Scouts on whitewater. Where?

[Jaxx]

It went awesome! We got there in the morning with an empty ramp. by the time i backed up the trailer to put the boats in the ramp was full! It wasn't very busy on the river, people were spread out. I suicide dived onto the other boat and threw everyone in at the end and made some boys mad, other than that everyone had fun. It took us about 3 hours to float it was all. We would have done it again but we were headed home that day. We missed out on the dam tour because we ran out of dam time and everyone wanted to get home.

Thanks for all the info guys and specifically beech for the map. I used it to show the others!

[trackrunner]

did you bring a ducky or just use rafts?

[Jaxx]

We just used rafts.

[trackrunner]

no whitewater merit badge?

[Sombeech]

Pics or it didn't happen

[Jaxx]

We didn't work on the merit badge at all. I guess we will have to go back next year!

I didn't take my camera. Sorry.

[trackrunner]

Pics or it didn't happen

then it didn't happen.

this thread may even be

[stan.jarvis]

I was a scout leader for many years and posted a list of all canoeing & whitewater routes within 300 miles of Salt Lake City suitable for scouts on our district website. First read BSA Guide to Safe Scouting, Safety Afloat, etc. In order to obtain a valid tour permit, there are prerequisites you have to start working on now.

That said, given what you say about your level of experience and the schedule you are trying to pull off, here are a few that I've done ( and which I'm planning on doing with youth again next year).

1. Green River Daily. Its high in June, but its better for lower levels of experience since there's more water over the rocks. Camp below at Swasey and shuttle up to Nefertiti to launch in the morning. You can run Swaseys rapid right at camp that evening if you arrive in daylight. Its the best one of the stretch. You can rent rafts and/or ask to get somebody along with experience and knowlege of BSA safety rules.

2. Grand Canyon San Rafael - I've taken both rafts and canoes down this one with scouts. Challenge is it only runs at best a few weeks each year.

3. Sevier River from below Nephi to above Delta. This is mainly flatwater and the 1st 1/3 runs through private land where you can't camp or even land without permission. But the middle part is BLM semi-wildnerness ideal for overnight canoe camping without a lot of experience. There are a half dozen railroad bridges to go under in the canyon.

4. Bear River from Oneida dam to Riverdale Resort. This is above Preston Idaho. You can camp at the NFS campground on the river in the canyon, try the dam to camp Friday evening. Then in the morning take it all the way down to above the highway bridge on Idaho 34. There are a few low head diversion dams. I had fun going over all of them rather than portaging - but don't do it with untrained scouts.

I would avoid both the Colorado River and the Snake River with scouts in June for safety reasons. If you need any help, let me know.