About Three Sisters River School

The mission of Three Sisters River School is to inspire confident, capable river runners through expert instruction, progressive learning, and a spirit of adventure—while fostering safety, inclusivity, and a lifelong connection to rivers and wild places.

  • Operating season | May - September

  • Locations: Upper Deschutes, McKenzie, Santiam, and Crooked

Three Sisters River School collaborates with individuals, guide outfitters, and local companies to provide custom river experiences that are open to all recreational enthusiasts. Rivers and River trips provide incredible bonding experiences that are empowering and transferrable to every individual no matter the skill. Rivers are like the planet’s arteries—they bring life, movement, and rhythm – engaging with this flow is special. Whether you’re brand new to kayaking or working through a plateau, we have a course for you.

“Rivers are just water, rocks and gravity, yet they produce the most astonishing beauty with a special kind of magic and infinite challenge” - Doug Ammons

Playboating & Rolling Clinics

For paddlers looking to just start carving up the wave, using eddylines to those who want to double pump, or more advanced tricks. *Minimum 2 hr

Playboating Clinics

For paddlers looking to just start carving up the wave, using eddylines to those who want to double pump, or more advanced tricks. *Minimum 2 hr

Curriculum:

  • Safety review

  • River etiquette (whitewater park edition)

  • Double pump technique

  • Bow & stern stalls

  • Carving on waves, flat spins

  • Cartwheels, freewheels

  • Loop mechanics and progression steps

Rolling Clinics

Learn or refine your roll in a supportive environment.

Curriculum:

  • Hip snap development

  • Paddle position & blade awareness

  • Sweep roll, C-to-C roll, and hybrid approaches

  • Troubleshooting common mistakes

  • Confidence-building in calm water —> more challenging

Rates

  • $55-70/hour sliding scale

    • varies due to type of clinic, length, gear, and number of people

      • All clinics are customizable; when you reach out, we can share various options and maps charted with details for various local spots

  • Ratio dependent on course - please reach out with questions

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Have questions? Send us an email at info@threesistersbackcountry.com.

Three Sisters River School Guides have over 16 years of river guiding experience with formal kayak instruction and swift water training. Our River School Programs are certified by the American Canoe Association (ACA).

Guide Certifications