Secrets of the River

Carl closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Wind and sand engulfed him as another semi passed by. Next to the old mining highway outside of Moab, he lounged in a beat up lawn chair, drinking imported PBR. Sixty feet up, and a world away, Adam was looking at a ground fall.

Typical Cragging at Wallstreet, Moab, UT

This was Moab. After guiding four blonde Swedes down the “daily” white water run, earning a $140 tip, and banking a couple free meals, Adam was on the rock- For better or worse...

Castleton Tower, The Priest and The Nuns as seen from the CO river

At thirty feet, Adam passed Carl’s bail piece on Chris Cross (5.11 R), then the crack closed. He inched up the sandy slab, with shaking feet and pressing hands. Sixty feet up, he balanced on nothing. A floating foot match, and reeeeeach! Adam arrived at the pod.

The pod allowed a hollow Number Two placement. Twelve feet of tenuous dihedral pressing followed, with the pin in site. After the pin the climbing eased. At the belay, Adam stared at the rock, the river, and the sandstone fins beyond. Happy to be here, and ready to lower.

River guiding is a climber’s dream. A job where you can earn decent money, climb everyday, and have fun. These sports often go hand-in-hand because of geography; rivers cut through rocks, forming shear canyons of climbable stone.

River guiding is seasonal work, typically April to September in North America. Guiding companies often provide free or low cost housing to their guides and two free meals a day.

For guides working daily trips, the day may begin with rigging around 7:30 AM. After 6 hours on the river, and travel time, the day might end with de-rigging at 4:30 PM. This might be followed by 3-4 hours of climbing and 2 hours of drinking-and this is a workday. Wages vary, but $60 a day plus up to $100 in tips wouldn’t be uncommon. Guiding overnight trips offers more money, maybe around $90 a day plus tips- with less time for climbing.


Guides need to be physically fit, good with clients, and be CPR certified (WFR preferred). For those new to guiding, you may just want to go to a whitewater destination prior to the start of the season and ask around for work.

The work itself is fun. Running rapids can feel like racking up for a splitter pitch- with all the excitement and anxiety. Additionally, the shoulders, back, and arm muscles used to move a boat are complimentary to climbing.

During Adam’s summer in Moab, he typically worked 3-4 days a week. The off days were filled with stoked partners- climbing towers, running big water closed to commercial trips, and chillin.

At the end of the summer, Adam had fingers of steel and great mind control. River guiding is the hidden way to ‘dirtbag’ without the sacrifice, and while experiencing more than climbing alone.

If you want to get on some whitewater this summer, check out Red River Adventures in Moab.