Whitewater Rafting Scout Merit Badge

Our whitewater rafting trip is perfect for Youth Groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and we would love to host your Troop as they complete their Whitewater Rafting Merit badge! Our Council approved and registered Counselors will aid your Scouts in learning about and safely operating a raft, while identifying unique river features and safety components for white water navigation. This experience is available in single day or two day options. We are licensed, bonded, insured, and BSA Council Approved!

What To Expect: Scout Whitewater Rafting Multi-Day Merit Badge Experience

For the Multi-Day Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge Experience, Scouts and Chaperones will have a greater in-depth encounter, similar to a mini Guide-School, including camping, as well as the option to cook their own meals using our outdoor kitchen.

For the Multi-Day experience, Troops will join us in the afternoon on the first day of their tour at 11:45am at our Camp 6400 Ca-49 in Lotus, Ca 95651. To access our camp, Troops will park in the main parking lot at the bottom of the hill and follow the yellow sign to the designated campsites along the dirt path running parallel to the river. You will then follow the path past the restrooms and showers, which are to the left, until you see a Sierra Whitewater sign on the right, near a blue outdoor kitchen area. Upon your arrival, we will have a barbecue lunch prepared for everyone to enjoy alongside the river. Make sure to let us know of any dietary restrictions, we are always more than happy to help!
After enjoying a bite to eat, our Guides will assist everyone in getting outfitted with gear, introducing all of the necessary tools for whitewater rafting and lead the Troop in a thorough safety debriefing before pairing you with your Guides and putting you on the river to enjoy the Lower South Fork Gorge! With swimmers’ rapids, jumping rocks, and plenty of wildlife, these Class III+ rapids are not only scenic, but extremely exciting! Your Guides will also introduce the water features for the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge completion and teach the Scouts their paddle strokes and demonstrate proper swimming techniques as well, including swimming through a rapid!

At the end of the day, our transportation vehicles will greet you with snacks and ice cold beverages before leading you back to camp. Once back at Camp, Scouts and chaperones will get settled in for a night camping (Remember this can be applied towards Scouts Camping Merit Badge)! Wheelbarrows are available, if necessary, to aid campers in carrying gear to their campsite. Once the group has settled into Camp, you will have full use of the outdoor Camp Kitchen with picnic tables and shared use of the facilities including restrooms, hot showers, and lawn games area. Many Troops find this to be the perfect opportunity for Scouts to also earn their Cooking Merit Badge. The Camp Kitchen area has a sink with potable water, prep table, and grill. The flat top grill uses propane, which we will provide a tank for, though refills (while not normally needed) will be your responsibility and can be done by bringing the propane tank to Coloma Feed and Hardware located at 7170 CA-49 #1, Lotus, CA 95651 to have it refilled. You may also find it useful to bring grilling utensils and any pots and pans you may care to use during your stay. For Troops that prefer to pack a little lighter, we also offer the option to add on Facilitated Camping with equipment provided, as well as meal packages for dinner and breakfast. Your Troop will then spend the evening alongside the river, under the stars, in our grassy, oak tree shaded camp.

WHITEWATER MERIT BADGE CHECKOFF DAY!

The following morning a Whitewater Rafting Guide, a BSA approved Merit Badge Counselor, will greet you in your camp and lead everyone to the vans or bus for the brief drive to put-in for the Upper South Fork American, Chili Bar stretch of the river at 8:30am. Once we have arrived, we will aid Scouts in getting outfitted with all of the necessary gear, reviewing Scouts’ knowledge about the equipment and its proper use, and conducting a safety talk with Scouts to ensure understanding and retention of proper river safety etiquette before venturing down 12+ miles of thrilling whitewater! This stretch of whitewater rafting has opportunities for your Troop to enjoy scenic views and swimmers’ rapids along the way, as well as photo opportunities. Here, Scouts will have the opportunity to exemplify their knowledge! This will also be when our Scouts have their Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge Check-Offs!

After making sure that each Scout has had the opportunity to exemplify and hone their new skillset of whitewater rafting, we will have another barbecue lunch for you to enjoy alongside the river, before giving the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badges to the Troop leader for them to award the hardworking Scouts with before checking-out of Camp!

The total cost of this Experience is $250.00 per person, for both Scouts and Chaperones. This includes two days of Whitewater Rafting, two lunches, camping, as well as the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge Check-Off with BSA approved Counselors and the Merit Badge itself.

WHAT TO EXPECT: SCOUT WHITEWATER RAFTING SINGLE DAY TOURS

If your Troop is looking for an express Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge experience, a single day tour is also available! For this experience, Troops would meet at Sierra Whitewater’s Camp 6400 Ca-49 in Lotus, Ca 95651 at 8:30am for the brief drive to put-in for the Upper South Fork American, Chili Bar stretch of the river. Upon arrival at Put-In, our BSA Council registered Whitewater Rafting Counselors, your Guides, will assist everyone in getting outfitted with gear. We will introduce all of the necessary tools for whitewater rafting, and lead the Troop in a thorough safety debriefing before pairing you with your Counselor for the day, known as Guides, and setting off on the river to enjoy the Upper South Fork Chili Bar! During this portion of the experience, our Guides will also introduce the water features for the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge completion and teach the Scouts their paddle strokes and about the local flora, fauna, and some river history.

Shortly before 1:00pm, Scouts, Guides, and Chaperones, will reach Sierra Whitewater’s Camp, where we will have a delicious barbecue lunch for everyone to enjoy! Make sure to let us know ahead of time about any dietary restrictions or allergies, we are always more than happy to accommodate! After enjoying a bite to eat, Scouts will put back on their equipment, reviewing all items and their proper uses with their Counselors. We will then put back onto the river for the next leg of our journey, the Lower South Fork Gorge!

With swimmers’ rapids, jumping rocks, and plenty of wildlife, these Class III+ rapids are not only scenic, but extremely exciting! This stretch of whitewater rafting has opportunities for your Troop to enjoy scenic views and swimmers’ rapids along the way, as well as photo opportunities. Here, Scouts will have the opportunity to exemplify some of their new knowledge and skills by demonstrating their paddle strokes and proper swimming techniques as well, including swimming through a rapid! This will also be when our Scouts have their Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge Check-Offs!

After making sure that each Scout has had the opportunity to exemplify their new skillset of whitewater rafting, our vehicles will greet everyone with snacks and beverages before heading back to Sierra Whitewater’s Camp to get the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badges! These will be given to the Troop leader for them to award the hardworking Scouts and Leaders are welcome to use the picnic facilities if they’d like to distribute them the same day before we say our goodbyes.

The total cost of this Experience is $150.00 per person, for both Scouts and Chaperones. This includes one day of Whitewater Rafting, barbecue lunch, as well as the Whitewater Rafting Merit Badge Check-Off with BSA approved Counselors and the Merit Badge itself.