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MOUNTAINLIFE
SUMMER2016
Those old-school summer camp activities like
Capture the Flag andmaking friendshipbracelets
canbe a lot of fun, but they just don’t compare to
paddlingoverwaterfalls. For teenage kayakers in
Whitewater Riders camp, the campfireKumbayas
are replacedwith surfwaves and“boof “strokes.
Already established inOntario,Whitewater Riders
is a fully immersive, two-week kayaking camp for
teenboaters looking to take their skills to the next
level.After three summers of successful paddling,
the camphasmigratedwest and is offering its first
ever BC creek edition this summer.
“InBC, youhave this incredible network of
waterways that flow right out of glaciers intodeep,
remote canyons,” says program founder Katrina
VanWijk.“Itmakes for themost epic andmajestic
kayaking.”
An extreme kayaker herself,VanWijk’s parents
own andoperateCanada’s firstwhitewater
school—theMadawaskaKanuCentre—and she
says she started theRiders program as away to
addresswhat she saw as a void in youthpaddling
options:most kayak camps focus exclusively on
freestyle, andnot enoughon safety, teamwork and
versatility.
The itinerary is enough tomake any adult kayaker
envious.The camp starts off inVancouverwith a
full day of dryland safety courses, video reviews
and teamwork exercises.Vans full of keen teen
paddlers and a host of professional instructors
andguides thenheadnorth topaddle local gems
like the Squamish, Elaho,UpperMamquam and
Cheakamus rivers. Continuing inland, the crew
will make stops at theBridge andThompson rivers
before settingoff on aweek-long, raft-supported
paddle down theChilcotin and Fraser rivers.
VanWijk says that BC creeks and rivers promise
thrills, adventure and access to a remote
wilderness, but their navigation requires a very
different set of skills and riskmanagement
considerations than an eastern river. Beyond
developing their creeking and safety skills,Van
Wijk hopes the campwill help connect the kids to
the landscape andpeople they encounter, including
the stories and traditions of local First Nations.
“It’s so important togobeyond just paddling,”
saysVanWijk, emphasizing the need to also
teach river stewardship and conservation.“Our
mission in kayaking is to always be conscious of
our actions, both inpushingour own limits and in
givingback to the environment. ‘Riders’ is about
more than just individual accomplishment. It’s
about educating the next generation tobe smart
and confidant outdoor leaders.”
TheWhitewater Riders program runsAugust 1–14
and is open to any kayaker between the ages of
13 and17, and the only prerequisite is being able
toperform awhitewater roll. For everyone else,
there’s always Capture the Flag.
BOOFCAMP
UP
FRONT
By AdrickBrock
‘WHITEWATERRIDERS’ TEENKAYAKINGPROGRAMCOMESTOBC
Dropof faith.Dry launching into awhitewater summer. JORDANBASTIN
