The truth about throw bags, is that while they are one of a rescuer's most valuable tools, they can also be a dangerous and deceptive weapon. While there is much discussion amongst Swiftwater Rescue professionals about type of rope, whether or not to have a loop on the end of the rope, and how to...

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Chile and got to spend a few weeks on the Futaleufu river in Patagonia. My wife and I joined up with a commercial trip through BioBio expeditions. We bridged the gap between guests and guides, leaning more toward the guide side. Once we proved our worth with...

Our first class of 2105 was a great success. USC outfitters made their annual trek to northern California for a Wilderness First Responder course. 19 would-be WFRs rolled up in style to SkyRanch perched above the South Fork of the Yuba River just above Washington, CA. Over the ensuing  8 days and 80 hours, a...

Fall is in the air and what better way to spend a week than playing with ropes in a technical rope training  on Donner summit. With the King fire looming close at hand at rapidly growing, we had some interesting weather patterns. This group of ski patrollers, fire-fighters, and coast guard swimmers did not shy...

We braved the early winter weather that came through the Sierra Nevada this week, and had a great few days training on the Truckee River and the surrounding mountains.  We had two students all the way from Argentina joined by a few other folks from various parts of California's fire rescue. Rain snow or shine,...