Imagine
the world's greatest guide school on the world's
greatest river. This is the vision of Expediciones
Chile's founder, Chris Spelius. The world famous
Futaleufu now has its first guide school where
aspiring river professionals can learn the raft
guide profession and simultaneously obtain Swiftwater
Rescue Certification.
Expediciones
Chile pioneered the program in December of 2004
with a private group of Colorado Grand Canyon
river guides and has now opened the program to
anyone who has the desire to become a river professional
or acquire Swiftwater Rescue certification.
“Our
guide program isn't for everyone,” says Spelius
“it involves learning to row a raft through some
of the most demanding whitewater in the world.
Graduates of our program need to absorb information
quickly and apply it on the river. There isn't
a large margin for error on the Futaleufu.”
Running
the program is Jim Coffee, veteran Swiftwater
Rescue Instructor Trainer and owner of Esprit
Rafting on the Ottawa river, in Quebec, Canada.
“The program emphasizes practical hands-on skills
that participants may be immediately called on
to implement,” says Coffee. “Last year our students
got to directly participate in a victim recovery
effort which really drove home the importance
of the lessons taught in the course.”
Candidates
who successfully complete the arduous program
and demonstrate exception skill on the oars may
get the opportunity work for Expediciones Chile
or other companies rafting on the Futaleufu. In
most cases program graduates become “rafting interns”
for a season or more before being allowed to pilot
commercial trips.
Spelius
believes that learning to guide on the Futaleufu
will be a feather in anyone's cap. “I can't think
of another river in the world that demands more
of a river guide,” says Spelius, “the Futaleufu
is the Mount Everest of commercial rafting. Learn
to guide here and you can guide anywhere.”
Surrounded
by some of the most striking scenery in the world
the Futaleufu river lies deep in the heart of
isolated Chilean, Patagonia. The cities of Puerto
Montt, Chile and Esquel, Argentina provide the
only access to the region. After arriving at the
airport participants will travel by bus and charter
aircraft deep into the Andes. The route through
Puerto Montt, via the seaside village of Chaiten,
traverses the glacier ringed and snow capped peaks
of this fabled mountain range. The route through
Esquel involves a journey through the arid windswept
Pampas of Patagonia, Argentina. From either direction
a trip to Futaleufu will be a magical one.
Expediciones
Chile's guide school is an all inclusive program
involving three days of intensive swiftwater rescue
training followed by another three days of hands-on
river guide training, where participants will
get the opportunity to pilot a raft down the rapids
of the Rio Futaleufu. Tuition includes a round
trip plane flight from Puerto Montt, Chile, all
local transportation, food, lodging and equipment.
“This is definitely not a vacation,” Spelius emphasizes,
“training here is a sun-up to sun-down affair.”
After
twenty years of running commercial whitewater
trips in Patagonia, Expediciones Chile is pleased
to offer this opportunity to aspiring river professionals.
This guide school might not be for everyone, but
for those looking for a world class experience
on one of the world's most difficult rivers Expediciones
Chile delivers.
released
Sept 25th, 2005 |
