Paddle to the Sea River Guide and Trip Organizer

Have fun and gain experience in organizing and guiding multiple river trips at a successful non-profit working to protect and restore the Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River. The Tuolumne River Trust is interviewing for a river trip organizer and head guide for Paddle to the Sea 2011, a four-week paddle-a-thon from the Sierra to the Sea. This individual will be responsible for on- and off-river logistics coordination and trip execution. The position is of limited duration from now through mid-June. This is an excellent opportunity to join a great team working to take a highly successful event to the next level.

Duties and Responsibilities
1. Organize all paddling related on- and off-river logistical support for Paddle to the Sea 2011.
2. Act as primary (and sometimes only) river guide for the 18 legs of the Tuolumne River Paddle to the Sea, which include Class IV+ whitewater, Class I+ canoeing, and sea kayaking in San Francisco Bay.
Participating paddlers will range from beginner to expert in terms of paddling experience.
3. Guide canoe and kayak day trips including performing lead and sweep boat duties.
4. Loading and unloading of boats (up to 90 lbs) and equipment.
5. Provide safety and paddling instruction, basic river education, and organizational outreach.
6. Manage paddling equipment, including cleaning, organizing, and repairing.
7. Organize shuttles and drive shuttle vans and other vehicles for paddlers.
8. Assist with marketing and recruiting paddlers to participate in the paddle-a-thon.
9. Maintain a good sense of humor and cooperative attitude in dealing with co-workers and guests.

Qualifications Include
1. Well-organized, self-starter, detail-oriented, flexible, and a quick learner with the ability to multi-task and
manage both routine and complex tasks simultaneously.
2. Experience planning and executing boating trips/outdoor recreation trips for the public.
3. Experience with canoeing and kayaking.
4. Experience as a whitewater rafting guide is highly desirable but not absolutely necessary.
5. Current first aid and CPR certification.
6. Wilderness First Aid a plus.
7. Swift Water Rescue a plus.
8. Valid US drivers license.
9. Have own transportation – a truck is highly desirable.
10. An environmental ethic and desire to learn about the natural history and human history of the area.
11. Professional and pleasant demeanor, excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language,
and a positive, can-do attitude are a must!

Additional Information
The Paddle to the Sea River Guide can be based in either the Trust’s Modesto, Sonora, or San Francisco offices and will require travel (>90% time) to events in the Bay Area, Central Valley and Western Sierra during the event. To apply, please send an email (with cover letter, resume and 3 professional references as attachments) with subject heading “Paddle to the Sea River Guide” to Jessie Raeder at jessie@tuolumne.org as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Paddle to the Sea Background
Paddle to the Sea 2011 is a 4-week journey from Yosemite to the Golden Gate celebrating and fostering stewardship of the Tuolumne River by vividly demonstrating our shared dependence on this limited resource. Last year Paddle to the Sea directly involved over 1,400 people. We will reach many more through media coverage generated by the event.
Ultimately, Paddle to the Sea will educate and involve thousands of people in our effort to protect and restore the Tuolumne River.
The Tuolumne is a Wild & Scenic river and the lifeblood of communities from the Sierra to the Sea. It connects the fly fisher in Yosemite, to the farmer in Modesto, to the thirsty family in San Francisco, to the salmon fisherman in the Pacific. We depend on this river to grow our food, provide clean drinking water to 2.5 million people in the Bay Area, and power our homes and businesses.
Our reliance on the Tuolumne also comes at a price as dams, water diversions, and developments have taken their toll on the River. The Salmon population has plummeted from tens of thousands to just a few hundred, the Lower Tuolumne no longer meets Clean Water Act standards, and the recreational value of the River has diminished.
Paddle to the Sea 2011 will build public support that is critical to reversing these trends.

The journey consists of 18 paddling legs broken into four segments.
1. Wild & Scenic Tuolumne Whitewater—we will partner with professional whitewater rafting outfitters to complete this world class whitewater run.
2. Lower Tuolumne River Parkway—Participants can reserve spots on TRT’s fleet of canoes or bring their own boat on several legs that meander through the Central Valley.
3. San Francisco Bay-Delta—Sailboats will take the journey through the largest estuary on the West Coast of the Americas.
4. San Francisco Bay—sea kayakers will complete the final legs of the journey to the Golden Gate Bridge.

We also organize riverside events to involve the communities along the way.
1. In the upper watershed we host a concert to celebrate the Sierra Nevada.
2. In the Central Valley we will welcome paddlers on the banks of the Tuolumne at the Green on the Stream festival in Modesto.
3. In the Bay Area we will celebrate the completion of our journey at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The Tuolumne River Trust
The Tuolumne River Trust (TRT) is the voice for the river; ensuring that it is healthy, vibrant, and teeming with fish and wildlife for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Founded in 1981, the Trust won Wild and Scenic designation for 83 miles of the Tuolumne in 1984, saved the Clavey from being dammed in 1994, and won higher flows for salmon in the Lower River in 1995. In 2008, we organized thousands of citizens to defeat a plan by San Francisco to divert an additional 25 million gallons of water per day from the River. TRT has 10 staff based in Sonora, Modesto, and San Francisco. For more about TRT visit www.tuolumne.org