Smoky Mountain Outdoors Guide Training

Smoky Mountain Outdoors, the premier outfitter on the Pigeon River, will be holding their core raft guide training during a five day period from May 16^th through May 21st. Five days of the training will be on the Big Pigeon River and on Friday the training will go to the Nolichucky to work on technical skills. For more information visit Smoky Mountain Outdoors web site at www.smokymountainrafting.com or e-mail them at info@smokymountainrafting.com. Below is the course outline for the 2008 Smoky Mountain Outdoors training program.

Classroom: Introductions and welcome by management and trainers

-Expectations for trainees, attendance, be on time, etc.

-Guest expectations

-Discussion on balance of using crew with paddle commands and using own paddle to steer

-Go over paddle commands

At outpost: Trainers demonstrate boat inflation and boat loading

At put-in: Demonstration of paddle strokes used to steer

River: Pigeon River 2 trips

1^st trip Low flow – Trainers start guiding as if commercial trip, with explanations on what they are doing, how they are guiding the rafts and treating the guests, then trainees take over.

At take-out: Trainers load boats

Between trips classroom: Reading water and hydrology

-Whitewater terminology

Lunch break

At put-in: Walk up to Big Creek and walk a portion to look at water reading features on a small scale

2^nd trip -

At put in: Trainees unload boats with a trainer

Trainer demonstrate a guide intro

On-river: Trainees start guiding

Scout Lost Guide from below

Focus on: reading water

Timing (making calls in advance)

Exaggeration of angles

Post trip: Trainees carry boats and store gear

Closing rounds

Classroom: Review boat maneuvering: Exaggeration of angles

Plan ahead, make moves early

Ferrying - Definition

-Basic ferrying angles relative to the current

-Forward and Back ferrying (brief discussion on downstream ferries)

-Why use ferries

-When to use each type

Efficient use of angles

At outpost: Trainees begin inflating and loading boats

Go over gear to bring on all trips (first aid kits, etc.), trainees will load this

Throw bag demonstrations and land practice

River: Pigeon River 2 trips

1^st trip Low Flow - 

At put-in Demonstration of why ferries work

Scout Powerhouse and point out Brad’s Tooth

On river: At put-in, trainers demonstrate ferrying

Trainees each do ferries at Cottonball

Glenn begin working angle drill, will do on each low flow the rest of the week

2^nd trip -  try to put in just ahead of flow, so can watch water come up (change of features) from river.

Drill - trainees guide without using their own paddle to practice using their crews

Scout Lost Guide Rapid

After second run - Lunch break

3^rd trip (if time) - Drill - Lots of Ferries

Post trip: Trainees carry boats and store gear

Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering techniques related to those rapids

Closing rounds

Wednesday, May 17

Aggressive boat maneuvering- running holes &

Eddy turns and peel outs

At put-in (CP & L park) - Guest Service, Seven sins not to do

Throw bag demonstration and practice

At put in where Dries comes in: Flip demonstration and drill and game.

2-trips

1st trip - Low flow, boat maneuvering

2nd trip - Full flow, ferries and eddy turns. 

More advanced, turkey boat R-1's

Throw bag bucket drill

Post trip: Trainees carry boats and store gear

Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering techniques related to those rapids

Classroom:

Stabilization and snag line demonstration

At outpost: Trainees inflate boats and load all gear

River: Pigeon River 2 or 3 trips

1^st trip - Low flow

Low flow technical boat maneuvering practice, angle drills

2^nd trip - At put-in: Demonstrate high-siding and low-siding

Go over paddle signals, hand signals and whistles

On river Lots more ferry practice

Eddy turns and peel outs practice

Scout Double Reactionary

Lunch break after 2^nd trip

3^rd trip (if time) - Full flow more practice ferrying

Post trip: Trainees carry boats and store gear

Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering techniques related to those rapids

River: Nolichucky River 1 Trip

Full day trip

Focus on putting ferries to use and being defensive on technical river

At put-in Discussion on surfing

On-river: Scout on the Rocks

Drill - Surfing at Jaws

Scout Quarter Mile, discuss run with limited change of angle

Lunch break on river

Throw bag practice at Dragontail and aggressive swimming and shallow water entry practice above Dragontail

Flip raft at Loner

Post trip: Trainees unload boats and store gear

Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering techniques related to those rapids

Closing rounds

Classroom: Anchors and Z-drags

River: Pigeon River 2 trips

1^st trip: If full flow, turkey boat R-1's, others in trainer rafts

2^nd trip  Run the river as if they were a guide

Post trip: Trainees put up gear

Review of rapids and how to use ferries and maneuvering techniques related to those rapids

Closing rounds