Instruction and Guiding by Northwest River Guides

Come join NRG’s certified kayak instructors for a fun and educational 2.5-hour class on the Willamette River.  Try out a stable recreational kayak from Next Adventure as we paddle to Ross Island.  This is an excellent chance to test out different equipment and get professional feedback before you buy.  In our Intro-To-Kayaking class you will learn basic kayak nomenclature and proper stroke techniques, as well as get a chance to sneak up on some unsuspecting great blue herons, and ospreys.  Ross Island hosts refuge to a large number of wildlife, so don’t forget to bring your binoculars.  By the end of the class, you will be equipped with the knowledge to safely paddle recreational or sea kayaks on your own adventures.

No prior experience is necessary.  All equipment included.

Trips take place every Sunday at 9 am, beginning May 10.

$40 per person.  Minimum age 14.

What do you need to bring? Dress appropriately for the weather.  A pair of shoes that can get wet makes launching the kayak an easier task. A bottle of water and a light snack are nice

Will you flip over and get wet? Not likely, but it is a remote possibility.  We recommend that you wear clothes that won’t get ruined if they get wet and leave your camera in the car.  One of your guides will have a camera along and will send you photos at no additional cost.

IMPORTANT: You must register prior to the trip.  You can do so by visiting Next Adventure at the corner of SE Stark and Grand, Portland, OR or by calling the NRG office at 503.772.1122.

View Larger Map

Northwest River Guides teaches beginner kayak lesson in Portland, OR.  Most whitewater kayak classes start out in the pool where we work on the basic maneuvers(strokes) of whitewater kayaking – sweeps, corrections and braces.   We also work on some skills that involve getting wet – the wet exit and eskimo rescue – which is why pools are so great for learning to kayak.  These classes take place Mon-Wed evening from 8-9:30pm.

Our River Classes are the best introduction to whitewater kayaking.  We learn the basics moves in whitewater kayaking – eddy turns, peel outs and ferries  – and apply them to the river to have fun and be safe.  Classes are taught on the bunny slopes of whitewater, class 1 rapids.  NRG 4 hour River Classes are taught on Saturday at 9am or Sunday at 2pm.

Pool Classes take place at USA Athletics in NE Portland, 8333 NE Russell Street, Portland, OR.

River Classes take place on the Sandy River or the Clackamas River depending on river conditions and levels.

For more information or to register for a class, please call the NRG office at 503.772.1122.

NRG Instructor Mike Gottlieb on Canyon Creek

Now that the weather has warmed-up, hopefully it’ll be a little easier to motivate myself and get out on the river.  One of the things that I’ve found most helpful is weekday paddling on the Willamette.  By training regularly on flatwater, through strokes and endurance, I can dramatically improve my paddling ability on whitewater.  Below is the training program that I use.  Give it a shot and it will make a big difference in your weekend whitewater paddling. – Dave

Flatwater Training for Whitewater Kayaking by Dave Hoffman

Warm Up
20-30 strokes forward at slow pace
20-30 strokes forward at medium pace
20-30 strokes forward at fast pace
20-30 strokes backward at slow pace
20-30 strokes backward at medium pace
20-30 strokes backward at fast pace
Stretch for at least 5-10 minutes

Stroke Technique
15 forward sweeps, left and right
15 reverse sweeps, left and right
5 sweep combinations each direction
15 low braces, left and right
15 high braces , left and right
30-45 seconds low brace sculling, left and right
30-45 seconds high brace sculling, left and right
15 1/8 sweeps – Just the first 4-8 inches of the forward sweep, focusing on turing torso ahead of the stroke, no arms at all, left and right

Edge Control and Paddle Dexterity
Paddle forward in large circle on edge, left and right
Paddle forward in small circle on edge, left and right
Repeat using only inside paddle blade
5-8 duffeks on each side
C-stroke circles, starting large and gradually decreasing radius of the circle
Repeat with feathered c-strokes
Paddle backwards just using reverse sweeps – 30-45 seconds
Cross-bow draws, starting small and gradually increasing radius of the circle
Compound reverse strokes, at least 20 on each side
Feathered sweeps(keeping blade in the water), 15 forwards and backwards on each side

