The Colorado River is an exceptional outdoor classroom to learn about oneself and the world around us. At one moment you might be taken aback by the serene wildness as a Great Blue Heron wades along the muddy banks. A moment later you’re the raft leader shouting over the roar of a rapid to your team to paddle and work together to navigate a section of whitewater.

To get the most out of any raft trip it is important to be prepared for the unexpected adventures – and possible mishaps – that happen along the way. And the best way to gather this information is to have it shared on the water with expert guides who can share their insight and knowledge. With 33 years of rafting, guiding, and outdoor education experience Canyonlands Field Institute (CFI) is excited to share our experience with the next generation of rafters and guides. For over 20 years CFI has offered our Youth River Skills Program to provide a comprehensive overview to the world of rafting. Our hope is to share our passion and love for river running and proper river etiquette to keep the boating community vibrant and youthful!

This year, we are accepting up to 11 teens from 8-12 grades to take part in this program. Youth River Skills Camp will run from July 27-29 starting at Dewey Bridge and spending two nights on the Colorado River. We will bring both inflatable kayaks ‘duckies’ and rafts with us to teach a few different ways people can experience the river.

Along the way we pass on our knowledge of river running skills including; rigging rafts, river safety, leave no trace ethics, river camp setup, working as a team, leadership skills, among many others. We also move outside the raft as we share our love for the Colorado through fun lessons and activities focused on human and natural histories present all around us. From the evolution of this landscape eroded by the river to signs of past peoples who once called this landscape home we hope to pass our understanding of this landscape on to the next generation of rafters and boaters. Finally, we will teach participants how to read the river and understand how to prepare for the exciting class 1 and II-III rapids we will run along the way!

To learn more or register your teenagers for this exciting and informative program go onto our website cfimoab.org, give us a call 435-259-7750, or send us an email info@cfimoab.org. General underwriting or this program and other summer programs have been provided by Adrift Adventures, Canyon Voyages, Grand County Credit Union, and Grand County Recreation Special Service District. Their generous support has also provided resources for further scholarships. Please call to inquire about this scholarship.