The Guide’s Guide Augmented: Reflections on Guiding Professional River Trips by William McGinnis

Editions/printings: 1981, 1987, 2005; 316 pages. $19.95

The definitive how-to book on professional river guiding, The Guide’s Guide Augmented covers every aspect of the multifaceted art of river guiding: People, leadership and conflict-resolution skills; all aspects of a guide’s role in creating fun, uplifting, learning-filled trips; safety talks; guide training; signals; knots; high-water safety; swiftwater rescue; emergency evacuation & coping with accidents; minimizing liability; expedition food planning; nature interpretation made fascinating; boatloads of hilarious river, land & bus games designed to bring people together; and much, much more! Used by guides, outfitters, trip leaders, resource managers, adventurers, boaters and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide, The Guide’s Guide Augmented presents a comprehensive philosophy and a wealth of detailed methods for creating “Deep Fun:” Life enhancing adventures which entertain, inspire, educate, thrill, heal & delight!

The Guide’s Guide Augmented is an invaluable, inspirational resource for all boaters, guides, trip leaders, outfitters, resource managers, adventure travelers and companies of all sorts. Any individual, company or group which practices the philosophy and methods presented in this book is welcome to consider The Guide’s Guide Augmented their own staff manual. Although the myriad users of this book are independent, far flung adventurers, guides, private boaters, outfitters, tour operators and recreation resource managers, at the very same time, ideally, we are all working together to enhance the quality of life on–and win friends for–this planet! The highest purpose of this book is to contribute to this broad, growing, wonderful effort–which is, after all, an ongoing quest of planet-saving proportions.

At 316 pages, The Guide’s Guide Augmented includes a completely updated version of the original 1981, 140-page Guide’s Guide contents, plus a wealth of new material.

Comments on The Guide’s Guide Augmented:

Guide’s Guide Very Informative: As someone in the process of starting a rafting company, RiverIndia.com, I needed a book with thorough, dependable information covering all aspects of whitewater rafting. The Guide’s Guide surprised me in its completeness and in-depth treatment of everything from knots, guiding, cooking, forms, games, and more! William McGinnis, one of California’s whitewater pioneers, should be commended on this meisterwerk. It is a great help to those of us who hope to follow in his footsteps.— R. Stevenson

Best Professional River Guide book out there: Bill McGinnis has written an excellent reference for anyone involved with professional river guiding. Every chapter reflects years of experience and conveys information with comprehensive clarity that’s easily understood and transcends the obvious. The heart and soul of the commercial river experience are the people involved, the guests and guides. Everybody wants to be happy and accepted, even uplifted, and Bill’s section on the Guests, Guides and Staff relations offers valuable insights are that are real and superb. In addition all the nuts and bolts info including safety talks, raft/paddle instruction, river running etc are offered by an expert who is humble and wise at the same time. There’s so much to be learned by anyone interested in making every day on the river the best, and this book is a fine friend in this regard. As an active professional guide for 25 years and 16 years as an outfitter I’m still learning and Bill’s book is a great reference for me and my company. I recommend this book with high regard.–John McDermott, Owner/Head Guide, River Dancers Rafting and Kayaking Inc.

Invaluable: This is a great book for all outfitters and guides in the adventure travel industry, not just river guides or outfitters exclusively. Having worked in the guiding industry since 1990 for various outfitters including Mountain Travel Sobek as their Operations Manager for International rafting trips I can say without reserve this is a must read for anyone doing any guiding, period. if you are a 40 year veteran you may think some of the topics are not insightful as you already know the answer, however it is well organized and well thought out so no points or gaps are missed. I am going to send a copy to each of my guides this winter to read before they show up at the warehouse in June for our first trip of the season.–James Ellsworth, Middle Fork River Expeditions, owner

Excellent book: The Guide’s Guide by William McGinnis is an excellent book containing a lot of detailed and very practical information covering all aspects of rafting useful for managers, leaders, guides and even trip guests. The book is written by the person who has the hands-on experience in every level of field guiding as well as in company management. What makes the book really unique is that besides very specific whitewater rafting information, it’s filled with pearls of practical wisdom and advice. The book is fun to read and could be interesting not only for rafting professionals but for anyone who deals with team building and events management. –Konstantin Afanasyev

“Thank you for your guidance and for writing what I view as essentially our river bible around here.”
—Kathryn Blitz, Wild West Voyages

A Classic Overview: William McGinnis has provided a clean, candid, and thorough introduction to the world of whitewater. This book touches on every major aspect of rafting from trip planning to running a company, and all of it is infused with a welcoming, friendly philosophy. This book is a must read for people looking to create, or be a part of, truly wonderful, inclusive river trips.–Simon Saichek

Outstanding book, worth every penny and then some: My friends and I have been rafting for well over 10 years and we all learned something new from this book. In fact, we fight over the book, so I have come to Amazon today to purchase my own copy. The book includes EVERYTHING pertinent to whitewater boating and river life. The book is not only for guides; every boater should own this book. The book is well written.–Oregon Whitewater

Outstanding book, worth every penny and then some: My friends and I have been rafting for well over 10 years and we all learned something new from this book. In fact, we fight over the book, so I have come to Amazon today to purchase my own copy. The book includes EVERYTHING pertinent to whitewater boating and river life. The book is not only for guides; every boater should own this book. The book is well written. –Oregon Whitewater

The River Rafting Guide’s Bible ! This Book is used by Professional rafting companies all over the world as a training manual for their river guides. Everything you can think of and then some ! –Sbea Surfing

“The Guide’s Guide .. is.. every bit as absorbing, instructive and entertaining as William McGinnis’ (first book) Whitewater Rafting. If you are or wish to be a river rafting trip leader, this guide is a must. … the lucid writing intrigued me word for word from beginning to end.”–George Larson, Sierra Club

“Great stuff! I’m constantly impressed with the amount of thought and energy William McGinnis puts into the finer points of guiding.”—Bruce Lessels, Zoar Outdoor

“William McGinnis is .. utterly remarkable.. and.. by far the most gifted writer I am aware of at capturing the heart and soul—the very essence of a whitewater river experience. … His extraordinary gift so much in evidence in his twenties has continued to deepen and mature. … For his contribution to my life, to all those other boaters and to this sport for which I have an enduring passion, I wish to thank him.” –George Brown