Class III Safety & Rescue Course Reviews

This course was Rad! The instructors were great & I feel like I learned a lot of essential skills and best practices for whitewater safety and rescue. I was stoked with all the hands on experience, down river sessions and rescue scenarios. Take this course if you want to up your safety and rescue game.

A++ all around. The instructors are enthusiastic, welcoming, and inclusive of all skill levels. I felt supported and encouraged throughout the learning process and will certainly be booking more skills training and educational courses as I progress in my boating endeavors. Besides the high level of training, my top take away from this experience is that a drysuit is a game changer. I got so much more out of this training by being comfortable, warm, and in proper attire to learn. For any spring classes or cold water river training, the drysuit rental may as well be a requirement. I am so grateful the rental option was available, I would not have been as engaged if I was in a wetsuit. Thank you NWRC!

Everything was incredible from the gear (the drysuit was clutch and allowed me to focus on learning and spending time in the water rather than being cold and worrying about getting wet), The course content was well-thought-out and well presented, our instructors were great human beings and so knowledgeable, and the food was delicious! 10/10 would recommend!

Didn’t know how much I needed this course until I took it! Our instructors Claire and Mark were thorough, gave great instruction and were hilarious. Definitely feeling more confident on the water after taking this course!

Top notch instruction coupled with a great 3-days having fun while learning and practicing mandatory river safety and rescue skills. If you’re a private boater you need this course to be safe and take good care of your friends and family

The guides were excellent at explaining and demonstrating safety and rescue techniques and let us practice and learn these skills, with just the right amount of guidance and with positivity and humility. Great teachers and training!!! Thanks so much. I didn’t even know what I didn’t know. I now have a healthier respect for the rivers and rafting sport.

It's obvious that Mark, Austin and Zack really love their jobs. They constantly searched for new creative ways to make our rescue class even more engaging and tailored it to fit the skill level of our group. They never once took the easy way, but really strove to make our experience as rich as possible. NW Rafting will always be my first choice for when looking for a class or guided experience!

The Class III Rescue course is a must for anyone who spends time on the river. Our instructors, Mark, Austin and Zach, designed our lessons to build our skills systematically and with ample on-the-water opportunity to practice, learn from fails without judgement, and practice again to the point of competence and confidence. The course was rigorous, the water was cold and I am so glad I did it as I gained knowledge and skill in responding to the types of dangerous situations one hopes never to get in to but should always be prepared for.

When we adventure we often cross into a line where we don't know what we don't know. Rafting is no different. This course really helped me put into perspective my current ability and feel motivated to get out on the rivers and learn more.

Fantastic class. Well thought out. Top-notch instructors. Professional and also fun and down to earth, without compromising any of the seriousness of whitewater rescue.

I could not have asked for a better experience and introduction to Class III safety rescue than what our group was treated to on the Upper Clackamas. Instructors were fun, knowledgeable, good people, and most importantly they kept us safe. If you ever have an opportunity to do anything with NWRC, DO IT!!!! Zach has built an incredible company full of people you want to be around, and who are eager to share their love of boating and boating safely. Many thanks!!!!

I was really impressed with every instructor's ability to cater the course to each participant's needs while offering a range of applied learning styles. 14/10 instructors that genuinely made learning fun and valuable, and it was nice to see the ways they worked together as a team as well. This was one of the most engaging, welcoming, and valuable classes I've taken. I left feeling more empowered and excited about future river days after my first NWRC course, and would encourage anyone who is whitewater-curious to explore their offerings.

I really enjoyed how personable, knowledgable and approachable all of the instructors were. It was a safe learning environment without any ego. I got so much useful information from the course that I will be able to use with my friends and family. It also got me stoked for rafting season! Thanks for the great class 🙂

The class was fun, relevant and approachable. Great place to learn new skills or hone older ones. Fun way to improve the safety of our sport.

I took the course as a frequent raft passenger (versus rower/raft owner) and all the material was applicable. I feel more confident going on the water, and am excited to contribute new safety/rescue skills and gear tips to the group. Instructors were super knowledgeable and kept it fun. Would recommend!

So glad you’ve added the Class III Safety Course! This was just the right course for my skill level. I learned new skills in the classroom that I’ll be able to apply to planning and decision-making on my personal trips. And swimming and boating the Hood River (my home river!) for the first time was a challenge I felt supported to meet. Thank you Northwest Rafting, this course was super valuable!

Fifteen out of five stars on Yelp - in other words - off the charts awesome! I highly recommend NWRC's Class III Safety and Rescue Course for private boaters of all skill levels.