Young Women’s Adventure ( July 16 - August 5, 2012)

This 21-day adventure camp creates a supportive  and empowering environment for an all-female group of teenagers to engage in a challenging and exciting experience of a lifetime. This trip includes sea kayaking, whitewater rafting and backpacking.

While on this adventure, the students will learn about the environment, develop leadership skills, and embrace some of California’s stunning natural resources. Participants will learn how watersheds link the mountains to the sea, and connect the wilderness to our homes. These young women gain confidence, new skills and the knowledge that their voice matters.

Itinerary

• Day 1  The trip begins with a welcoming introduction as we join our teammates in San Francisco. We will load our gear into large vans and begin our trip with a day on an adventure ropes course. We learn how we can step up as leaders and work together as a team. In the evening we hold our first nightly council circle were we enjoy the process of debriefing our day, then divide into teams and establish leadership roles.
• Days 2-7  We enter the world of water by leaving behind vans and making sea kayaks our new vehicles. We pack up kayaks to paddle on San Francisco Bay to Angel Island where we stay for 4 nights. People can choose to sleep inside a unique Civil War-era building or out on the lawn under the stars. We will explore this unique island by water and by land, playing fun teambuilding games, kayaking around the island, learning about the plants and animals on Angel Island and in San Francisco Bay, and developing our communication skills in our nightly council circle. Learning paddling skills and rescues, the time on San Francisco Bay will make you a strong and competent sea kayaker.
• Days 9-10  The next chapter of our journey is an organic farm stay. We will sleep under the stars and rise with the sun to work with the farmers. As we pick peaches from trees we learn about sustainable food production, irrigation and nutrition.
• Days 11-15  We travel by van from the Bay Area to the small town of Coloma, where the California Gold Rush started. This is where we settle into ETC’s beautiful and accessible river camp on the banks of the South Fork American River. It will be time to explore the thrill and adventure of whitewater rafting. Instructors train you to navigate rapids and students take turns leading each other down Class I-II sections of the river. The more challenging Class III sections will be safely run by knowledgeable and experienced guides. Each day we will come back to the comfort of our beautiful river camp to cook dinner in the open-air kitchen. Every night we will sleep under the stars.
• Days 16-20  We leave the river and transition to the mountains for the backpacking expedition. The challenge of backpacking and carrying only our essential needs gives us opportunities to gain confidence, feel empowered, and to reflect on our experiences.
• Day 21  We end with a graduation and a celebration of our successes. This is a potluck gathering in San Francisco. Our friends and family join us for dinner while we share with them the highlights of our journey and the many ways we have grown.