Looking For An Outdoor Job This Summer? Who Makes For The Perfect Raft Guide?

Are you at work right now sitting behind a desk, in front of a computer, hunched over the keyboard, staring out the window wishing for something better? Well you’re a member of the biggest club in America. The I Hate My Job Club! There is little doubt about it, few people nowadays enjoy what they do for a living. Worse yet, there are likely more people who despise their job than those who simply don’t enjoy it. But let’s do a little math to keep this in perspective.

Let’s say that you work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year over the course of 40 years (aged 20-60). This would mean that combined, your total hours of being an industrious person would be 83,200. Imagine that, 83,200 hours of essentially pure unhappiness slaving away at a job you abhor. And for what? Good pay, good health insurance, good vacation time off. Is endless misery worth that?

Now if you have a family to provide for, than by all means suffer. In that sense, your devotion to  familial duty is admirable and expected from you. But for the countless thousands of people who are not beholden to caring for a family, or continuing that rat race, climbing that latter and chasing that cheese, is money a good replacement for sanity and happiness? There are plenty of jobs out there that won’t feel like work for you. Jobs where vacation time feels unneeded. Where you wake up everyday and actually want to rush off to work… skipping and whistling all the way.

In the end that perfect and ideal job is dependent on the person, but for many people, and especially those that work for Wilderness Aware Rafting, we have a passion for our profession. We love rafting, the outdoors, meeting new people, and teaching our skills to those willing to learn. We love providing a unique and memorable experience for people, and as such, we love our jobs. So to help perhaps jog your memory of what it is you truly love, let us tell you what it is about our jobs we love and why we are perfect for it. Maybe you’ll be persuaded to perhaps undue your noose of a tie and chase your dream. Because for us… we’ve not only found it, but seized it firmly.

Why Being A Raft Guide Is Great

There are countless reasons why being a rafting guide is great, and most of these points would probably be the same for any person who provides similar adventure services. For starters our office is outdoors and the wilderness is our boardroom. When we get to go to work, we don’t have to deal with phone calls… but bird calls. We don’t have to listen next to the water cooler about a co-workers thrilling weekend. We make our own thrills and the only thing we have to listen to is the ragging of the river or the babbling of a brook.

We never get tired of sitting because sitting is supposed to be a time to relax. Which we do in between the moments of excitement and pure adrenaline rushes that the river provides. We don’t have to look at profit margins or a projects ROI because we are too busy planning for adventure. We don’t have to hit the gym after work because work is our gym and it provides the best workout we could want. We don’t have to deal with pesky and annoying coworkers because everyone we work aside is like-minded and passionate about the same things we are.

When we leave work, it is impossible to take any work home with us even though many of us would like to at times, especially in the off-season. We get to not only meet interesting people everyday but also get to educate them as well. Our inspiration begets inspiration in them and we take pride in that. We have the opportunity to provide memorable experiences for those we guide, ones we know will last many years and stories that will be told countless times. Rafting to us doesn’t feel like work because it is a labor of love. Because in the end, and how we see it, we get to play all day every day. How is that even considered work? This is not meant to cause jealousy, but simply remind people that for those that want it, a job you could love is available somewhere. You just have to think hard what it is that makes you happy… and go for it. For us, there is little else we could ask for. Except maybe a river that runs year round… and for those who can’t handle the off months, those are available as well.

What is Required To Become a Rafting Guide

When it comes down to it, very little is required to become a whitewater rafting guide. The hard essentials are that you must be at least 18 years old and you must be currently 1st Aid and CPR certified. You may never have even set foot in a boat, but don’t be discouraged. Most rafting companies will train you on everything you need to know. How to properly use gear, rafting techniques and jargon,how to read rivers, and how to understand river obstacles/hazards. As far as rafting itself is concerned, no employer will put you on a river if either you or them don’t feel comfortable.

You must also be willing to live in the area you will be rafting. Generally this means sleeping in cars, trucks, buses, tents, and cabins for the summer. For those that like to camp anyhow this is usually a benefit as it gives them even more time outdoors. In the end though, the most important traits a person can have if they want to be a whitewater rafting guide is character and attitude. For those that truly love the outdoors, people, and rafting, there is never a problem. But you always have to keep a professional attitude, be courteous and kind to customers, have the initiative to do tasks that need to be completed, and above all you have to be able to work under pressure. Multi-day trips, long hours, becoming wet and cold and essentially just keeping high spirits for the sake of coworkers and customers is paramount. No one wants a moody or crabby guide/co-worker, and no one especially wants to have to pay for one.

Who Makes For The Best Rafting Guides

Now as awesome as we make being a river rafting guide sound, it is certainly not for everyone. You certainly need to be in relatively good shape, you have to be high spirited, and like to talk to people (you will be sitting next and communicating with a great number of strangers). You have to have a love for the outdoors because at times it is going to try and beat you down. You’ll no doubt become tired and fatigued at times, have to deal with cold nights, hot days, and every other potential headache nature can throw at you. You have to have a never-give-up type of attitude because frankly, when you are 100 miles from the nearest road and a number of people are counting on you, you don’t have the option of giving up. You have to be a leader as that is exactly what you will be doing everyday.

But remember, this is all for rafting guides and there are plenty of other outdoor jobs available if being wet isn’t your thing. You just have to look, keep an open mind, and an important note… don’t expect to get rich. The wealth accumulated through jobs like these are mostly found in happiness and the love of the job. You’ll never find a river guide who hates rafting, because without that love, they won’t remain guides for long. On a side note, many adventure type jobs may not pay as well as you would hope. But you have to figure that in the time you are working, you will have no other expenses. Lodging is outside, and food is provided. Not to mention, if you are skilled enough, and cause your clients to enjoy themselves thoroughly, you are usually left with tips. And the better you are, the higher the tips can be expected. So think about what makes you happy and consider professions that revolve around that. Because no one deserves to work a job they hate, and life is so much better when you enjoy it. That said, we’ll leave you with one of our favorite passages by Edward Abbey, and hope to perhaps see you on the river next year.

 “These boatmen. These jet-set river guides. Bright, handsome, talented young men with many skills, equally adept at river running, cooking, rock climbing, glacier trekking, search and rescue, fishing, hunting, skiing, guitar, harmonica, song. True outdoorsmen, who not only know but also love the out-of-doors. And indeed, how could you know it unless you loved it? As on any commercial river trip, the boatmen– and often, these days, the boat women– are the best part of the trip. The most interesting part. The rest is scenery.” -Edward Abbey

At Wilderness Aware Rafting,  our utmost passion is being the best river rafting guides we can be. This ensures we offer the best service to our customers year after year.  If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available. If by chance you care to try and be a river guide yourself, you can send us your inquiries as well!