us as guides and this course is a primary source. Most students will be given the opportunity to join ARTA on a commercial trip as an Assistant Guide (unpaid position), to further their training and prepare them for a guiding career. Generally, each qualified student will be scheduled for a week of Assistant Guide work sometime during the early summer.

Meals:

ARTA meals are well-balanced and consist of quality foods with fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables. The guides double as camp chefs and the menu includes a wide variety of dishes. Lunches usually consist of hand-foods and are served picnic-style at riverside stops. Dinners and breakfasts are cooked over an open fire and often include tasty Dutch Oven baked treats. If you have special dietary requirements or are celebrating a special event during the trip, please let us know in advance.

Drinks:

ARTA will provide fruit drinks at meals. If you would like soda, beer, wine, or liquor with your dinner, please bring your own in unbreakable containers, (beer and soda in cans, wine and liquor in plastic bottles). Due to weight and space restrictions, we ask that you limit the amount of canned drinks to a moderate amount.

Travel Insurance:

Because life is full of surprises, we suggest you consider purchasing supplemental travel insurance for your trip. Trip cancellation, evacuation, baggage loss and other coverages are available for between 4% and 11% of your trip cost. You can get more information at www.travelinsure.com; please enter ARTA's Participating Organization Number (215296) at the top of the enrollment form.

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More Information

If there are any questions we haven't answered, please feel free to contact us. Our office staff enjoys telling folks about our trips, so don't hesitate to call 800-323-2782.