Kayaking Camps
Scholarship available!
Each year, 10,000 Waves sponsors one lucky student to participate in the Four-Day Kayaking Camp. All you need to do is write a one-page essay on ANYTHING! Submit essays to P.O. Box 7924, Missoula, MT 59807. Deadline is JUNE 15!
Our Youth Kayak Camps offer youngsters the exciting opportunity to experience the thrills of whitewater kayaking. The camp begins on flat water while students master basic strokes and progresses into swifter currents as skills improve. Ages 7 -15.
Four-Day Youth Kayaking Clinic
DAY ONE: 9 am start time, 5 pm pickup.
The first day of the clinic will be held at the French Town Pond. The French Town Pond is a perfect location for beginners to learn how to get in and out of the kayak, the wet exit, and introduce stokes we use in kayaking. The forward stroke, the sweep stroke, and the bow draw, will be the strokes we will work on throughout the clinic. In the morning we start practicing these strokes and also talk about the whitewater application of each stroke. We break for a delicious gourmet style lunch. In the afternoon we will practice our new strokes and the wet exit, preparing ourselves for DAY TWO and moving current.
DAY TWO: 9 am start time, 5 pm pickup.
On the second day we will begin on moving current (either the Blackfoot or Clark Fork River) practicing the strokes we learned the previous day. We will practice eddy turns in the moving current, while heading slowly downstream. An eddy is a calm area on the river, most likely by the shore or behind a rock. Kayakers use these eddies to slow down a rapid and rest, therefore it is important to know how to enter and exit an eddy. Break for lunch. In the afternoon we will go downstream slowly, while practicing our strokes and eddy turns and spend time talking about the whitewater application of everything you’ve learned.
DAY THREE: 9 am start time, 5 pm pickup.
Introduction to Rapids. On the third day we will build the whitewater in intensity while still practicing. In the morning we will go down a river stretch with a little whitewater, while still practicing. Break for lunch and discuss some of the things we’ve learned. In the afternoon we will keep building intensity of the whitewater on a new river stretch and practice new things and stokes as well.
DAY FOUR: 8:30 am start time, 5 pm pickup.
On the forth day we will take a full day trip down the Alberton Gorge or Blackfoot River depending on river flow. Students will be in hard shells or sit-on-tops depending on their skill. At 6pm, we host a family BBQ and Awards Ceremony for the students at our business location!
The type of whitewater the students are exposed to depends on the student’s still level. If needed, we will split the class so that kids at all skill levels can increase their skills.
All equipment and daily lunch is provided.
Camp Dates: July 19th – 22nd and August 9th – 12th.
Camp Cost: $375 per person.
