Overview
A two Week Youth Kayak Camp focused on whitewater – Freestyle, Slalom, Creeking, Tripping and Whitewater Rescue Training. The mission? to build positive, skilled, and ethical leaders in the whitewater community.
Whitewater Riders was founded in 2013 by Katrina Van Wijk, to teach technical skills, outdoor education, and team dynamics to teens who love whitewater and want to take their skills to the next level. Youth will eddy out of this program with new skills, new kayaking buddies, greater awareness of river safety and memories to last a lifetime.
Who is this Course for?
ONTARIO: Youth Aged 12 to 18 with Intermediate Whitewater Kayaking Skills who are able to maneuver confidently down Class III whitewater and have a consistent combat roll on the river.
BC: Youth Aged 14 to 18 with Advanced Whitewater Kayaking Skills who are able to maneuver confidently down Class III+/IV whitewater and have a consistent combat roll on the river.
Itinerary
*The rivers dependant on water levels.
Course Location
ONTARIO:
The Youth Kayak Camp begins at Madawaska Kanu Centre on the Madawaska River, an excellent location to learn river rescue, and to practice eddy hopping in creek boats. The slalom course at MKC is the ideal location to fine-tune techniques and work on precise boat placement. Combining these skills, the Riders head to the Upper Petawawa for steeper ledges and chutes in their creek boats.
The weekend is spent on a kayak trip learning essential wilderness skills, trip preparation, navigation, rescue, outdoor cooking and remote trip dynamics. The last week is hosted at our sister company, OWL Rafting, where the teens will play on the big waves of the Ottawa River to finish off their two weeks with a healthy dose of freestyle fun and river running!
BC:
Working our way up the sea-to-sky corridor we will be kayaking daily on local classics such as: the Squamish, Mamquam, Cheakamus, Elaho, Ashlu, Callaghan, and the Lions Bay drainage ditch. Then hopping over a valley to the Gun and Bridge Rivers, finishing with the local Revelstoke classics. This ‘road trip’ style camp will be staying at scenic campsites, usually at the take-out or put-in of the days river.
Cost
$3200
Includes: 12 days of kayaking and rescue instruction, meals, dormitory accommodation, multi-day river trip and transportation to the various rivers.
Does not include: Sleeping Gear, Kayak & Paddling Gear rental (available to rent) , Airport Shuttles & HST
Enquire for pricing
Includes: 8 days of kayaking and rescue instruction, meals, camping accommodation, multi-day river trip and transportation to the various rivers.
Does not include: Camping Gear, Kayak & Gear rental, Airport Shuttles & HST
$25/day for either Creek or Freestyle boats. Slalom rentals are included. Please let us know if bringing any of your own boats & gear.
Accommodation + Meals
MKC Accommodation | Included
OWL Accommodation | Included
Car Camping | Included
Testimonials
BC Rider’s was an unforgettable adventure. It’s hard to know whether the scenery, the new experiences, the exceptional instruction or the people most defined the two weeks. It definitely sparked a new found love for where paddling can take you
Maddie Long
Whitewater riders is an amazing program that helped me progress so much as a young kayaker and learn to be a well rounded paddler! The things you learn on and off the river are life skills that will stick with you forever.
Casey Williams
My highlights were the loop I got on my second attempt, and being with my friends again, and great instructors. They were excellent! Knowledgeable, encouraging, and fun.
Wyatt C-B
Want to be a Whitewater Rider?
ON: July 21-August 1, 2025
BC: Enquire for dates
We can’t wait to have you as part of the team!
Week of Rivers
Intermediate
Advanced
$1400 / Per person
Family Week
Intermediate
Advanced
$1075 / Per person
Ottawa River Instruction
Intermediate
Advanced
$290 - $1075 / Per person
