How it began…

Whitewater Workshop is here to help you enjoy whitewater rivers in a safe and adventurous way. We believe that you should be able to learn how to paddle efficiently, safely, and confidently in a supportive environment—and with the most experienced instructors around.

We’ve been teaching paddlers for over 15 years, and we know what it takes to teach people who are ready to take it to the next level. Our instructors are professionals who are constantly looking to improve both their own paddling, and their teaching techniques. They aren’t just looking for a summer job before they go back to the ski resorts for the winter. We have small student-to-teacher ratios and primarily teach one-on-one lessons so you can get more individualized time on the water with your instructor.

Our Values

Safety

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Stewardship

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Patience

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Small class size

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Integrity

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Professionalism

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  • "Top notch professionalism and endless amounts of knowledge from an experienced paddler would be enough to give praise, but Nik's ability to convey information and skill to paddlers of varying backgrounds and ability is what makes this class/instruction stand out. Highly recommend to anyone new to paddling or needing to brush up on rescue skills."

    Luke H.

  • "Nik’s instruction was fantastic. My high expectations were absolutely exceeded. After 20 years away from paddling I’m leaving a private roll lesson and a half day private lesson with tremendous confidence. I’m also very excited to have new skills to work with and challenges to meet (with the tools to do so) as I progress in this sport. He’s also a very kind person and there’s a lot of laughter and patience. I couldn’t be happier with my investment in Nik’s expertise."

    Patrick A

  • "I'm at the beginning stages of my paddling career and have had several different instructors at various paddling schools and facilities. Nik is absolutely at the top of the list when it comes to professional kayaking instruction. After 1 hour in a pool session, I was 10x more confident in my paddling and rolling skills. He makes learning fun and is very passionate."

    Sadie C.

  • “Nik's swift water rescue class is fantastic. Practical, hands-on, lots of time in the water, and doesn't get bogged down in technical systems that are rarely useful. I've been boating 20-years, having taken SWR classes before, and it was a fantastic refresher. Highly recommended whether it's your first or fifth SWR class.”

    Mike B.

  • "I switched my roll from a sea-to-sea to a sweep roll as it’s quicker and easier to get up. Nik, the instructor, broke down each step and made it very easy to learn this new roll. I would absolutely recommend Nik as he’s patient and knowledgeable."

    Jodi L.

Meet our instructors

Nik White, Owner & Lead Instructor

Nik has been instructing whitewater kayaking for over 15 years. He is a certified ACA Instructor in Whitewater Kayaking, Packrafting, and Swiftwater Rescue. He learned to kayak at Wilderness Voyageurs on the Yough River outside Pittsburgh and has kayaked and rafted rivers all over the world, including trips to Alaska, Mexico, France, and Peru. He consistently does over a month of overnight boating trips on multi-day rivers every year (which unfortunately means he might be out of service for a couple weeks here and there every year!)

Nik was the ACA National Instructor of the Month in October 2023. He presented at the 2023 National Swiftwater Rescue Conference. He is on the curriculum committees with the ACA for Whitewater Kayaking, Packrafting, and Swiftwater Rescue. All in all, he is one of the most experienced and prolific instructors in the US.

Awarded Instructor of the Month for October 2023 by ACA Paddlesports!

Venues we work at

  • Waterton Canyon near Deckers, CO

  • Lions Whitewater Play Park in downtown Golden, CO

  • Clear Creek Recreation Center in Idaho Springs, CO

  • Arkansas River in Salida, CO

  • Bear Creek Lake in Morrison, CO