14-Day Access to Adventure – All Gender

June 15 – June 28, 2024

Overview

This 14-day adventure offers teenagers of all abilities an inclusive environment to experience the natural beauty of northern California wilderness. Students will explore San Francisco Bay and Angel Island via kayak, and learn to navigate whitewater rafting on the South fork of the American River while base-camping at ETC River Camp in Lotus, CA.  

Participants of all abilities join together to challenge themselves and to develop outdoor leadership skills. Learning how to face their fears and embrace their strengths, the students work together as a team to meet their challenges head on and rise as leaders. With a focus on creativity and inclusion, they discover ways to make adventures and activities both safe and adventurous for everyone involved.

Itinerary

Days 1-3 
The trip begins with a welcoming introduction as we meet the teammates that we will be spending the next fourteen days with. We will learn new names and play ice breaker activities to get to know our group, and then we will pack our belongings  into vans and drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin. This afternoon and the following day, we  will establish group agreements and leadership roles, in addition to learning about camping skills, such as cooking, cleaning and setting up a tent. In the evenings we hold Evening Meetings where we enjoy the process of debriefing our day, sharing about ourselves, and learning about each other.  We will spend our third day paddling along the waters of Sausalito, learning the essential skills of sea kayaking.

Sea Kayaking

Days 4-7

We head to Sausalito to embark on an Angel Island expeditionary paddle. We pack a fleet of kayaks full of everything we need to spend the next four nights: tents, stoves, clothing, food, sleeping bags, etc. We take time to connect to the nature around us and reflect on our relationships with each other and the earth. We learn to live simply and close to nature, spending our nights sleeping outdoors and our days learning the primitive skills of kayaking. We will have the chance to hike  around the historic Angel Island all while laughing together, learning together, and enjoying the San Francisco Bay.

Whitewater Rafting

Days 8-13 
The second half of our adventure brings us to the South Fork of the American River. Here, we’ll discover the thrill and adventure of whitewater rafting on the South Fork of the American River, as well as learn the technical skills to do so safely. 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.  

We will also spend some time off of the water as well, learning about the history of the Coloma area, going on day hikes and finding private swimming holes to cool off in. Each day we will come back to the comfort of ETC’s beautiful and accessible river camp to cook dinner in the open-air kitchen and continue our Evening Meetings. Every night we will sleep under the magnificence of the Milky Way Galaxy with the lullaby of the river putting us to bed.

Graduation

Day 14
Graduation Day! This is a gathering in San Francisco. We invite our friends and family to watch a slideshow of our adventure while we share the highlights of our journey and the lessons we have learned. Afterwards we will say goodbye to our new group of friends, and travel back home with our loved ones.

APPLY NOW (English Version) (Spanish Version)

Program Cost

ETC strives to make outdoor experiences accessible to all regardless of ability or financial status. We offer a range of scholarships for students and encourage everyone to apply.

If you would like to apply for a scholarship, please click HERE to access the Youth LEAD Scholarship Application. For the Spanish version please click HERE

Once you have been accepted on a YLP course, to secure your reservation, your course deposit is due within two weeks of receiving your acceptance. This is 50% of your cost of the course and is necessary to hold your spot on the trip.

Program Cost: $3,675 
For more information regarding scholarship options including examples of student scholarship scenarios click HERE