Our Programs >> Summer

Suiattle River Multiday Excursion
Summer June – August

River Rafting, Animal tracking, and an epic riverside camp deep in the wilderness

This 2-3 day trip of rafting, hiking and camping is the ultimate in hands on outdoor education. Each student will gain wilderness expedition skills in paddle rafting, backcountry hiking and wilderness camping. More importantly, students will learn how to tread lightly as we demonstrate the leave no trace ethic and study the subtle and more obvious effects that human activity has on this fragile ecosystem. Additional activities on this trip may include participating in and collecting data for a stream study, collecting and preparing forest edibles, building a traditional native American sweat lodge, Dutch oven cooking, map and compass scavenger hunt and more. Class II and III rapids and remote backcountry travel make this program ideal for middle and high school students who are ready to experience all that is wild and scenic.

Goals
1) Provide students with a basic understanding of the life cycle of the 5 pacific salmon, water quality, topsoil erosion and Suiattle River’s designation under the Wild and Scenic Act of 1968 (ENV)
2) Provide students with introductory class in flora identification and animal tracking (ENV)
3) Provide students with introductory class in hiking, camping, white water rafting and river safety (REC)
4) Provide activities that increase self-esteem and confidence (EDU)
5) Increase the opportunity for “youth at risk” students have to make new friends and initiate positive lifestyle choices to encourage effective goal setting, problem solving, peer communication, conflict resolution and community building (EDU)

Objectives
- Be capable of describing the importance of staying on the trail and Leave No Trace

- Identify and log 80% of the following flora: Douglas fir, big leaf Maple, western Hemlock, Alder (red or white), sword fern, old man’s beard, witches hair.

- Identify and log sightings or evidence of 50% of the following fauna: salmon, merganser duck, harlequin duck, bald eagle, water ouzels (American dipper), great blue heron, cougar, black bear, beaver, and deer

- Be capable of describing what it is like to travel for days by foot and by river through wilderness

- Be able to name 2 of the 3 most common dangers on the river: foot entrapment, strainers and rope

- Be able to name 5 of the 10 essentials of hiking: map, compass, flashlight, food, clothes, sunglasses, first aid kit, pocket knife, water proof matches, fire starter