June 13 - 19, 2020
Optional summit of Mt. Shasta: June 19 - 21, 2020
7 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS from $1,595
Our staff at 1-800-246-7238 is ready to help
Trip Highlights
The 20th annual Wilderness Medicine Skills Course at a spectacular riverside location, with 15 CME credits
Enjoy 4 days of whitewater rafting on three of California's finest rivers. Learn to guide a raft, or just paddle and enjoy the ride
An emphasis on hands-on skills training and scenarios led by renowned instructors Howard Donner, MD & Sheryl Olson, RN
Practice wilderness survival skills, navigation, & river rescue skills
Unwind with delicious cuisine, stand up paddleboarding, and evenings with some of the brightest stars in the country
Learn snow travel skills and make the challenging hike to the top of majestic 14,179 ft. Mount Shasta (optional)
"The Premier Skills Course in Wilderness Medicine"
This highly acclaimed course is designed for physicians, PAs, NPs, and nurses who want to learn state-of-the-art wilderness medicine and survival skills in a spectacular outdoor setting. Additionally, a wide variety of hands-on skill-building and patient scenarios reinforce key medical concepts.
The CME lectures (15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits) include exciting demonstrations and interactive riverside workshops. And the primary instructors are Howard Donner, MD and Sheryl Olson, RN – leaders in the field of wilderness medicine.
Wilderness & Expedition Medical Skills Covered Include:
- Management of wounds, fractures, dislocations, & sprains
- Hypothermia, frostbite, heat illness, & altitude illness
- Patient assessment in the wilderness setting
- Evacuation & rescue techniques including improvised litters
- Preparing an effective medical kit for foreign travel
- Many other key skills and common wilderness problems
Wilderness Survival & Travel Skills Taught:
- Wilderness survival
- Orienteering (including map/compass, GPS)
- Whitewater raft skills and swiftwater crossing techniques
- Ropes and knots for travel and rescue
- Basic mountaineering and snow travel skills
- Use of crampons, ice axe, and self-arrest skills
Your home for the course is Paradise Point, a private 20-acre riverside retreat in the rugged Mt. Shasta/Marble Mountains Wilderness areas of Northern California. Here you will enjoy the prime location for whitewater rafting some of America's finest rivers. Fortunately, traveling to Paradise Point is easy despite its gorgeous wilderness location. We recommend flying into Medford Airport (MFR) which is a well connected regional hub a relatively short drive away.
Spouses and guests welcome!
Itinerary Snapshot
Wilderness Medicine Skills Course
& Whitewater Rafting Adventure
DAYS 1-2 Whitewater Rafting on the exciting Klamath River (class III) at the base of the Marble Mountains in Northern California. Expect fantastic wildlife and scenery.
Workshops / Lectures: Hypothermia, Whitewater Medicine, Useful ropes and knots, Snakebites, Altitude Illness, GPS and compass navigation.
DAY 3 Whitewater Rafting on Clear Creek including fun rapids in a world-class canyon (class III).
Workshops / Lectures: Wilderness Infectious Diseases, Planning a Wilderness Medical Kit, Splinting of common ortho injuries, Soft tissue injuries.
DAY 4 Whitewater Rafting on the breathtaking Salmon River with class IV rapids.
Workshops / Lectures: Navigation (part II); Survival kit / skills, Frostbite
DAY 5 Wilderness Survival/Navigation workshops and team survival “olympics” competition held at Clear Creek, a spectacular streamside wilderness site.
Workshops / Lectures: Shallow water crossing, Wilderness Eye / ENT problems, Lightning injuries and Prevention.
DAY 6 Outdoor Workshop on practical wilderness medicine skills including team patient scenarios.
DAY 7 (optional): All-day Outdoor Workshop "Snow School" on basic mountaineering skills on Mt. Shasta with Sierra Wilderness Seminars. Includes snow travel, crampons and ice axe, and self-arrest techniques (June 14).
DAYS 8-9 (optional): Guided ascent of Mt. Shasta (14,179 ft.) June 15-16.
About the Whitewater Rafting during this unique course
This course includes four days of fun and exciting whitewater rafting. Including three of the days are on beautiful class II / III sections the Klamath River and the breathtaking Clear Creek. The Klamath and Clear Creek are excellent rivers for all skill levels. These rivers flow through rugged, gorgeous, forested canyons, and each has an abundance of wildlife. For instance, we commonly see bald eagles, osprey, black bears, deer, and river otters.
