About Oregon River Runners
Promoting river running safety, instruction and trip leader training
I'm not trying to impress you, but impress upon you...
Ron Hilbert started canoeing in 1969, he took a class from the American Red Cross in Fremont California. That started many trips into the Sierra paddling lakes, in the mountains where he was raised. He discovered river running classes were offered by the River Touring Section of the Sierra Club in the Bay Area and took the classes in Sacramento on the American River. Ron participated in many trips and took trip leader classes from the Sierra Club and became a certified trip leader. He led many trips for the River Touring Section of the Sierra Club on the Eel River, Stainslaus River, Yuba River, American River, Mokelumne River, Merced River, Mc Cloud River, San Joaquin River, Bear River, FeatherRiver, Kings River, Kern River, Sacramento River, Navarro River, Klamath River, Carson River, Trinity River, Mad River, and Cache Creek.
Ron joined the American Canoe Association (ACA) and began paddling decked canoes with National Champions (Chuck Lyda, Marietta Gillman 2 time world canoe champions 1974 and 1977, Eric Evans 8 time national kayak champion and other paddlers like Don Jarrell and US Olympic Coach Tom Johnson) training for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles California. He was taught to roll a C-1 by Olympic team member and Hollywood stunt man Dean Ferrandini (over 40 films to his credit, Raiders of the Lost Arc, Spiderman, Collateral Damage, Judgement Day, Walker Texas Ranger, Baywatch and more) The level of skills was so much higher than anything he had experienced before, he advanced 3 times faster than training with the Red Cross or Sierra Club. Not to say I was as good as these National and World Champions, but I learned from the best.
Ron became the Vice-Commodore for the American Canoe Association for California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii and the ACA promoted him to National Cruising Chairman on the Executive Board in 1977. He along with the chairman of each state chapter put together the first protocals for trip leading for the ACA. He created a 16 page document outlining trip leader skills for ACA trips which had 4000 members at that time (now over 11,000 members). In 1978 Ron obtained his California State Teaching credential and taught canoeing at several community colleges in California.
Ron also contributed to the first American Canoe Association instructors manual. Ron has three instructor certifications from the American Red Cross and an ACA whitewater instructor certification from Don Jarrell ACA Training Director.
Turning his avocation into a profession, Ron joined the team at Old Town Canoe Company in Maine. He quickly became salesman of the year opening up 13 new dealerships in California, Nevada and Arizona. He also repped for Grey Owl paddles and a life jacket company. Ron also worked for Campways Raft Company selling to commercial raft companies and dealers in California.
Ron started the first paddling school in Sacramento California training canoeists, kayakers and professional whitewater raft guides. People came from all over the west for training. Marietta Gillman, Tom Long and Charlie Fox were also instructors.
That led to opening the first whitewater canoe and kayak shop "Adventure Canoes and Kayaks Shop" in Sacramento, grossing almost one million dollars in annual sales. For 13 years Ron also owned a commercial Whitewater Raft Company on the South and Middle Fork of the American Rivers taking guests on one day and multi-day trips..
Ron was on the original committee for Sacramento's Eppies Great Race "The oldest Triathlon in the World"... Ron Took "first place" in the race in 1978. When he started there were 5 members on the committee and when he left 13 years later there were over 40 members and over 3000 participants.
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