Expedition Paddlesports

Expedition Paddlesports is a weeklong expedition paddlesports camp where campers kayak, whitewater raft, and stand up paddleboard every day and camp in basecamp tents at night. The program includes flat-water kayaking skills such as bracing, rolling, and self-rescue techniques, whitewater skills like river reading, hydrology, and rapids scouting, and paddleboarding skills including paddle strokes and rescue techniques. Campers also take part in teambuilding, camping, maintaining a campsite, setting up and breaking down equipment, keeping their space tidy, and cooking their own meals in the backcountry.

• Ages: 12–14 years old
• Schedule: One-week sessions with Sunday check-in at 10:00 AM and Friday check-out at 3:00 PM
• Price: One Week Price $2,100. Airport Shuttle $50 one-way, $100 round-trip. Multi-Session/Sibling: $75 Off Per Session after the 1st. Referral Program: Give friends $50 off their first camp, and the referring family receives a $50 coupon for a future 2026 camp when the friend makes a purchase. Service Discount: $100 Off for qualifying professions.

Each one-week session follows a sample daily schedule that includes a 7:00 AM wake-up, morning and evening circles, two adventure blocks starting at 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM, meals, hang out and bond time, an evening activity, and tent time/bedtime at 9:00 PM, for a total of 125 camp hours. Campers sleep in basecamp tents without access to showers or running water and use portable toilets or pit toilets without flush capabilities, with all water brought to the site filtered for drinking, hand washing, and food preparation. Groups include up to 13 campers and are supported by two experienced Avid4 Adventure staff members and professional guides from a local whitewater rafting company, with Avid4 instructors all 18 and older and trained in safety and skills. The expedition is guided on the American River by American Whitewater Expeditions and uses professional-caliber equipment specifically sized for kids, with transportation provided to and from recreation areas.

Avid4 Adventure states that its mission is to use the outdoors to build confidence, friendships, and an appreciation of the natural world, and to give kids a love of outdoor activity and support future caretaking of the planet. Expedition Paddlesports is part of a broader set of Avid4 Adventure programs that evolve for ages 3 through 17 and emphasize teaching sound judgment, problem-solving, and calculated, well-communicated risks, along with interpersonal skills like communication, problem solving, and teamwork. Campers in this program also build core strength and balance on paddleboards through games and team building. Avid4 Adventure is accredited by the American Camp Association, is a Certified B Corp, and has been named among Colorado Parent’s Top 5 Sports Camps, and it operates under a Special Use authorization from the National Forest Service.

The organization’s leadership includes founder David Secunda, a former president of the Outdoor Industry Association and a 25-year veteran of the outdoor education industry. Avid4 Adventure highlights that top tier staff are the number one point of positive feedback from parents and offers an Avid4 Adventure Guarantee that provides a free future camp if stated promises are not met. Parent testimonials describe children learning new outdoor skills, including stand up paddleboarding, kayaking, and biking, and note that campers were active every day and continued to talk about their experiences after camp.

Last updated July 16, 2026.