Have you ever dreamed of conquering the exhilarating rapids of class 4 whitewater? Well, get ready for the adventure of a lifetime with Sierra Mac’s Class 4 Rowing School in March/April 2026! Under the expert guidance of legendary rafting icons Adam Crom and Certified Cherry Creek/Upper Tuolumne Guide Tom Mac—who collectively boast an astounding 55+ years of rowing experience—you’ll dive into the thrilling world of whitewater navigation. Picture yourself rigging, ferrying, and expertly maneuvering your raft down, across, and around the stunning Tuolumne River! Over the course of 3+ action-packed days, you’ll not only refine your rowing skills but also forge lasting friendships with fellow adventurers, all while being supported by Sierra Mac’s top-notch rafting equipment and dedicated guides. Join us for this transformative experience where safety and skill development are our top priorities, and unleash your inner river warrior—thrills await!
We will assess where you are at and build your skill set.
Trips Start at 7pm the first day and run similar to a 3 day Tuolumne trip.
5 Reasons to take our Class 4 Rowing school on the Tuolumne
#1 Stick Time
Each participant will get to row a boat on parts or sections of the Tuolumne river! We will practice Ferrying, Basic Navigation Techniques and other fundamental drills to get you comfortable driving and operating a raft with Oars. You can plan a plenty of time to work on all the skills required to approach class 4 rafting.
#2 Rigging your boat/raft
We will teach you our method for rigging a frame onto a raft and instruction for a set up for one of a “16 Gear Boat”. Strapping down your frame and equipment is essential to keep your rowing compartment clean for easy use of the raft set-up. Also, it is important to be aware of safe practices to reduce the exposure of getting entrapped into the raft.
#3 Terminology
We will take time to explain/discuss/use common terms in the world of white-water rafting. Terms like stream, ferry, ferry angle, downstream, upstream, river left/right, lookers left/right, eddy, pillow and other terms used to navigate class 4 whitewater. We will also explain the difference of class’ for white water rafting.
#4 Wilderness camping and included meals
April is one of the best times to visit the Tuolumne river. The scenery is incredible and famous for wild-flowers and green canyon. The river is typically at slightly elevated flows for most sporty boating. Our meals will be similar to some of our meals on our normal trips
#5 Get on the Tuolumne, and join the Sierra Mac community!
It is currently more complicated to get on the Tuolumne. Take our school it to spend 3 days on the river. This is a great way to learn about rowing and to spend a few days on the Tuolumne River. You will leave this class with skills to do your own rowing trips, and build or refine the practice and art of rowing a boat. We will provide feedback and check you out on various skill sets.
