An 8-Day Course
Price: $1695
Includes: World Class instruction, all lodging, food and equipment on the river
Dates: June 18 – 25, July 1 – 8, July 16 – 23, or Aug 31 – Sept 5, 2012
Prerequisites: No previous experience is required! This course is designed for those of you interested in learning to kayak, or those of you interested in refining your basic skills. If you have some on-water experience and are looking to refine your technique and improve your strokes, this is the course for you! Be prepared to come as a beginner and leave as an intermediate!
Description: In this course, our skilled instructors will teach you the basic paddling skills required to successfully read and navigate rapids.
Kayaking Mule Creek is a Highlight of our Kayak Schools
The first three days are spent learning the basics on the day section of the Rogue River, and are very flexible based on student experience and ability. Students will spend nights one and two at the Sundance Lodge. Day 3 marks the beginning of a 6 day river trip through the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River, Grave Creek to Foster Bar, featuring rapids such as Mule Creek Canyon, and Blossom Bar. By late afternoon each day, we will pull into a luxurious camp with a white sandy beach, and a creek neighboring the campsite. Sit back and relax as dinner is cooked riverside, and you are able to relax to the sound of the river.
Day 1: The first day, you will be introduced to whitewater kayaks and paddling gear. You’ll discover you CAN easily get out of the boat, and before lunch will gain the confidence to take a short, easy trip down the river! Once on the river, you’ll begin to learn how to maneuver your sleek river craft and be introduced to the mysteries of the Eskimo roll. At Sundance, we believe it is important to introduce the roll fairly early on in the learning process so as to provide our students will plenty of time to explore more paddling moves after the roll is part of your arsenal of skills.
One of the first things you'll learn is the kayak roll
Day 2: The next morning your instructor will introduce basic skills and maneuvers, such as forward strokes, high/low braces, eddy turns, and finally the Eskimo roll. These skills will form a strong foundation on which to build throughout the class. The afternoon will be spent on the river, applying such skills, testing abilities, and gaining confidence on the water. While we will stick to the easy rapids, you’ll begin to feel the freedom of moving around on the river, going where you want to go!
Day 3: By day 3, you’ll be honing your skills in preparation for a downstream river trip. You’ll continue to hone the basic skills learned in days 1 and 2, as well as start playing in the rapids, learning your limits of stability, risking tip-overs and discovering the fun and excitements the river holds. Before long, you will begin to anticipate your next move, reacting to each and every wave. Day 3 marks the beginning of a 6 day river trip on the Wild and Scenic Rogue River.
Kayaking on the recreation section of the Rogue River
Days 4-8: The next few days will be spent on the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue River from Grave Creek to Foster Bar. This time will be spent focusing on having fun, and reinforcing those new skills. Each day, we cover between 6 and 12 miles, running some rapids in formation, and stopping to play in others. You will learn how to scout a rapid, and determine the safest path through the rapid. Mid-day we will stop for lunch, as well as a quick snooze and/or sunbath. By late afternoon, we will pull into camp. Sit back and relax as dinner is cooked riverside, and you are able to relax to the sound of the river.
Kayaking a Class III rapid on the Rogue River
Come join Sundance for a week of whitewater! The thrill and reward of accepting the challenge of learning to whitewater kayak, mixed with experiencing the fun, majestic beauty and timelessness of a wilderness river trip are the reasons people come to Sundance Kayak School. Come and join us for a world of whitewater kayaking!
Kayaking the Wild section of the Rogue River
“You need to be pretty good before you’re really enjoying it. Sundance’s teaching methods lead you quickly and efficiently along the “fast track” to basic competence. Each day’s offerings build on skills and abilities developed in previous sessions. Our instructors are highly skilled teachers, who are able to help you learn to kayak safely and enjoyably.”
–Zachary Collier, Owner, Sundance Kayak School
