Whitewater kayaking is an incredible way to experience and enjoy Idaho’s magnificent wilderness rivers. Learning to kayak with world-class expedition kayaker Gerry Moffatt through ZEN MASTERS is a special opportunity to begin a life-long love affair with the river.
ZEN MASTERS™
INTRO TO WHITEWATER KAYAKING
The Program
The ZEN MASTERS Intro to Whitewater Kayaking is a unique introductory experience with whitewater expert Gerry Moffatt designed to provide enthusiastic beginners with a world-class, confident foundation in kayaking skills and a taste of authentic adventure travel. Students build a solid foundation in rolling, paddling technique, swift water safety, and river navigation.
Starting with a pool session for wet exit and beginning roll practice, students familiarize themselves with basic safety skills before progressing to one of Idaho’s pristine mountain lakes to learn paddling strokes and refine techniques on flat water. Students then take what they’ve learned onto moving water – learning to navigate and maneuver their kayaks down easy, beautiful sections of Class I-II sections of river. ZEN MASTERS ensures students grow with confidence, proficiency, and fun in their boats. Students can benefit from personal coaching and learning material to help them cultivate a powerful “Beginner’s Mind” approach to embracing challenges, both on and off the river.
ZEN MASTERS students graduate with the skills to safely navigate Class II—III whitewater, ready to continue learning, growing, and building their own lifelong relationships with wilderness rivers.
*ZEN MASTERS alumni have the opportunity to join ZEN MASTERS International Expeditions and experience the thrill of using their new skills to explore exciting adventure destinations around the world—from South America to Scotland to the Himalayas!
PROGRAM LOGISTICS (over 8 weeks) :
Seven (7) full days of on-river instruction over three (3) weeks:
- One (3) day trip, two (2) nights river camping- (Salmon River /Stanley )
- Two (2) day trip, one (1) night river camping – (Salmon River /Stanley )
Course offered June and July
CURRICULUM COVERS:
- Selecting gear and equipment
- Learning to correctly and calmly exit your kayak following a capsize in a pool and on a river
- Flat water instruction (lake)
- Fundamental paddle strokes/technique
- Eddies
- Navigating rivers and scouting rapids
- Intro to Swiftwater safety
- Introduction to local rivers
- Practice paddling Class I – II whitewater
- Intro to Beginner’s Mind
PROGRAM DATES
June – July
*Tuition dependent on group size: Max One Instructor One Safety Kayaker: 6 Students
Private Instruction Available
Equipment: Students can use their kayaks and gear or rent gear from Backwoods Mountain Sports. Zen Masters can consult on kayak & gear purchases to ensure proper selection.
(Tuition covers instruction and US Forest Service fees only – does not include personal kayak equipment, camping or accommodations, or food)
*Thunder Dragon is proud to partner with Idaho-licensed outfitters Wilderness River Outfitters and White Otter Adventures for this program.
“To watch you open yourself to “beginner’s mind” and grow through your fears & frustrations to ultimately become kayakers was incredible. Because that is what you now truly are – kayakers. In only a few short months, you went from flat water paddling in circles on Petit lake to lining up and charging into powerful rapids like Big Mallard, Elkhorn and Vinegar Creek on one of the most iconic big water Idaho wilderness river trips of all time – The River of No Return.”
– ZEN MASTERS Founder, Gerry Moffatt
