About
Junior Guides Raft Camp is a 3-day family program that includes whitewater rafting, overnight camping, and camp-wide festivities. Kids take part in activities such as a scavenger hunt and skit night, and 4th graders can join History Tours of the Gold Country led by the Program Director. The program is described as “The ultimate 3-day family escape!” and is the original whitewater rafting camp that includes adventure for kids and overnight camping for the whole family.
• Ages: 6–16 years old
• Schedule: 3-day family escape
Junior Guides is a small, nonprofit organization that has been in operation since 2010 and is celebrating its 16th year. Junior Guides Raft Camp was launched in 2010 and is described as creating a powerful river community since that time. The organization is mission-driven, not profit-driven, with parents on the seven-member board of directors steering decisions with children’s needs, safety, and growth at the center. It shares a stated passion for teaching kids, engaging families, sharing adventure, and taking people whitewater rafting, and the program intentionally builds leadership, confidence, and teamwork. The community around the program is made up of active, engaged families who value outdoor adventure, teamwork, and learning, and the nonprofit partners with contracted outfitters who support the program with favorable pricing and unique service. The program includes families and evening programming, offers carabiner merit awards, pre-camp video learning, and Teen Camp Counselor programs, and features a legendary scavenger hunt and skit night. It is not tied to one rafting company and partners with the best outfitter for each river, with outdoor education experts leading rafting through rapids by day while families reconnect at night for camp-wide festivities.
Founder and Executive Director Sarah Canfield serves as Program Director and works every camp. She is a retired teacher who taught 17 years in public schools, was a whitewater guide for many years with the historic California river outfitter Whitewater Voyages, and was once a Ranger at Yosemite National Park. She currently leads History Tours of the Gold Country for 4th graders and is on the USA Women’s Masters Raft Race team, having competed in Malaysia in November 2025. Past Executive Director Barry Kruse created the Osprey Program and is Head Instructor of “Parent Education Days.” He began his rafting career at age 19, has run more than 80 rivers around the world including six first raft descents, and has guided more than 400 days of class V whitewater. He has been an executive in global learning and development for Fortune 500 companies, has worked in nearly 50 countries and all US states, and is host of The Leading Steep Podcast with a whitewater YouTube channel. President of the Board of Directors Alex Wolfgram began kayaking in 2001 and raft guiding in 2003, has kayaked extreme class V+ runs like the Royal Gorge of the North Fork American, and teaches at-risk high school youth. Board treasurer Dan Martin guided for several outfitters on technical sections of river in California and Oregon, has a small stake in a commercial rafting company, and works as an Oral Surgeon in Truckee. Board member Sonja Martin spent 8 years guiding commercial river trips throughout California, leading Guide Schools and managing area river operations, has an MA in Recreation Administration and Management from UNC Chapel Hill, has managed rafting companies, served as Assistant Director of Adventure Programs at UCSB, and recently retired as a K–8th grade Physical Education teacher in Truckee, CA. Scott Valentine, who is involved with the program, managed a whitewater company and works for the US Forest Service restoring streams and meadows, runs the Earth and Environmental Science Department at Lake Tahoe Community College, and engages with indigenous communities about fire ecology. Cassidy Rubin serves on the board as a Junior Guides Alumni Member.
Last updated April 7, 2026.
• Ages: 6–16 years old
• Schedule: 3-day family escape
Junior Guides is a small, nonprofit organization that has been in operation since 2010 and is celebrating its 16th year. Junior Guides Raft Camp was launched in 2010 and is described as creating a powerful river community since that time. The organization is mission-driven, not profit-driven, with parents on the seven-member board of directors steering decisions with children’s needs, safety, and growth at the center. It shares a stated passion for teaching kids, engaging families, sharing adventure, and taking people whitewater rafting, and the program intentionally builds leadership, confidence, and teamwork. The community around the program is made up of active, engaged families who value outdoor adventure, teamwork, and learning, and the nonprofit partners with contracted outfitters who support the program with favorable pricing and unique service. The program includes families and evening programming, offers carabiner merit awards, pre-camp video learning, and Teen Camp Counselor programs, and features a legendary scavenger hunt and skit night. It is not tied to one rafting company and partners with the best outfitter for each river, with outdoor education experts leading rafting through rapids by day while families reconnect at night for camp-wide festivities.
Founder and Executive Director Sarah Canfield serves as Program Director and works every camp. She is a retired teacher who taught 17 years in public schools, was a whitewater guide for many years with the historic California river outfitter Whitewater Voyages, and was once a Ranger at Yosemite National Park. She currently leads History Tours of the Gold Country for 4th graders and is on the USA Women’s Masters Raft Race team, having competed in Malaysia in November 2025. Past Executive Director Barry Kruse created the Osprey Program and is Head Instructor of “Parent Education Days.” He began his rafting career at age 19, has run more than 80 rivers around the world including six first raft descents, and has guided more than 400 days of class V whitewater. He has been an executive in global learning and development for Fortune 500 companies, has worked in nearly 50 countries and all US states, and is host of The Leading Steep Podcast with a whitewater YouTube channel. President of the Board of Directors Alex Wolfgram began kayaking in 2001 and raft guiding in 2003, has kayaked extreme class V+ runs like the Royal Gorge of the North Fork American, and teaches at-risk high school youth. Board treasurer Dan Martin guided for several outfitters on technical sections of river in California and Oregon, has a small stake in a commercial rafting company, and works as an Oral Surgeon in Truckee. Board member Sonja Martin spent 8 years guiding commercial river trips throughout California, leading Guide Schools and managing area river operations, has an MA in Recreation Administration and Management from UNC Chapel Hill, has managed rafting companies, served as Assistant Director of Adventure Programs at UCSB, and recently retired as a K–8th grade Physical Education teacher in Truckee, CA. Scott Valentine, who is involved with the program, managed a whitewater company and works for the US Forest Service restoring streams and meadows, runs the Earth and Environmental Science Department at Lake Tahoe Community College, and engages with indigenous communities about fire ecology. Cassidy Rubin serves on the board as a Junior Guides Alumni Member.
Last updated April 7, 2026.
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