Paddle To the Sea River Guide Internship

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 Guide Intern to provide support for Paddle To The Sea 2010, a four-week paddling journey from the Sierra to the Sea. This individual will support on- and off-river logistics coordination and trip execution. This is a full-time, unpaid internship position (approx. 40 hours per week) from April to mid-June. College credit may be available. 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. Provide on- and off-river logistics support to the Recreational Outreach Coordinator for Paddle To The Sea 2010.
2. Guide canoe and kayak day trips including loading and unloading of boats and equipment, purchasing and preparing lunch for paddlers, safety and paddling instruction, basic river education, and organization outreach.
3. Assist with paddling equipment management and repair.
4. Drive shuttle vans and other vehicles for paddlers.
5. Assist with marketing and paddler recruitment.

Desired Qualifications
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 with canoeing and kayaking.
3. Current first aid and CPR certification.
4. Valid US drivers license.
5. Professional and pleasant demeanor, excellent oral and written communication skills in the English language, and a positive, can-do attitude are a must!
6. An interest in rivers, outdoor recreation and an environmental ethic.
7. Experience in river guiding or event planning considered a plus!

Additional Information
This is a full-time, unpaid internship; 40 hours/week from April to mid-June. This position reports to the Recreational Outreach Coordinator. The Paddle To The Sea River Guide Internship is based in the Trust’s Modesto office and will require travel (>90%) to events in the Bay Area, Central Valley and Western Sierra during the event. Expenses associated with travel will be reimbursed. During this internship you will both guide legs of the journey and provide off-river logistics support depending on the needs of the day. College credit may also be available; please talk with the appropriate department at your school to arrange credit. This is an exciting, fun, and yet highly demanding opportunity that offers excellent potential for professional growth and accomplishment.

Paddle To The Sea Background
Paddle To The Sea 2010 is a 4-week journey from Yosemite to the Golden Gate celebrating and fostering better stewardship of the Tuolumne River by vividly demonstrating our shared dependence on this limited resource. Last year Paddle to the Sea directly involved over 1,000 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, 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 2010
will build public support that is critical to reversing these trends.

The journey consists of 16 paddling legs broken into four segments.
1. The Clavey River— a group of expert kayakers will descend this pristine tributary to the Tuolumne, one of the most extreme whitewater runs in the world.
2. Wild & Scenic Tuolumne Whitewater—we will partner with professional whitewater rafting outfitters to complete this world class whitewater run.
3. 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.
4. San Francisco Bay-Delta—moving into the Bay-Delta, a fleet of commercial salmon boats and sailboats will escort the paddlers for the final legs of the journey to the Golden Gate Bridge.

We will also organize events along the way to greet paddlers as they arrive at different locations.
1. In the Sierra Nevada we will send the kayakers and rafters off in-style to start the journey.
2. In the Central Valley we will welcome paddlers on the banks of the Tuolumne at the 2nd Annual 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 11 staff based in Sonora, Modesto, and San Francisco. For more about TRT visit www.tuolumne.org