Conditioning
There are several options depending on what type of workout you are looking to receive.
Aerobic- the key is very little rest, keeping your heart rate at 120-130 bpm for as long as you can.  A good intro is 60 minutes of total paddling with 15 minutes forward, 5 backwards, 10 forwards, stretch for 5 minutes and repeat
Some other options:
Pyramids – 1 minutes at 75% of top speed, rest for 10 seconds, 2 minutes at 75%, rest, repeat for 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes.  Take this up to as high as you can.
Leap Frogs – You need 3 paddlers and not more than 5 for this one but it is the best to do in a group.  Line everyone up bow to stern in a straight line.  Begin paddling at an easy pace.  The paddler in the rear will accelerate to the side of the group as fast as they can, sprinting towards head of the line.  When they reach the front of the line, they take the lead and the now last paddler begins their sprint.  All paddlers should sprint at least 2 times, 3 is ideal.
Intervals – One of my favorites.  Paddle at 80% for 5 minutes with 10 seconds rest.  1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th forward, 3rd, 5th backwards.  The backwards groups are brutal the first few times you do them but great for you.  You can ease into it started at 3 minute cycles.

Anaerobic – The key here is tons of rest.  You want to feel fully refreshed at the start of each cycle.  Most paddlers don’t really need to work on aerobic strength unless you are preparing for a competition.
4-3-2-1 – This example is for a 7 minute race on difficult whitewater.  Paddle at 70% for 4 minutes, 80% for 3 minutes, 90% for 2 minutes and 100% for 1 minute.  Rest, warm down and stretch for 15 minutes.  Repeat no more than twice.  You want to feel as if you have plenty of “gas” for the race so that you will not make mistakes due to fatigue and can give your all on the flatwater sections.
Boatercross Training-  Sprint for 1 minutes, all out.  Rest for 3 minutes. Repeat.  As workout continues, increase the length of rest.  As always, food and water right before and during a workout and a solid meal within 45 minutes after.  Your body needs fuel if you are going to work it hard and you cannot have it wanting for anything.

I am really looking forward to another great spring of kayak lessons and raft trips.  Last weekend Northwest River Gudies taught our annual Oregon Whitewater Association Swiftwater Rescue Workshop. We had sunny skies and warm temps, making for the most pleasurable swiftwater rescue class I have taught in the Pacific Northwest.

Now that it is warming up, we’ll have kayak lessons, river classes and rafting trips every weekend through to the fall.  I am really looking forward to our rafting trips to the Sandy River Gorge and beginner kayak classes in the pool and on the Clackamas and Sandy River.

Also, as the summer comes into full effect, the snowed in roads in the upper parts of the Cascades will start to become accessible again.  I am looking forward to many cool trips into the mountains this season, like Upper Yellowjacket Creek(pictured above).

-Dave

Sandy River Family Whitewater

One of our most popular trips, this section of the Sandy River runs through the designated-wilderness area closest to Portland.  Beginning where Bull Run flows into the Sandy River, this trip starts out with a bang- class III Pipeline Rapids.  The river continues for six miles at a fast clip through numerous class II-III rapids with amazing scenery and waterfalls plunging directly into the river.   Come experience the Sandy River with Northwest River Guides!

Price: $55

Times: Every Sunday at 10am

To register for a trip, call Northwest River Guides at 503.772.1122

Sandy River Gorge, near Sandy, OR

The Sandy Gorge is the most exciting rafting trip within an hour of Portland.  From the slopes of Mount Hood, the Sandy River gains momentum and size as it descends toward the Columbia River.  This trip contains the steepest and most congested sections of the Sandy.  Beginning with busy class II whitewater punctuated by class III+ Alder Creek Rapids, the river drops into the Sandy Gorge for an unparalleled challenge. The gorge contains class III-IV+ rapids and is an solid advanced rafting trip.  Less than an hour from Portland, the Sandy Gorge is the best bet for Portlanders who want to get a great day of rafting without a ton of travel.  Get ready for an thrilling day on the river with Northwest River Guides.

