Adventure Racing Camps and Skills Certification Training
Beginners to Advanced Programs available
All gear provided

Click here for more information and dates of our Adventure Racing Camps for 2008

Joe Moerschbaecher, owner of Pura Vida Adventures, has years of experience as an adventure racer including successfully completing the last three Primal Quests (two of which his team finished in the Top 20). He has also been on the winning team of numerous races including the Asheville Mountain Sports Festival, Endorphin Fix, Odyssey One Day Race, and Mega Dose. Joe has instructed at the Odyssey Adventure Racing Academy and worked as a course designer for the 2003 Beast of the East.

These past experiences, combined with knowledge gained as an outdoor instructor who has taken courses through the American Mountain Guide Association as well as the American Canoe Association, allow Joe to provide comprehensive skill and knowledge based programs specifically designed for adventure racers.

Swiftwater Rescue

Classes and Certification Courses

American Canoe Association Swiftwater Rescue Courses

These courses are designed to provide you with competence and confidence on whitewater. Topics include, but are not limited to, outfitting, water reading, paddling techniques, rescue of a capsized boat, portaging, identifying river hazards, rope throw, stabilization lines, and whitewater swimming. We also offer paddling courses that focus on sea kayak instruction and self rescue techniques.

One Day Course
This course is recommended for people who have some previous experience and are looking to simply review skills. Proof of past participation in a whitewater course is required.

Minimum 2 people, Max 6
$125 per person

Two Day Course
This course is recommended for people with less experience on the water and provides the ability to have more time to practice necessary skills. Course includes a paddling trip (inflatable kayak) on the Upper Green River (up to class IV rapids) where we will learn and apply required skills throughout the day.

Minimum 2 people, Max 6
$250 per person

Ropes & Climbing

Classes and Certification Courses

Adventure Racing Camps

Ropes and Climbing Courses

This course is designed to provide you with competence and confidence on ropes and rocks. It covers all skills adventure racers are expected to know including: proper gear and how it should be rigged, rappelling and ascending techniques, fixed lines, passing knots, prussic knots, and Tyrolean traverse technique.

In addition to these courses Pura Vida Adventures also offers additional opportunities for you to become comfortable using ropes by discussing and practicing efficient climbing techniques and showing how they translate to more effective and faster climbing.

Minimum 1 person, Max 4

$180 / 1 person
$250 / 2 people
$300 / 3 people
$350 / 4 people

A second day of ropes and climbing instruction, including a multi pitch climb, can be added at a reduced rate.

Combine a day of whitewater instruction and a day of climbing/ropes instruction and receive a reduced rate for your second day.

Pura Vida Adventures also offers adventure racing camps for groups as small as 2 people. These camps can range in length from 2-5 days and can be customized to meet your needs.

A four day camp may look like the following:

Day one: day- Navigation, evening topic- footcare

Day two: day- ropes, evening topic- What to eat?, What to pack?

Day three: day- whitewater, evening topic- team dynamics

Day four: day- Race simulation

All equipment is provided.

Please feel free to contact us with questions about this or any other program.