Welcome
Thank you for your interest in applying for Pandion's Native River Guide School Summer 2026.
This program will run
Tuesday, August 11th to
Sunday, August 16th on the
Lower Salmon River in Idaho. This Raft Guide School is a project of the
Pandion Institute. This trip will bring
15 young people between ages 14-17 out onto the Lower Salmon River for an educational rafting trip emphasizing:
- Rowing skills development
- Local cultural, historical, and ecological learning
- Water monitoring and sampling techniques
- Understand how to navigate the river
- Develop your unique connections and history to this landscape
The raft trip will be led/chaperoned by adult Native instructors, Pandion Staff, and facilitated by ROW Adventures, a established and long-standing whitewater rafting company.
About Pandion
Here at Pandion, we aim to grow a generation of thriving inter-Tribal youth who are deeply connected to their culture and the natural world around them. Through our programs, including Guide School, we help youth build resilience and skills they will use to lead our communities and our landscapes into a changing future.
We do this through our unique delivery on and for the land. Pandion's team of educators come from area Tribes and world-class outfitters, bringing together their vast knowledge of conservation, cultural practice, science, and professional guiding expertise to mentor youth participants.
A video on Pandion Institute: https://youtu.be/iVK7PPjQ14s
About tamáanma, the Salmon River
The second-deepest river canyon in North America is a beautiful part of the Nez Perce homelands to explore. It is full of beginner-friendly class II/III whitewater with two larger rapids we will stop and scout. It is also full of important cultural and historic sites such as nipéhe, the village site that holds some of the oldest known archeological evidence of humans existing in the Americas.
Any Native youth aged 14-17 with interest in being outside, building river skills, and cultural learning are invited to apply, regardless of tribal affiliation. This is a cost-free program: the river trip, travel, and any necessary clothing/equipment will all be covered for youth. Our 2026 instructor team will be:
- Leslie Moses (language and cultural lead)
- Pox Young (cultural lead and photographer)
- Chelsea Queampts (cultural lead)
- Brandi Atene (river skills instructor)
- Jaren Roberson
(river skills instructor)
- John Acuna
(river skills instructor)
- Sarrah Claman (program coordinator of Pandion Institute and river skills instructor)
- Clark Shimeall (co-director of Pandion Institute and river skills instructor)
- Jonah Grubb (owner of ROW Adventures and river skills instructor)
Schedule
Tuesday, August 11th: DAY 0. Participants will meet in Clarkston at 2:30PM Pacific time and be bussed to Lapwai for an orientation there at 3:30PM Pacific Time (Lapwai based participants can meet us in Lapwai) We'll drive out in the bus to Pine Bar (outside of Whitebird, ID) to meet the rafting crew that night.
Wednesday, August 12th: DAY 1. We put in on the river from Pine Bar Boat Launch.
Thursday, August 13th: DAY 2: Skills building on river, camping at night
Friday, August 14th: DAY 3: Skills building on river, camping at night
Saturday, August 15th: DAY 4: Skills building on river, camping at night
Sunday, August 16th: DAY 5. Take out at Heller Bar and head back to Clarkston for 5PM Pacific Time pick-up. Bus will continue to Lapwai for 6PM Pacific Time pick up
Pick-Up/Drop-off Location:
NPT - Lapwai, Idaho
Important Considerations
- Selection Process: Selection of participants will be based upon eligibility and safety criteria.
- Mandatory Reporting: Pandion staff and partners are all subject to mandatory reporting protocols.
- Safety: Social, emotional, and physical safety is our number one priority. Pandion staff and educators have appropriate background checks, training, and community ties to many of the local communities where our participants are from.
- Travel Support: Travel assistance may be available for select applicants who reside outside of the pick-up location area.
- Phone Policy: Participants will be asked to comply with our phone policy. Devices will be kept turned off and in a safe box with our program lead for the duration of programming on the river. Participants will have access to their devices on travel days, before programming begins, and after dinner on the first night so they can check in with their loved ones. Devices will be stowed away during time on the river as there is no service in the canyon. Parents, guardians, and caretakers will always be able to reach staff and educators if they need to get in touch with their participant.
- Substance Use Policy: This program is completely substance free. We have a zero tolerance policy and participants are expected to arrive and remain substance free for the duration of the trip.
*APPLICATION LINK CLOSES July 5th - participants will be determined based on meeting all the requirements for the program
Our Pandion Admin Team (admin@pandioninstitute.org) will be the program contact for any questions, concerns, and communication about your application.
Parents, Guardians, and Caretakers, please enter your email address to start the application.
