Trip Details
California Junior Whitewater School
 General Description:
ARTA's California Junior Whitewater School is a blast! Six full days of whitewater rafting, riverside adventure, outdoor games and spontaneous fun are coupled with enthusiastic instruction and lively participation. Every day, students will get the chance to learn, practice, experiment, laugh, swim, discover and grow. At the end of the week, you'll have a new tan and a new confidence.
The school will be based out of Camp Lotus on the banks of the South Fork of the American. In addition to showers, lawn, shade, volleyball, koob (you'll learn) and flush toilets, Camp Lotus also offers easy access to the river and gives us lots of flexibility to choose the right stretch of river. We will spend most of our river days on the South Fork, but, if water and skill levels allow, we'll also trek over to the more challenging and remote Middle Fork of the American for a day or two of high adventure (tunnels, creeks, waterfalls, etc).
Formal instruction during the school will cover many aspects of whitewater navigation including rowing and paddle-captaining as well as basic swiftwater safety. Training will also be provided in trip planning, wilderness cooking and minimum impact camping. In addition to (and perhaps more important than) these technical skills, students will also develop teamwork, decision-making, interpersonal, leadership, and risk-assessment skills in a supervised, informal setting. Our goal is to act as positive role models and to foster a fun and friendly environment in which each student can gain self-confidence, independence, and maturity.
Meeting Time and Place:
An ARTA representative will meet the students under the grape arbor at Camp Lotus at 5:00 on Sunday, July 22, 2012. Look for an ARTA T-shirt and a smiling face.
ARTA provides the following:
All meals from dinner on arrival day through lunch on the last day
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Rafts
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Lifejackets
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Waterproof bags for personal gear
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River touring equipment, guides, helpers and cooks
You are responsible for:
How to Get There:
Camp Lotus is located on the banks of the South Fork of the American River near the town of Coloma, about one hour east of Sacramento. Most students arrive by car (see Alternate Beginning/Ending in the Itinerary); if you wish to fly into Sacramento, please contact us for carpool and pick-up information.
Driving Directions:
From Sacramento: Take Highway 50 east 30 miles to the Ponderosa Road exit in Shingle Springs. Cross over the Highway and turn right onto North Shingle Road. Continue for 12 miles following the signs to Coloma and Lotus. Turn left at Bassi Road (stop sign just before entering the town of Lotus), and go one mile along the river to Camp Lotus on the right.
From Placerville: Take Highway 49 north through the Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma. Turn left on Lotus Road, (just before the bridge across the South Fork of the American) and go 1 mile to Bassi Road. Turn right on Bassi Road and go one mile along the river to Camp Lotus.
Departure Information
The school will conclude at Camp Lotus around 6:00 on the afternoon of Saturday, July 28th, 2012.
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Additional Information:
Itinerary:
Day before the trip: We will meet at Camp Lotus under the grape arbor at 5:00 pm, where we will have dinner, go over trip parameters and goals, and get to know each other. We will camp at Camp Lotus.
Day 1: A busy and exciting morning will bring us straight to the river where we will spend the day rafting one of the exciting whitewater sections of the South Fork.
Days 2– 5: Using Camp Lotus as our base, we will spend each day running one of two sections on the South Fork working on ferry angles, turns, pivots, and eddy-catching. In addition to whitewater instruction, we will take time to learn about the unique history of the American River. We will check out historic sites, hike to swimming holes, and play skills games. If conditions permit, we may opt for one or two “wilderness” trips where we spend the night along the river at a raft-only accessible site. Students and instructors will divide into groups and each group will have specific responsibilities for the day. Students will be involved in preparing meals, washing dishes and caring for the equipment. The days will be busy but not strenuous. Evenings will include a combination of structured and unstructured time.
Day 6: One final day on the South Fork will give you an opportunity to perfect your line through Racehorse Bend or have a rematch with Triple Threat before we conclude at Camp Lotus around 6:00 pm.
For Parents:
Alternate Beginning/Ending: Over the years, many parents (and families) have signed up for a regular ARTA trip immediately preceding or following their child's Junior Whitewater School. You can spend the day together on the river either when you drop them off or you can take a trip with your newly graduated "junior assistant guide" when you pick them up. Drop-off trips are fun because they can make students feel more at home on the river; pick-up trips are fun because parents get to see their kid "in action" (you'll be impressed) and the kid has gotten to show off their new skills for their parents. We highly recommend this if you can make it work; call us and we'll help you make plans.
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Meals:
ARTA meals are healthy, wholesome and well-balanced and consist of quality foods with fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables at every meal. The students will be full participants in camp setup, meal preparation, serving and clean-up so the food on the Junior Whitewater School tends to be a bit simpler (and only as tasty as a group of teenagers can make it). Instructors will supervise, but students should expect to carry their fair share of the kitchen workload. Dinners and breakfasts are cooked over an open fire and often include tasty Dutch Oven baked treats. If you have special dietary requirements or are celebrating a special event during the trip, please let us know in advance.
Drinks:
ARTA provides water, tea, coffee and fruit drinks at meals.
Camping:
Overnight camping will be done at Camp Lotus or at a "wilderness" site (accessible only by raft) along the river. There is usually a central kitchen and campfire area and students pick out spots in the surrounding area to pitch their tents or lay out their sleeping bags. Camp Lotus has flush toilets and showers. Dinner is served in the evening and the campfire is often kept burning into the night for music and story-telling.
Weather:
It will be hot and sunny. Nonetheless, bring some fleece and a good rain shell; we may be on the river late and you might have a cool morning. Rain is really rare in July in California. Nonetheless, bring a tent; you may want it for privacy. The water is refreshing, (60 degrees) and you will be in and out a lot each day.
Travel Insurance:
Life is full of surprises! We suggest you purchase supplemental travel insurance for your trip. Trip cancellation, evacuation, baggage loss and other coverages are available for between 4% and 11% of your trip cost. You can get more information at www.travelinsure.com; please enter ARTA's Participating Organization Number (32033) at the top of the enrollment form if it isn’t automatically entered.
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More Information?
If there are any questions we haven't answered, please feel free to contact us by e-mail(arta@arta.org) or phone (800-323-2782). We love to talk about our trips, so don't be shy!
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