Whitehorse, Yukon
* Adventure and skills-training for children and youth *
Adventure Leadership Program
Ages 11-14 years old
10 one week sessions
June 16th - August 22nd, 2008
Monday - Friday (with an overnight canoe trip from Wednesday – Friday)
$350 / week
Includes Daily Transportation
Day Camp Phone (867) 456-7846
Adventure Leadership Programs
Statutory Holidays
Safety Practices
Transportation
Lunch Option
What to Bring
Who we Are...
Registration
Adventure Leadership Program
Adventure Rox Day Camps have been providing children & youth with top-notch instruction in adventure based programs since 2004. Our goal is to expose campers to a variety of
activities in a safe and structured environment and to encourage them to try new things and expand their skill base. Campers receive instruction in various activities which
are designed to allow individuals to learn at their own rate while being part of a team environment.
The Adventure Leadership Program (ALP) provides training to youth interested in pursuing outdoor adventure activities while developing and enhancing their individual
leadership skills. All adventure activities focus on skill development while working on increasing self awareness and confidence, learning new leadership skills, setting
individual goals, working as a team, and developing problem solving and communication skills.
Adventure activities include:
Belay School: We start the week getting ‘geared´ up with an introduction to rock climbing safety and skills. Instruction will focus on equipment use, tying climbing
knots, belaying skills and general safety practices.
Rock Climbing Lessons: Moving on from “Belay School’, youth put their skills into action with a day of rock climbing on real rock at a location near
Whitehorse and a morning on our 30’ high rock climbing wall. In addition to climbing technique, these lessons will focus on teamwork, communication, goal setting and
rappelling.
Zip Line: A big hit at the Equinox Outdoor Climbing Wall is a 1000 foot 'zip line' which takes a rider from a platform at the top of the wall, to a landing area on
the other side of the pond. During the morning rock climbing lesson, campers will set personal goals and may want to challenge themselves further by zooming down the zip line!
It's a fun, exhilarating and safe ride that campers won't want to miss.
Canoe Lessons: Youth will learn the basic skills involved in tandem flat water canoeing with a lesson on the pond behind the Takhini Hotsprings. Later in the week
they will have the opportunity to learn moving water techniques and safe boating practices when they build a catamaran style raft in preparation for their multi-day canoe trip
(see details below).
Over-Night Canoe Trip: The highlight of the week for the Adventure Leadership Program is a three-day canoe trip. Focusing on teamwork, communication skills and
problem solving, youth will work together to make 2-3 catamaran style rafts. The trip will begin on the lower Takhini River and will finish two days later at the Burma Road
boat ramp on the Yukon River. Campers will use maps, compass and GPS to navigate down the river while locating appropriate campsites and rest stops. At the end of the first
day, the group will visit famous Quest dog musher Frank Turner and all his dogs at Muktuk Kennels. Each evening youth will work as a group to get the camp set up and meals
prepared. They will participate in various activities during the canoe trip, such as atlatl throwing, instruction on using a GPS device, camp crafts and evening campfire
programs.
Specialty Trips: We will be offering specialty camps during session 1 & 10. These weeks will include the same rock climbing and canoeing instruction on Monday
and Tuesday, but a new skill focused camping trip from Wednesday to Friday.
- Session 1 is our “Rock Exploration Camp” geared towards campers with a keen interest in rock climbing. The group will camp from Wednesday to Friday near some
fantastic rock climbing sites and spend the three days bouldering, climbing and rappelling. Youth will acquire the skills to set up anchors, find routes and learn advanced
knot tying and climbing techniques. Daily activities will also include hikes, games and great cookout meals.
- Session 2 will be “Fly Fishing Camp”. This 3 day trip will take campers down the upper Takhini River, starting from Kusawa Lake. Campers will build 2-3
catamaran style rafts and enjoy a river trip focusing on the sport of fly fishing. We will be joined by George Baum from 2 Fly Fishing Adventures, who will provide daily
fishing lessons to the group. Participants are required to bring their own fly fishing rod and small tackle box (we will provide campers with a specific list of what their
tackle box should contain). Campers will also learn swift water canoeing skills and safely practises throughout their 3 day river trip.
Closing Exercise: After coming off the river and wrapping up the canoe trip, we use Friday afternoon to provide youth with an opportunity to reflect on their week,
the skills they gained, the goals they accomplished and challenges they overcame. The group takes part in a few debriefing activities and says farewell to the friends they
shared the week with.
We make sure that each session is slightly different to ensure variety for campers returning for a second week. We guarantee that every week will be a safe, busy and a
fun filled experience with the opportunity for campers to learn new skills in a variety of outdoor adventure programs.
Statutory Holidays:
Canada Day and Discovery Day fall during sessions 3 & 10. We have decided that this year we will run our programs as usual during these two weeks, so that all campers are able to enjoy the complete Adventure Rox Camp experience.
Safety Practices
All of our staff hold current first aid & CPR certificates, have experience working with children and youth, and have taken part in our extensive staff training. In addition,
we ensure that staff carry a knapsack containing a fully stocked first aid kit, camper information, bear spray, a whistle, sunscreen and extra clothes. Our staff to camper
ratio is 1:6 maximum. Our Camp Staff always work in teams of two or three. There are no individually facilitated programs. All staff facilitating adventure programs, have
related qualifications, training and experience. Proper safety equipment for all of our programs is used and regularly inspected (i.e. certified rock climbing gear and
helmets, PFDs, water rescue equipment, etc.).
