Please note, we are in the process of redesigning our curriculum and will provide updates by April 2024.
Four Corners Guides Instructional courses
We base our instructional courses on confidence and skill progression. We start slow and push you a little harder as we go, tailoring the experience to your own personal abilities. For Beginner to Intermediate courses, you’ll learn a wide variety of skills, from the basics to more advanced river reading techniques. We offer beginner to advanced packraft paddling skills and expedition courses.
Beginner (B), Beginner/Intermediate (B-I) & Intermediate Courses (I)
Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out what level packrafter you are. Fear not, we have created a Four Corners-Guides specific guide to help you self-assess your abilities. You will find that guide on our blog, “What Level Packrafter Are You?” We’ll follow up your self-assessment with a pre-trip registration questionnaire and sometimes a phone conversation.
However, regardless of what skills you have, we strive to meet you where you are at. We run courses with a 4:1 guest to guide ratio (except for swiftwater rescue courses, which are a 6:1 guest to guide ratio). So you’ll get plenty of one-on-one attention no matter the course you’re in. check out our beginner to intermediate curriculum below.
Curriculum
Paddling & River Reading Skills
- ✓Swimming and general water confidence
- ✓Self-rescue & buddy assistance
- ✓Dealing with currents
- ✓Aggressive & defensive swimming position
- ✓Decision making
- ✓Hazards & river dynamics
- ✓Basic paddle strokes
- ✓Using eddies
- ✓Swift water entry
- ✓River commands
- ✓Spacing on the river
Backcountry & Boat Maintenance Skills
- ✓Equipment (use and care)
- ✓Field repair-tips & tricks
Beginner Expedition Planning
- ✓Trip planning & logistics
- ✓Multi-day trip pack lists
- ✓How to pack light for backcountry packraft adventures
- ✓How/where to pack your gear
- ✓Expedition food planning and prep
- ✓Leave No Trace practices in the backcountry
- ✓Reading whitewater/hazards and avoiding them
- ✓Navigation in the field, finding camp, etc
Intermediate/Advanced (I-A) & Advanced Courses (A)
So you’ve paddled Class III and maybe even Class IV, and you can easily self rescue every time? Do you often take others out, but you’re not 100% sure about your leadership skills?
Do you want to learn advanced whitewater paddling skills in your packraft? Are you interested in honing your technical and complex strokes? How would you like to expertly navigate eddies? Do you want to know how to better read the river? Want to make excellent decisions as a group? Do you want to learn to manage vertical drops and surf like a pro?
Would you like to learn more about expedition planning, from planning and packing to understanding GIS and paper maps so you can get after it in the backcountry?
If the answer is yes to some or all of these questions, an advanced course may be the next step you should take in your packrafting career. Advanced instructional courses will take you to the next level in boating. Check out our general curriculum check list below. We offer both Intermediate to advanced paddling courses and expedition planning courses.
Curriculum
To participate in the advanced courses, you’re expected to be an intermediate/advanced to advanced paddler. You should have mastered all the skills outlined in the beginner/intermediate courses.
Intermediate to Advanced Paddling Skills
- ✓Technical and complex strokes
- ✓Dancing with the river: running big waves and laterals.
- ✓Managing vertical drops
- ✓Surfing
- ✓Paddling a expedition loaded boat in whitewater
- ✓How to read whitewater
Intermediate to Advanced Expedition Planning
- ✓Using online resources: GIS, USGS water gauges, Google Earth, etc
- ✓Navigation in the field
- ✓Trip planning & logistics
- ✓Expedition pack lists
- ✓What to pack and how/where to pack it
- ✓Expedition vs. personal items
- ✓Expedition food planning and prep
- ✓Leave No Trace practices in the backcountry
- ✓Managing your backcountry camping and boating gear
- ✓How to find a good camp
- ✓Time management skills
- ✓How to efficiently transition from the river to camp
- ✓Read & run style boating
- ✓Reading whitewater/hazards and avoiding them
- ✓Expedition mentality
Group Dynamics
- ✓Scouting and decision-making
- ✓Group selection
- ✓Expedition group dynamics
- ✓Group downstream travel technique & communications
- ✓Eddy hopping, traveling in groups. How to travel down a river safely by eddy hopping in groups
- ✓Clear communication: hand signals
- ✓Setting safety and choosing challenges: review, practice and implementation
Packraft Hacks
- ✓Basic optional roll instruction (not a focus, but you may request)
- ✓Backcountry repairs clinic
- ✓Storytelling