The Guide's Guide Augmented: Reflections on Guiding Professional River Trips

The definitive--and only--how-to book on professional river guiding, The Guide's Guide Augmented presents a comprehensive philosophy and a wealth of detailed methods for creating "Deep Fun:" Life enhancing river trips which entertain, inspire, educate, thrill, heal & delight! Used by guides, outfitters and trip leaders worldwide, The Guide's Guide Augmented covers every aspect of the multifaceted art of river guiding: People, leadership and conflict-resolution skills; all aspects of a guide's role in creating fun, uplifting, learning-filled trips; safety talks; guide training; signals; knots; high-water safety; swiftwater rescue; emergency evacuation & coping with accidents; minimizing liability; expedition food planning; nature interpretation made fascinating; boatloads of hilarious river, land & bus games which really bring people together; and much, much more!!

At 316 pages, The Guide's Guide Augmented includes a completely updated version of the original 1981, 140-page Guide's Guide contents, plus a wealth of new material. Some of our guides think we're crazy to sell The Guide's Guide and crazier still to sell The Guide's Guide Augmented because they feel these books give away our trade secrets, our competitive edge, the philosophy and methods which distinguish the trips of Whitewater Voyages from those of other outfitters. I really believe, however, that the safer and better all rafting trips and outdoor recreation experiences, the better for all of us. The more people who return home in one piece, thrilled and delighted with their river trip or outdoor outing, the more river rafting and outdoor recreation in general will be seen as a great thing to do and the more all outfitters, the recreating public and our rivers, forests and other recreation resources will benefit.

It is my hope that The Guide's Guide Augmented will be helpful, even inspirational, to guides, trip leaders, outfitters, government agency river and recreation managers, private boaters and adventure travel companies of all sorts. Any individual, company or group which practices the philosophy and methods presented in this book is welcome to consider The Guide's Guide Augmented their own staff manual. Although the myriad users of this book are independent, far flung adventurers, guides, private boaters, outfitters, tour operators and recreation resource managers, at the very same time, ideally, we are all working together to enhance the quality of life on--and win friends for--this planet! The highest purpose of this book is to contribute to this broad, growing, wonderful effort--which is, after all, an ongoing quest of planet-saving proportions.

Born and raised in Richmond, California, Bill McGinnis started training as a river guide in 1963 at age 16 with one of California's first river rafting outfitters, and has since rafted rivers all over the world. After earning a Masters degree in English Literature from San Francisco State University, Bill founded Whitewater Voyages in 1975 with two rafts and a $500 gift from his grandmother.

One of the pioneers of California whitewater rafting, Bill has successfully built his company, Whitewater Voyages, to be the largest California rafting company guiding more people on California rivers than any other outfitter. In numerous bid-prospectus competitions (for rafting permits) throughout its history, history, Whitewater Voyages has been selected by the U.S Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management on the basis of guide training standards, history of safe trips, and the overall quality of its camps, schools and trips.

An internationally known mentor for whitewater enthusiasts, Bill has written numerous books and articles about rafting. These include Whitewater Rafting, The Class V Briefing, River Signals, The Guide's Guide, and this current volume The Guide's Guide Augmented, which are used by guides, outfitters, boaters of all sorts and recreation resource managers throughout the world. This latest book The Guide's Guide Augmented is designed to help guides and outfitters increase the fun, safety and overall quality of their trips, and presents a comprehensive philosophy and detailed methods for creating what Bill calls "Deep Fun": Life enhancing trips which entertain, inspire, educate, thrill, heal and delight!

While he has a number of first descents and pioneering raft runs in California to his credit, McGinnis says it is his influence on guiding that he is most proud of. "I help foster an inclusive, nurturing style of guiding that helps people move from fear to confidence to joy," he says. "This way of guiding inspires openness, trust and true camaraderie." In recognition of his many contributions to the sport of rafting, in 2000, Bill was named one of the "Top 100 Paddlers of the Century" by Paddler Magazine, the leading national paddle-sport publication.

As well as teaching guide schools, occasionally leading trips and managing Whitewater Voyages (with the help of many wonderful people), Bill does yoga, swims while listening to recorded books on his iPod, and is working on his next big book, which has the working title: You Are A River: Thriving On Planet Earth. Drawing on a lifetime of running rivers and leading people in all kinds of situations, this book will be the fullest expression yet of Bill's philosophy of and methods for making the most of--and creating joy in--the ever unfolding, often challenging adventure of life on this planet.