Adventure Leadership Programs - Equinox Adventure Learning

Equinox Adventure Learning - in Canada's Yukon Territory

Whitehorse, Yukon
Summer 2010 Adventure Leadership Program

Ages 11-14 years old
7 one-week sessions
June 21st - August 27th, 2010
Monday - Friday (with an overnight camping trip Wed-Fri)
$335 / week
Includes Daily Transportation
Day Camp Phone (867) 456-7846

Adventure Leadership Programs
Statutory Holidays
Safety Practices
Transportation
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 half day of climbing on our 30-foot high rock climbing wall, which will be followed the next day by a full day of climbing on real rock at a location near Whitehorse. 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: Following guidelines set by the Canadian Recreational Canoeing Association, youth will learn the basic skills involved in tandem flat water canoeing with a lesson on the pond behind the Takhini Hotsprings. During sessions 2, 3, 6, 7 & 10 campers 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: (During Sessions 2, 3, 6, 7 & 10) The highlight of these weeks 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 catamaran style rafts. The trip will begin on the lower Takhini River and will finish two days later at Burma Road 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 Yukon 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 sessions 1 and 8. These weeks will include the same rock climbing and canoeing instruction on Monday and Tuesday, but includes a different specialty trip from Wednesday to Friday.

Session 1 is our Climb 'n' Ride Camp. This is geared towards campers interested in horse back riding and rock climbing. The group will set up camp at the Takhini Hot Springs and spend Wednesday & Thursday rock climbing, hiking and swimming. In the evenings and for the full day on Friday, the group will participate in horseback riding lessons at Hart 2 Hart Equine Learning Center. Jackie Dickson, owner and instructor, is a Canadian Equestrian Federation Certified Coach and has certification in Equine Studies from the Saskatchewan Institute of Science and Technology. The 10 hours of lessons will form the foundation for young riders to explore the world of horses and the partnerships and bonds formed between horses and humans. The campers will work in small groups of similar riding experience (beginner, intermediate and advanced) and have an introduction to horses, grooming, riding skills, lounge line work and horse and rider games. New this year will be the opportunity for campers to work towards recognised certifications with the Canadian Equestrian Federation (CEF). Beginner riders will work towards their Little Wrangler Level 1 or 2, while more experienced riders will aim for their CEF Level 1 award. The cost for this week is $425.
Session 8 is our Climb 'n' Bike Camps. This week is geared towards campers with a keen interest in rock climbing and mountain biking. The group will camp from Wednesday to Friday near Copper Cliffs and spend the days bouldering, climbing and rappelling, as well as going on trail rides on the Trans Canada Trail. 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, swimming, games and great cookout meals. The cost for this week is $350.

Closing Exercise: After the group completes their camping 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 more than one 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 (Thursday, July 1st) and Discovery Day (Monday, August 16th) fall during session 2. We will run our programs as usual during this week 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 and to be there no later than 4:30pm to pick their child up.
What to Bring:
Adventure Leadership participants should pack their knapsack with the following items every day:

Lunch and snacks for the whole day
1L bottle of water or juice
Swim suit, towel & flip-flops in case we go swimming
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 and snack for the first day of your overnight trip
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 please)
Sun hat x 1
Warm winter hat x 1 (for those cool Yukon evenings)
Warm pyjamas x 1
Underwear x 3
Bathing suit x 1
Towel x 1 (a small one only please that will be quicker to dry)
Bug spray & Sunscreen
Minimal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste and hair brush is all you really need)
For Session #2 Climb 'n' Ride - pack comfortable clothes & shoes to ride in
For Session #8 Climb 'n' Bike - your mountain bike and helmet

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 their camping location on Friday afternoon and brought to Shipyards Park at 4:30pm as usual.
Who we are...
Christopher Gishler and Ellen Thomas each have over 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, Zip Line and Ice Towers which are all located at the Takhini Hot Springs.
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:
2010 Adventure Rox Camps Registration Package
Please complete and return one REGISTRATION FORM, HEALTH FORM and WAIVER per camper (all 3 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.