FOUR CORNERS GUIDES

BIKE. PACK. RAFT

We run extraordinary human-powered adventures by bicycle and packraft to remote regions of the Four Corners (and Mexico & Chile) to change, challenge, empower and simplify peoples’ lives. Unplug, play hard and discover more. What’s your course?

🥶🌨Escape Winter! Packraft La Venta River!

Need 5⭐️ Reasons to Packraft La Venta River? How about… sunny swimming weather, excellent whitewater paddling, Mexican food and culture, learning new skills, and the most stunningly beautiful river setting. Join us this Jan 25-Feb 2, 2025 for a journey to and through el Arco del Tiempo. Read Chris Brinlee’s story on packrafting this special river.

Learn To Packraft

Turn the blue lines on maps into trails and acquire the whitewater paddling skills you need to run trips on your own! “We want you to get you on the edge of your own reality to feel things you’ve never experienced.” ~Head Guide Steve “Doom” Fassbinder.

Bikerafting Courses

Have you ever considered lashing your bike on a packraft, paddling down a river, then putting that boat on your bike and hopping on some single track? It’s as easy as that! Well sort of. It helps to understand how to transition and navigate a boat with a bike on it. So learn to Bikeraft!

Bikepacking in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park

There are still blank spots on the map, specifically in the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park. And Four Corners Guides has the exclusive permit to take you on bikepacking and packrafting trips into the Tribal Park.

International Packraft Courses

In 2025 we’re running three Level ⓶⓷ courses abroad: Expedition Packrafting in New Zealand and Chiapas, Mexico (January), New Zealand (February) and Chile (March).

What Level Are You?

How good of a packrafter are you? We know this is a tough question to answer. So we developed a self-assessment guide and pre-trip questionnaire to help place you in the right course. Other companies may have different criteria. Assess yourself…
Level 1 Beginner
You have no experience packrafting!
Level 2 Novice
You've navigated a single-person craft at least 6 to 10 times in a river with up to Class I/II rapids.
Level 3 Intermediate
You can solidly packraft any Class II+/III, catch eddies & self-rescue.
Level 4 Advanced
You solidly paddle Class III+ at high & low water, have swiftwater certification & can surf like a boss.

Bike. Pack. Raft

Guides & Instructors

Our Guides are all certified Wilderness First Responders and Swiftwater Safety Institute Swiftwater Rescue certified. And our Head Guides are American Canoe Association-certified Level 2-4 Packraft Instructors. Additionally, co-owner Steve Fassbinder is as an International Rafting Federation Whitewater Packraft Guide and Rescue 3 Technician, working toward his instructor certification.

Steve fassbinder mug good shot

Head Bike-Packraft Instructor & Co-Owner

head guide thad ferrell

Head Bike-Packraft Instructor, Fly Fishing Guide

Krista Beyer

Packraft Instructor

Tyler Marlow

Packraft Instructor

Packraft Instructor

Jeff Creamer

Advanced Packraft & Swiftwater Rescue Instructor

Kayla Nardozzi assistant guide

Assistant Packrafting Guide

jon-yazzie-1-square

Bikepacking & Bikerafting Instructor

What You Will Learn

We base our instructional courses on confidence and skill progression. Thus we push you a little bit harder each time you advance. As well, we tailor your experience to your abilities. So beginner to intermediate paddlers will learn a wide variety of skills, from basic/intermediate paddle strokes to river reading skills. While more advanced boaters will delve into technical and complex strokes, advanced expedition planning and group decision making. Learn more on our Packrafting Curriculum Page.
  • Swimming & General Water Confidence
  • Self Rescue & Buddy Assistance
  • Hazards & River Dynamics
  • Using Eddies
  • Dealing with Currents
  • Technical & Complex Strokes
  • Running Big Waves & Laterals
  • Managing Vertical Drops
  • Paddling an Expedition Loaded Boat in Whitewater
  • How to Read Whitewater

Happy customers

From our gallery