Guide Training & Global Best Practices
This article recaps the “Guide Training & Global Best Practices” presentation I shared at this year’s IOGA Annual Meeting and America Outdoors Conference. Quick Links 👉 Guide Training and Global…
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Training for Experienced River Guides
Guide Training & Education Workshops
International Rafting Federation
IRF Guide Training & Education Workshops
Raft Guide, Trip Leader, and Instructor Workshops
- Location: Hood River, Oregon, USA
- Length: 5 days for Raft Guide and Trip Leader Workshop
- Prerequisites: Experience as a commercial guide, commercial guide logbook, and first aid certification
- Additional Cost: IRF Award Fees
I feel super dialed going into my future river seasons
I feel super dialed going into my future river seasons
★★★★★
“My highlight of this IRF course by far were our top notch instructors, Mark, Zach, Ethan and Austin. They all brought decades of world class whitewater experience and were chomping at the bit to share it with us. I learned a ton about my leadership on the water, solving problems, my guiding, my gear and feel super dialed going into my future river seasons. I also now have a tangible set of goals to focus on in my upcoming seasons thanks to my instructors. We got to run amazing whitewater in beautiful places and our class was so much fun.”
- Jonas McCall-Sorkin
Join us for an International Rafting Federation (IRF) workshop for river guides and trip leaders facilitated by Mark Hirst and/or Zach Collier. These courses are intended for experienced river guides and whitewater professionals looking to be evaluated compared to the IRF standard and learn current global best practices. IRF awards are recognized for river guiding and trip leading around the world.
Raft Guide Workshop
The first three days of these workshops assess the fundamentals of commercial river guiding. Assessments are completed on the level of whitewater corresponding to the level of the guide. Guides are assessed on the IRF assessments including:
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Safety and paddle talk
- Whitewater boating skills and crew management
- Flip and throw-bag tests
- Whitewater swimming
- Building a 3:1 rope system with appropriate anchors
- Written exam
In order to receive an IRF Guide Certification you must first submit a logbook, first aid, and CPR certification. During the workshop you will need to pass a guide assessment which includes a written exam.
If time allows we may also assess candidates for safety raft or safety kayak awards. In order to receive an award you must pass both the raft guide assessment and a safety craft assessments.
Trip Leader Workshop
The fourth and fifth day are spent evaluating trip leader candidates with on-river scenarios. These scenarios are designed to test their decision-making, communication skills, delegation ability, and performance during a rescue. They are designed to be as realistic as possible, again corresponding to the level of the guide being assessed.
“The IRF Trip Leader class not only gave me an important certification for future guiding, it also allowed me to learn from other great guides, scenario-based situations, and improve my own skills in the process”- Ellie “Ldub” Friedmann
An IRF Trip Leader candidate also needs to have valid advanced first aid certificate that includes CPR. Upon successfully passing the qualification, the IRF issues an IRF Trip Leader Certification.
If you have questions about IRF training, please give us a call or check out our IRF Guide Training and Education FAQ.
IRF Instructor Workshop
The Instructor Workshop is the first step toward becoming an IRF Instructor. To be eligible, you must already hold an IRF Trip Leader award with high scores (typically 4 or 5 points across all assessed skills). If you do not yet have an IRF Trip Leader award, you can complete the 5-day IRF Guide and Trip Leader Workshop prior to the Instructor Workshop.
- Provisional Instructor Award If you successfully pass the Instructor Workshop, you will receive a provisional instructor award. This allows you to co-deliver IRF workshops only when a fully certified (non-provisional) IRF Instructor is present.
- Full IRF Instructor Status To upgrade to a full instructor award you’ll need to organize and deliver a complete IRF workshop under the direct observation of an IRF Instructor Trainer.
Meet Our Instructors
About Mark Hirst
Mark Hirst is an internationally recognized rafting and safety instructor with decades of experience navigating and teaching in the world’s most demanding river environments. Originally from Manchester, England, and now based in Iceland, Mark is the founder of Lapin Koskikoulu (Lapland River School). As one of only a handful of International Rafting Federation (IRF) Instructor Trainers worldwide and a senior instructor for Rescue 3 Europe, he has dedicated his career to elevating global safety standards.
Mark’s expertise spans the globe, having led workshops in diverse locations including Bosnia, Russia, Nepal, India, Morocco, and Iceland. His teaching philosophy centers on a “real-world” approach, focusing on hands-on practical skills and fostering the confidence necessary to manage complex rescue situations. When he isn’t traveling for IRF workshops, Mark is often found in Iceland where he specializes in both whitewater and ice rescue training.
About Zach Collier
Zach Collier is the owner of Northwest Rafting Company and a leading advocate for river conservation and professional education in the United States. With a background in mechanical engineering from UC Davis and Stanford, Zach transitioned from a career in academia to follow his passion for whitewater, eventually co-founding Northwest Rafting Company in 2009.
He is an IRF Raft, Safety Raft, and Safety Kayak Instructor, as well as a Rescue 3 Whitewater Rescue Instructor. Zach’s extensive expedition resume includes technical rowing and guiding in Siberia, Bhutan, Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Bosnia, and Chile, alongside his deep-rooted expertise on the Middle Fork of the Salmon, Rogue, Illinois, Chetco and Owyhee rivers. Beyond his work on the water, Zach is an active member of the America Outdoors Association board and a dedicated lobbyist for the protection of wild rivers. His instructional style blends technical precision with a passion for digital education, aiming to provide guides with the modern tools and systems needed to run world class multi-day expeditions.
We are licensed by the Oregon State Marine Board and operate under special use permit with the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. This institution operates under a special use permit with the Mt. Hood National Forest, USDA, USFS.