On the fourth day of rafting, we travel to the nearby Salmon River. Here we experience more challenging class IV whitewater, coupled with crystal clear water in a spectacular rocky gorge. However, if you prefer not to participate in more challenging whitewater, we have an optional itinerary on a fun class II / III section of the Klamath.
Our professional whitewater guides for this trip include two former members of the US National Whitewater Rafting team!
Fantastic nearby side trips you can do on your own before / after the Intensive Skills Course!
Northern California Coastal Redwoods
(world's tallest trees)
Crater Lake National Park
Spectacular Oregon Coastline
We raft 3 fantastic rivers on this trip!
Klamath River
The Klamath is famous for its beautiful scenery and wildlife! Thus, it is protected as a National Wild & Scenic River. And the Klamath has playful class II-III whitewater which is great for all skill levels.
Clear Creek
Pristine and remote Clear Creek has almost surreal beauty! Here you will experience crystal clear water in a deep bedrock gorge surrounded by lush forest. In addition, frequent and fun class II-III rapids pepper the run.
Salmon River
The Cal Salmon is a whitewater classic! The river flows through a steep, intimate, granite gorge of breathtaking beauty. Here you will experience emerald pools punctuated by frequent exhilarating class III-IV rapids!
Intensive Skills Field Course
& Whitewater Rafting Adventure
Trip Cost:
Primary Registrant: $1,595
Guests (Over 18): $1,375
Guests (13-18 years): $995
(Includes all meals and beverages, deluxe outdoor camping site and facilities, professionally outfitted whitewater rafting by Adventure Whitewater LLC)
Optional CME Fee: $695 (Approved for 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits)
Optional Snow Skills Course on Friday, June 19: $125 (optional for non-climbers)
Optional Mt. Shasta Ascent: (2 Day Weekend Post-Trip) $550
Spouses, guests, and children (over age 12) welcome!
Questions? Ready to reserve your spot?
Speak to an expert at Bio Bio Expeditions - the award winning outfitter of this trip
1-800-246-7238
A few of the publications Bio Bio Expeditions has been featured in:
Testimonials From Your Colleagues
"I couldn't think of anyone better than Howard Donner to teach a course like this. He is a true expert in the field. His lecture style sets the right tone for the week. Howard is truly awesome! Fabulous CME!"
LESLIE CHO, MD - EMERGENCY MEDICINE
"Faculty were all personable and very knowledgeable and fun! I love to listen to them! I loved the hands-on course content. Guide staff was great and very helpful. Excellent meals. Course was very well set up and organized."
Heather Smith, RN
"Best CME ever! This will be a trip we will remember forever! Awesome itinerary! Wonderful faculty-tops in knowledge! I learned many new things from all of the faculty."
KEN MASON, MD - ANESTHESIOLOGY
Faculty for the Wilderness Medicine Skills Course
Howard J. Donner, MD: Co-author of The Field Guide to Wilderness Medicine. Featured in two successful NOVA documentaries including; Deadly Ascent, and the critically acclaimed film: Everest: The Death Zone. Medical operations consultant for NASA for 5 years. Medical advisor for Telluride's Search and Rescue team. Staff physician for the Himalayan Rescue Association for 2 seasons. Began his career as a professional river and mountain guide, now a Certified Flight Instructor and professional skipper. Has advised mountaineers, rescuers, Olympic athletes, pilots and aerospace personnel throughout his career.
Sheryl Olson, RN, BSN: Outdoor Survival and Navigation Instructor, Flight Nurse, Wilderness Safety Instructor, Cruise Ship Nurse, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Kyle Allred, PA: International guide on five continents; Whitewater guide and instructor for over 15 years. Co-founder of MedCram.com Medical Education Videos; Wilderness survival instructor and co-founder of MedWild.com Instructional Videos.
Lars Alvarez: Member of several US and World Championship Whitewater Raft teams; co-owner of Bio Bio Expeditions Worldwide which conducts trips on some of the most challenging and exotic rivers on the planet.
