Overview
The Gold Medal Kayak camp on Idaho's Payette River combines an amazing outdoor classroom with decades of instructional experience. Build on your prior boating skills by adding the technical knowledge and teaching methods of our exceptional coaches. Sessions include information on kayaking theory, focused on-the-water drills, and application of techniques to river running and slalom kayaking.
Highlights
- Three days of instruction
- Tiered instructional levels
- Coolest and most knowledgeable instructors
- Appropriate for those with previous kayaking experience
Location
Cascade Raft River Center
What to Bring
Most attendees of the Gold Medal Camp have their own equipment and if that's the case for you, we would encourage you to bring it. While you are absolutely welcome to use school gear, it helps to work with what you are familiar with as far as equipment, especially as you tackle new skills or river sections. Of course, there will be opportunities to try other boats if you wish, or use our gear if it's difficult to travel with yours. This clinic happens in the spring, so be prepared for cold water and variable weather.
Includes
- Kayaking equipment (boat, paddle, helmet, life jacket, sprayskirt)
- Insulation (wetsuit, thermal jacket, splash jacket, neoprene booties)
- Lunch each day
- Dinner on the first and second evenings
- Effective, technique-based instruction
Excludes
Lodging--area options include camping, local Air BnB's, and Boise hotels. Let us know if you need some leads.
Other items you might want to have with you that are not included:
- water bottle
- sunscreen
- eye glass retainer
- small dry bag
- gratuity for your guide
Itinerary
Check in at the Cascade Raft River Center (7050 Highway 55, Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629) and meet your instructors. Each of the three days will include some dry-land discussion (introductions and planning, chalk-talk, question and answer sessions and more) as well as two sessions on the water. We will return to our River Center for lunch and at the end of the day so you are welcome to leave dry clothes or personal belongings in your vehicle or in the complimentary lockers. The Center is also equipped with a gift shop and cafe, restrooms and changing rooms. On the first and second evenings of the class we will meet for dinner and great company on the River Center decks. It's optional, of course, but we hope you'll join us to chat and relax. The clinic will wind up following the afternoon session of the third day--typically about 4:30 PM.
Expect to spend a lot of time in your boat! Though this clinic is group instruction, we keep a low student-to-instructor ratio so that we can address your specific kayaking goals and give you lots of mastery time. The typical daily schedule includes a technical session where we'll focus on a particular skill set, as well as a river-running session to apply those skills to various situations. Each day we'll build on those skills, concepts and applications.