A Proposed Project Training Schedule for

WWW.RAFT.ORG

Project Whitewater Russia / USA

October 2-3, 9-10, : Goodwin Canyon Run, Lower Stanislaus, meeting at Knights Ferry Landing.
November 24-28, : Running the White Salmon R. with Andreas Wallach, backup plan rivers to include Illinois, Upper Rogue, Umpqua, Deschutes.
December 26-31, : Rio Grande, Big Bend section, TX-Mexico border.
January, : Peru, Guatemala, Chiappas Mexico
February,: Presidents weekend, forks of the Smith.
Spring Break, : Cal Salmon, Scott, Trinity Burnt Ranch Gorge and boating with Bill Wing, the boys from W.E.T., and others...

Next Meeting:

TBD

Training Trips: Continuing Weekly on Weekends (Contact Martin, for latest trip schedule.)

On the River: April 4-12, - Easter Break week of rivers in Northern California.
Cal Salmon, Scott, Forks of the Eel, Trinity "Burnt Ranch Gorge"

Last Meeting:

Martin's House: February 21-22, in conjuction with FOR Conference Weekend.

Previous Meeting

Vlad's House: January 10-11,

A Project Whitewater Russia/USA Training Schedule

Training trips are of course designed to improve the skill levels of project participants and to get people more familiar with working with each other. This will also focus participants on gear they will use in Russia and help them figure out additional gear they should procure prior to the Russia expeditions. The goal here is to reduce the risk and make the resulting trip more comfortable and enjoyable. Project members also have the opportunity to purchase river gear at lowest wholesale prices available to Project Whitewater Russia/USA and PRAE.

Since these trips are primarily done in California or North America, it's possible for additional people to be invited to join us, even novices to the sport of rafting. Priority goes to project participants, then to guide-level people associated with project participants, Environmental Travelling Companions (etc), Outdoors Unlimited, Club Asean or other known boaters, then to paddle participants (including first-timers). Lesser skilled people will be allowed on Class V rivers assuming the groups are more heavily weighted with project members or Class IV-V boaters.

This is an excellent opportunity for recreational and Class III-IV boaters to upgrade their skill levels and get on some more exciting and challenging rivers with Class V and World Class boaters. Most of the project's training trips are open to others, including expedition class trips. Get out your wetsuit/drysuit and do some winter/spring boating where there's some real action! Here's where you get an opportunity to get to know project team members and work with them, and who knows, you may get an opportunity in the future to run Rivers in an Unknown Land. Or you might be asked to join the competition paddle team for the whitewater races and rodeos.

You must boat with the best to be able to become some of the best boaters. Here's the opportunity to learn from seasoned experts, elite boaters who regularly do Class V rivers and runs again and again. Learn and train with the best to join the ranks of this eshelon... And use only the best equipment rated for Class V, full spec., it makes the difference in safe and successful trips. Remember the cost of equipment failure in Class V waters can be very high, don't take chances. Boat with people who know how to use the equipment, Class V capable too.

Also these training exercises also became a great opportunity to try out a number of different boating craft, especially an opportunity to try out a Russian paddle catamarran for 2, 4, or 6 persons. There are also I.K.'s, pumas, and oar cataraft as well as oar boat rigs. Please come join us, just contact us. Spasibo (thanks).

1998 TRAINING Participation Plan

Trip Date	River/Location	Planned Participants	Can't Do	Trip Leader
TurkeyDay	Umpqua, Illinois or Rogue	Muriel, Mike, Martin, Leonard, Bobby, Celina, Tracy, Kevin, Dominic	Ricky, Dirk, Matt, Khoa, Kieu, Vlad	Martin Wong
Dec. 26-Jan. 2	S. of Border, Rio Grande	Muriel, Mike, Martin, Mark, Matt, Eric, Bobby, Guy, Ricky, Penny	Thia, Haanes, Gabi	Mike Gong
Jan. 12-24	Santa Maria, Rio Actopan	Mike, Martin, Guy	Vlad, Muriel, Bobby	Mike Gong
Feb. 14-17	Smith R.	Martin, Dawn, Keith, Leo, Rudy, Rory & Larry, Bob, Bill	Mike, Dirk, Muriel	Rory
Mar. weekends	Middle Fork American R. N. Fork American, Giant Gap	Martin, Matt, Saul, Vlad	Muriel, Dirk, Eric	Martin
Mar. 14	Giant Gap, Chamberlains, N. Fork American	Martin, Matt, Eric, Vlad, Saul	Khoa, Thia, Haanes, Gabi	Rory
Mar. 22	S. Fork Yuba, S. Fork Eel	Saul, Vlad, Mike, Martin, Matt	Muriel, Bobby, Khoa, Kieu	Rory/Eli
Mar. 28-9	Middle Fork American	Muriel, Mike, Martin, Saul, Vlad, Bobby	Eric	Vlad
Apr. 4-11	Cal Salmon on Wing inflatables, Scott R., Trinity R., Burnt-Ranch Gorge, S. Fork Trinity R., N. Fork Eel R., S. Fork Eel R., Middle Fork Eel R., Redwood Cr. (alternate)	Vlad, Martin, Muriel, Thia, Matt, Jake, Saul, Mike	Bobby, Eric, Dirk	Vlad
April weekend	Forks of the Kern	Martin, Matt	Eric	Mark Hoffman, Bill Voegele
May	Main T and Cherry Creek	Martin, Matt		Vlad, Eric
Mid May Weekdays	Bear, Other Class IV-V	Matt, Martin, Guy	Vlad, Bobby, Mike	Guy
June
Late June Weekdays	Idaho Rivers	Matt, Martin, Vlad, Muriel, Thia	Bobby, Dirk	Thia
July 4th	Canadian Rockies, Kootenay	Martin, Vlad, Mike