Transportation
Transportation to and from programs is provided by Tom´s Touring Service, a fully insured transportation
service. All drop-off and pick-ups are in the Shipyards Parking Lot.
Campers arrive each morning by 8:30am and will return each afternoon by 4:30pm. Campers & Parents MUST BE ON TIME for drop-off and pick-ups! If for any reason
there is a last minute change of transportation arrangements for a camper, please leave a message at both 393-3848 (Tom´s Touring Service) and 456-7846 (Adventure Rox
Camp Office) BEFORE the scheduled pick-up or drop-off time. It is the responsibility of the parent / guardian to supervise their child until the staff arrives at 8:30am.
Lunch Option
Campers have the option of taking advantage of our lunch service. We are pleased to announce that the
Alpine Bakery will continue to provide organic lunches again this summer. Lunch meals include a healthy sandwich made
with whole wheat or multigrain bread, a fruit or vegetable, a dessert and a 100% pure fruit juice drink. The cost for this service is $25 for the Adventure Leadership
Program campers. This includes a lunch for each of the 3 days when campers are not on their overnight canoe trip (food is provided for all campers during the canoe trip).
Though our lunch option is "nut-free," we can not ensure that our lunches are absolutely allergy free. If your child has severe allergies or dietary restrictions, we ask
that their lunch be provided from home.
Sample Menu:
What to Bring:
Adventure Leadership participants should pack their knapsack with the following items every day:
- Lunch (unless provided by us)
- Snacks
- 1L bottle of water or juice
- Swim suit & towel (even if we do not have swimming scheduled for the day)
- Sunscreen, a sun hat & bug repellent
- Rain gear ...we play rain or shine!
- Some warm clothes for those cooler days
- Running shoes - NO sandals please!
- An extra pair of shoes that you can get wet
- A keen sense of Adventure!
Overnight Packing List – To bring on Wednesday:
Please ensure that all of the following items are packed. Youth will be provided with a waterproof camping bag for their belongings ... but space is limited, so please bring
ONLY the items listed.
Please do not over pack!
- A lunch for the first day of your overnight canoe trip (unless provided by us)
- Warm Sleeping Bag – no comforters or blankets please
- Camping Mattress (i.e. blue foam camping pad or thermarest)
- A Whistle
- Running shoes – NO sandals please!
- An extra pair of shoes that you can get wet
- Warm wool socks x 3
- Pants x 2 (No Jeans!! And preferably not cotton pants - they take too long to dry)
- Shorts x 2
- Tee-Shirt x 3
- Long sleeve shirt x 1
- Very Warm Sweater x 1 (preferably wool or fleece)
- Rain gear x 1 (tops and bottoms if you have them)
- Sun hat x 1
- Warm winter hat x 1 (for those cool Yukon evenings)
- Warm pajamas x 1
- Underwear x 3
- Bathing suit x 1
- Towel x 1 (a smaller one if possible)
- Bug spray & Sunscreen
- Minimal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste and hair brush is all you really need)
PLEASE DO NOT BRING anything electronic (i.e. MPV player, gameboy, etc.)
We will provide all of the “group gear” (tents, cooking equipment, PFDs, paddles) plus all meals and snacks for the group (except for lunch on the first day of the canoe
trip …please pack one).
Youth will be sharing tents with peers of the same gender. They will be closely supervised by our staff team, who will ensure that they are safe and well cared for.
The group will be picked up from the Burma Road boat ramp on Friday afternoon and brought to Shipyards Park at 4:30pm as usual.
Who we are...
Christopher Gishler and Ellen Thomas each have 20 years of experience working in the camping and outdoor education field.
Christopher's background includes working for the Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School and teaching adventure education on high ropes courses and climbing walls that he
has built throughout North America.
Ellen's experience comes from the residential camping and outdoor education community of Ontario and British Columbia. She has worked as Program Director, Waterfront
Director and Leadership Training Director at various camps across the country.
Christopher and Ellen are working towards their dream of starting their own Camp & Outdoor Centre. They have put together a top-notch leadership training program and have
built Yukon's only Outdoor Climbing Wall and Zip Line, which is located at the Takhini Hot Springs and the
Ice Climbing Towers which were located at Shipyards Park this winter.
All of members of the Adventure Rox Staff Team come with extensive experience working with children in outdoor adventure programs. All staff members have current first aid and CPR and have completed our staff training.
Leadership Program Registration
Please contact us for a registration package, or download the PDF version of these forms online:
2008 Adventure Rox Camps Registration Package
Please complete and return one REGISTRATION FORM and HEALTH FORM per camper (both forms are in the Registration Package linked above).
Holding Spots
We recommend that you call our office at (867) 456-7846 to confirm that there is space available before mailing in your registration forms. We will be happy to hold a
spot for 7 business days, to allow time for the receipt of the necessary forms and payment.
Deposit
& Final Payment
Registration forms must be accompanied by full payment OR by a $100 deposit, together with a post-dated cheque for the balance (dated for the first day of camp).
Refund Policy
Camp fees will be refunded only if a cancellation is made a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the session starting date. Refunds or reduction of fees will not be offered for days
missed in a session.
Please note: All refunds are subject to a $25 administration fee.
