Bill Dvořák

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Bill (yellow jacket) on an early Spring training trip down the Rio Chama, in New Mexico Training at Dvořák's Expeditions proceeds regardless of inclement weather.

Bill Dvořák, of Salida, Colorado, was instrumental in establishing the sport of Whitewater Rafting. He assisted in the early development of safety guidelines and policies in the sport, as well as the licensing requirements for river recreation professionals throughout the United States.

Dvořák holds the first issued river recreation outfitters license, serial number 001. His company runs trips throughout the American Southwest and in some other countries as well. The Salida Colorado based firm runs daily river trips during the rafting season, using inflatable rafts, and both hardshell and inflatable kayaks, on one the of the most popular river runs in the world, through Brown's Canyon on the Upper Arkansas River.

This river run includes, among others, a section of class 4 (or 5, depending on flow) rapids known as The Numbers, which has been used as a training location for the U.S. Olympic Kayaking Team. Other difficult "named rapids" on the run are: Big Drop (a large standing wave followed by a big drop and sudden 'S' turn); Raft Ripper (a right-to-left fast cascade with a submerged pointed rock midstream at the bottom); Pinball (a 'rock garden') and Seidel's Suckhole - a dangerous drop with a powerful 'hydraulic' or 'hole' which has 'sucked' numerous river guides right out of the aft end of their boat.

Bill Dvořák's Kayaking and Rafting Expeditions, incorporated -- more commonly known as just Dvorak's -- outfits and arranges expeditions throughout the U.S. and on many rivers worldwide.

Three of Bill Dvorak's river guides demonstrating that nothing fazes them, including springtime snow

Dvorak's trains prospective river guides to stringent Swiftwater rescue standards, regularly holding certification in courses in Swiftwater Rescue Technician 1 and 2, or SRT1 and SRT2. With this training, his guides are trained and certified to perform any aspect of any water rescue evolution in any flowing water, anywhere in the world, under daytime or nighttime conditions.

from Dvorak's Website:

Dvorak Expeditions was selected in 2003 as the Colorado Regional Training Center for Rescue 3 instructional courses in swiftwater rescue. Rescue 3, the global leader in white water and swiftwater rescue training, rescue and instruction, has created nationally certified courses, setting standards for water and river safety. The Rescue 3 program was developed by active professionals - search and rescue, paramedics, scuba instructors, lifeguards, white water rafting guides and outfitters, police and fire fighters, with among them over 100 years of cumulative white water experience. The program meets the requirements of the NFPA 1670 Standard.

River guides trained at Dvorak's are expected to surpass industry standards in customer safety, professionalism and boat-handling skills. Due to Bill's high standards in the training of his guides, river professionals trained by Dvorak's are in demand and are highly regarded by other rafting companies based on their training and on the experience gained while working for Dvorak's.

Bill Dvořák claims to be related to the famous Czech composer, Antonín Leopold Dvořák.