Training Planning Notes

Annual Trip/Meeting Dates

Nov. 1-2 at Vlad's House, Rocklin, CA USA
Thanksgiving Weekend: Umpqua R., Rogue/Illinois, generally we will plan for a trip in Oregon or Northern California on this weekend. This will also enable us to bring back Christmas trees and saplings under permit from our national forrests.
Dec. 26-Dec. 30: Rio Grande, Texas, El Paso, generally we will plan a trip in the US south, southwest as the warmer climate heads south for the winter. International trips may include trips into Mexico to Costa Rica.
Martin Luther King holiday weekend (Jan 10-18), S. of the Border, Mexico City to Montezuma R., Santa Maria, Santa Ynez (Class IV).
January 11 at Vlad's House, Rocklin, CA USA + Middle Fork American R.
Presidents day holiday weekend - Smith River, Northern California
Meeting at Martin's House, FOR Conference weekend
Easter Week (mandatory expedition for project participants)
March Weekends (ready to go on moments notice to run Middle Fork American R., Giant Gap on N. Fork American, Bear R., Feather R.)
April Weekends (training week April 4-11, Cal Salmon, Scott, Trinity, Eel forks)
May Weekends (N. Fork Yuba, Forks of the Kern)
Memorial Day Weekend
June Weekends
July 4th Weekend: Canadian Rockies, Kootenay
August 1st, 1998 in Russia departures begin

Probable Training Rivers Targetted (Who Knows)

Rogue/Illinois in Oregon (Martin, Rory, Bob)
Cal Salmon (Dirk, Bobby, Vlad)
Smith (three forks and main) - Winter (Rudy, Martin, Rory, Bob)
Scott - Winter (Vlad)
Rio Grande, Big Bend N.P., Class IV - Dec. 26-31, 1998
Salt River - Winter
Giant Gap Section, N. Fork American - Spring (Vlad, Eric, Dirk)
Middle Fork American - 1000 cfs required (Vlad, Dirk, Guy, Sean)
Lower Stanislaus - Done 2x (Group, Guy, Saul)
Burnt Ranch Gorge on Trinity - April (Vlad)
N. Fork Yuba - Spring (Martin, Matt, Muriel, Anne, Margo)
Feather R. - Spring (Rory, Bob)
Middle Fork Salmon, Idaho - on our way to Canada (Thia)
Tuoloumne R., Main "T" and Cherry Creek - Spring (Vlad, Eric, Matt)
Awahi R. - Spring
Kaweah R. - Spring (Eric)
Drawbridge Bruno - Spring, Rome town, southern Idaho
Costa Rica - Next December, 1998 (Kirk)
Canadian Rockies - Summer before we go
South of the Border - January 1998 done, April, 1998, January, 1999
- Rios y Rapidos (Leo, Herman, Guy, Keith)
- Vera Cruz - Jan. 10-17, fly to Mexico City $350 after Turkey day. 7-10 days, $6-700.
- Santa Maria - 8 days, January 17-25
- Santa Ynez
- Montezuma
- Actopan
- Fila
- Bobos
- Micos
- Verde
- Gallinas
- Concha
Pillsbury Run, S. Fork of the Eel - December 20 (David, Dirk)
Smith River, Dec 21 (Nicole, Martin)
Scott or Cal Salmon, Dec. 22-23 (Vlad)
Bear River, near Colfax, open weekend (Guy)
Middle Fork American, open weekend
Forks of the Kern (Mike, Mark, Bill V.)

Training and Calendar

January 10, 1998 - Vlad's House, decision meeting
February 20, 1998 - Friends of River Conference, Ft. Mason

Actual Training Trips Completed

June, 1997 Ruski Team on S. Fork American with Martin
July, 1997 Ruski Team on S. Fork American, Upper Stretch, with Martin & Khoa (Misha and Sergei take a swim near Troublemaker.)
September, 1997, Ruski Team on S. Fork American, Chili Bar to ETC, Whitewater Rodeo, with Martin, Khoa, and Mark Hoffman (plus Kim and Davido)
Training Trip, Russian Paddle Cat on "T" with Martin, Matt, Khoa, Mike
Goodwin Canyon run with Paddle Team and Bobbie, Martin, Mike, Khoa, Muriel, Guy
Goodwin Canyon run with Russian Paddle Cat, NRS Cataraft and Bobbie, Martin, Matt, Mike, Muriel, Khoa, and Vlad
Rio Actopan, Alta Ste. Maria, Mexico in January, 1998
Forks of the Smith and main Smith R., Northern California, Feb. 13-17

Ruled Out

Canadian, Montana and Idaho Rivers with ice in the winter.
Costa Rica too far for winter, 1998, plan for 1999 or Guatamala, can always do Mexico too.