Course Descriptions
Rowing Clinics
Learn the basics of rowing your own raft! Whether you want to catch every golden eddy on your favorite fishing stretch, take your family on a multi day float trip or tackle the notorious rapids of the Grand Canyon, we can help you gain and hone the skills you need to feel comfortable and confidant rowing your raft. We cover everything from the basics of reading water and scouting rapids to the physics of how your raft works, river safety and advanced maneuvering. We offer one to three day clinics, and beginner to advanced courses are available. Instructor ratio is 1-3 students to one instructor and one raft.
$500 Full Day Private Rowing Clinic + $100 additional person
4 person max, recommended 3 or less for maximum oar time.
Paddle RaftING
Learn the basics of captaining a paddle raft so that you can take your friends down your favorite local stretch of river any time! We cover everything from the basics of reading water and scouting rapids, to the essentials of each paddle stroke, river safety and advanced maneuvering. Beginner to Advanced courses available. One to three day clinics. Instructor ratio is 2-6 students to one instructor, one raft.
$500 Full Day Paddle Rafting Clinic for 2 + $100 additional person 2 Person Minimum.
6 person max
Kayak Clinics
Whether you are new to kayaking or looking to refine some concepts that you've been working on for years, a CRI instructor can help you get to where you want to be. All kayak instructors with CRI are certified through the American Canoe Association and offer private or small group size classes. We teach on the Arkansas River right here in Salida, CO where we have some ideal learning environments ranging from easy eddy turns in the town park, Class II & III downriver sections, and the beautiful Browns Canyon National Monument.
$400 full day of One on One private instruction. Please contact us for group rates and more information.
Swiftwater Rescue training
These two or three day intensive clinics go over all aspects of advanced swifter rescue techniques as well as the basics. Upon completion of the course you receive an ACA Swiftwater Rescue completion card that satisfies the requirements of commercial outfitter needs for guides. Swiftwater rescue skills are also just super handy to have in your back pocket, especially if you have a tendency to fire up the gnar with your crew. Because, hey, I mean, you know what's funny about safety, right? Nothing! ;) Seriously though, having serious safety skills on the water leads to a better time for everyone every time!
Click here for more info on safety training
River Safety
Want to feel a little more comfortable in a whitewater situation? Whether you are tackling high water and big rapids or taking your kids out on the float stretch, having a basic set of river safety skills makes any day on the water safer and more enjoyable. We'll cover all the basics from safe wading and swimming, to rescuing a swimmer, even flip and recovery. One day clinics.
Are you taking your family and young children on the river? Ask us about creating a private day of river safety for the whole family. As parents, we are familiar with creating an environment that’s safe, fun and engaging for even the younger river enthusiasts.
Women's Specific Clinics
Because sometimes it's just that much more fun to learn on a girls day out! In a classroom environment of women only with women instructors, the energy runs high, the fun is epic and it's just a safe space for women to practice skills in an otherwise male dominated sport. In these clinics, muscles are not our biggest asset, we learn the secrets of "finesse," share all those "tips & tricks" for girls only, and have twice as much fun as the boys! We offer women's specific clinics in all of our disciplines and abilities, because- Awesome.
Other Classes
Don't see what you're looking for? Do you paddle a different craft? Or want learn how to paddle a different craft? Give us a call and we'll do our best to find the paddling instructor that's right for you! Whether it's SUP, C1, OC1, river board or any other river craft, we'll do our best to accommodate your passion for paddling and find the right instructor to make your day on the water the learning experience you need!
For outfitters
Canyon River Instruction offers ACA skill based guide schools and Swiftwater Rescue workshops for outfitters needing to train new guides. In utilizing CRI to run your guide school, you not only free up your early season guides to be running the early season trips that you need them for, you also ensure that your new guides have a solid foundation of necessary paddling skills that build upon step by step essentials of paddling, maneuvering, reading water and river safety.