Ryan Allred: Captain of US National Championship Raft team (2000). World-class kayaker and kayak instructor. Professional fly fishing guide. Owner of Adventure Whitewater Rafting.
COURSE CONTENT INCLUDES
- Altitude Illness
- Hypothermia
- Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries
- Environmental Heat Illness
- Traveler's Diarrhea, Giardia & Other Waterborne Wilderness Infections
- Surviving the Unexpected Night Out
- Lightning Injuries
- Improvised Medical and Trauma Care
- Management of Fractures and Dislocations
- Preparing for Foreign Travel
- Backcountry Medical Kits
- Wilderness Wound Management
- Patient Assessment in Wilderness Settings
- Wilderness Dermatology
- Marine Hazards & Envenomations
- Snake Envenomation
CME ACCREDITATION INFORMATION
"This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the Center for Emergency Medical Education and Wilderness and Travel Medicine. The Center for Emergency Medical Education is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians."
The Center for Emergency Medical Education designates this live activity for a maximum of
15 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM.
Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This trip is planned, outfitted and conducted by Bio Bio Expeditions, or subcontractors arranged by Bio Bio Expeditions. Please note that Wilderness and Travel Medicine, LLC is responsible for the CME Educational content only. In addition, Wilderness and Travel Medicine reserves the right to change or substitute the faculty for any CME course without advance or prior notice to participants.
For more information or to register for this trip please call
Bio Bio Expeditions at 1-800-246-7238
UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE
Sept 4 - 14, 2019
Middle Fork Salmon Rafting/Flyfishing
Sept 9 - 14, 2019
Sept 14 - 24, 2019
Sept 19 - 27, 2019
Oct 2 - 13 2019
Oct 6 - 11 2019
Africa Wildlife Safari & Kilimanjaro
Oct 6 - 20 2019
Oct 29 - Nov 9, 2019
Oct 26 - Nov 5, 2019
November 7 - 17, 2019
Jan 18 - 27, 2020
Jan 18 - 29, 2020
Patagonia Rafting & Multi-Sport
Jan 27 - Feb 4, 2020
Jan 30 - Feb 8, 2020
February 22 - 26, 2020
April 3 - 13, 2020
April 5 - 22, 2020
April 23 - May 10, 2020
Santa Fe
May 27 - 31, 2020
Cuba Marine & Havana Experience
June 3 - 13, 2020
Intensive Skills Course & Mt. Shasta
June 13 - 19, 2020
Big Sky Resort, MT
July 25 - 29, 2020
Sept 2 - 12, 2020
Sept 21 - Oct 2, 2020
Hiking Tour of Provence and the French Riviera
Sept 17 - 25, 2020
Africa Wildlife Safari & Kilimanjaro
Oct 4 - 18 2020
Oct 11 - 21, 2020
Big Sky Ski, MT
February 20 - 24, 2021
UPCOMING CME DESTINATIONS BY DATE
Sept 4 - 14, 2019
Middle Fork Salmon Rafting/Flyfishing
Sept 9 - 14, 2019
Sept 14 - 24, 2019
Sept 19 - 27, 2019
Oct 2 - 13 2019
Oct 6 - 11 2019
Africa Wildlife Safari & Kilimanjaro
Oct 6 - 20 2019
Oct 29 - Nov 9, 2019
Oct 26 - Nov 5, 2019
November 7 - 17, 2019
Jan 18 - 27, 2020
Jan 18 - 29, 2020
Patagonia Rafting & Multi-Sport
Jan 27 - Feb 4, 2020
Jan 30 - Feb 8, 2020
February 22 - 26, 2020
April 3 - 13, 2020
April 5 - 22, 2020
April 23 - May 10, 2020
Santa Fe
May 27 - 31, 2020
Cuba Marine & Havana Experience
June 3 - 13, 2020
Intensive Skills Course & Mt. Shasta
June 13 - 19, 2020
Big Sky Resort, MT
July 25 - 29, 2020
Sept 2 - 12, 2020
Sept 21 - Oct 2, 2020
Hiking Tour of Provence and the French Riviera
Sept 17 - 25, 2020
Africa Wildlife Safari & Kilimanjaro
Oct 4 - 18 2020
Oct 11 - 21, 2020
Big Sky Ski, MT
February 20 - 24, 2021