Price: $70

Times: Every Saturday at 9am

To register for a trip, call Northwest River Guides at 503.772.1122

We had another great day on the river with the OKCC Beginner Trip.  Lots on fun with some great folks.  Enjoy the photos. -Dave

Dave surfs Spencer’s on the N. Santiam.

Brent at Spencer’s Hole on the N. Santiam River, OR.

Kevin charges down into Spencer’s Hole on the N Santiam River, OR.

Patty blasts through Spencer’s Hole on the N Santiam River near Gates, OR.

Relaxing on the N Santiam River during an OKCC Beginner Trip.

Checking out the scene at Spencer’s Hole on the N Santiam River, OR.

Rolling classes have really taken off in the last few weeks.  As the weather starts to warm up, we had a bunch of students beginning their progression packages, our basic program for learning to whitewater kayaking, and the rolling has been great.  Nearly all of our students have learned to roll in their first class dedicated to rolling(the second overall) and I really feel like I am well prepared for another great season of kayak classes.

Here are some basic hints to help you with your roll-

• It is all about the hipsnap.  Nothing else is even close to the hipsnap in importance to a sucessful roll.  If you have a great hipsnap, any errors in technique can easily be overcome.
• Get head and upper body close to the surface of the water before you begin rolling. The less distance this wieght has to move, the less power you need for your roll
• Use your paddle. You may have heard that you don’t use your paddle to roll – that is false.  First you use your hipsnap to flip your boat over, then you use your paddle to get your body out of the water.  If you use your paddle to flip your boat over(i.e. not hipsnapping well enough) you won’t be able to use your paddle to get your body up and you will not roll.
• Practice your bracing. Bracing, keeping your boat upright in the first place, is more important than rolling.  It is also a lot easier.  The better you bracing is, the more comfortable you are, the easier it will be to learn to brace.
• Hipsnap, hipsnap, hipsnap. If you are having trouble, work on you hipsnap.  It is 85% of your roll.

Still no luck?  Give me a call at 503.772.1122 and let’s talk about what is going on.

Regards,

Dave, Lead Instructor, Northwest River Guides

Me teaching a student at UNC-Greensboro to roll during the 2007 College Tour.

NRG two-day swiftwater training is a hands on two-day customized class for recreational kayakers, rafters, and guides who want to hone their swiftwater rescue skills. Each day is broken up into a classroom module and an experiential component. Day 1 starts with rescue theory and hydrology. We will introduce several different types of ropes and teach the minimalist approach to hardware, knots, and other tools. We will introduce foot entrapments / bow pins, contact rescues, wading rescues, and swimming in rapids. Day 2 focuses on group management, victim behavior, and preemptive safety. We will teach you how to build and pick proper anchors, and elaborate on mechanical advantage from a minimalist standpoint. Finally, we will recreate real life scenarios that will test all the knowledge you have learned, and help you build the judgment that will help save lives.

To register for the course, please call the NRG office at 503.772.1122 or email northwestriverguides@gmail.com

Date – Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19

Time – 9 am – 6pm

Location – Sandy River

Cost: $250

Kayak Night at Next Adventure, Wednesday, April 15, SE Stark and Grand
7:15 Adventures in the Pacific Northwest

Hear great stories about whitewater adventures and multiday trips in some of the most remote areas of the Pacific Northwest.  Big waterfalls, remote canyons and the beautiful places captured by Sam’s photography will be the highlight of this presentation.  Learn several of the important lessons Sam’s received on these unique trips.

Attendees of this presentation can receive a 10% discount for NRG’s upcoming SWR Workshop (April 18-19).

We’ll then split up for two presentations, one for beginning paddlers and one for experienced paddlers.

7:40 All About Your Throw Rope w/ NRG Instructor Dave Hoffman
A throw ropes is the most basic tool of swiftwater rescue and a safety essential for every whitewater paddler.  Learn about the common usages, simple ways rescue your friends.  We’ll also discuss what length, material and type of throw bag is best for each types of whitewater enthusiasts.

7:40 Boat Buying 101 w/ Luke Spencer
For those looking to buy your first kayak we’re holding a first time kayak buyers clinic.  We’ll go over the basics of the different styles and uses of kayaks, from whitewater to recreational to multi-day sea-kayaks. You’ll also receive a 10% off coupon for the next boat you purchase!