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

Rowing Clinic

ABOUT: A deep dive into rowing for expedition boating. Perfect for anyone preparing for big rivers such as the Grand Canyon, Middle Fork Salmon, Illinois, Rogue River, or Deschutes.

Curriculum

  • Preparing for major expeditions

    • Routes, maps, planning, contacts

  • Boat rigging (day setups + multi-day)

  • Rowing techniques

    • Low-water MF Salmon technical

    • Big-water Grand Canyon powerful

    • Small craft setup and maneuvers (<12’)

    • Larger craft setup and maneuvers

  • Frame repair & welding

    • Fixing frames

    • Adding walkboards

    • Custom modifications

  • Safety, risk management, and river reading for oar rigs

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 I 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

MF Salmon - House of Rocks - Teaching Sweepboat skills