68th Annual Training Camp May 16-18, 2025
The First BIG Whitewater Event of 2025
What
Training Camp is Colorado Whitewater’s greatest annual event, in terms of both size and scope.- Improve their paddling skills on moving water with experienced instructors (Saturday and Sunday).
- Share family-friendly off water fun and laughs with paddling friends, old and new.
- Support Colorado Whitewater in this largest fund raising event of the year.
- Get your paddling season rolling!
When
Friday night (arrive no earlier than 5 PM), Saturday and Sunday, May 16-18, 2025.
You may stay Sunday night. No instruction on Monday. Must be out of the campsite no later than 9:30 AM.
Tiny homes are available on Friday and Saturday nights only. Additional nights may be booked directly with the venue.
Where
Royal Gorge RV Resort, Canon City, Colorado (DO NOT Contact, the club is managing the reservation)
43595 W US HWY 50, Canon City, CO 81212
Tiny home cabins, RVs, vans, and tent camping available. During registration please indicate your lodging plans. This way your favorite volunteers can make sure everyone will fit. Registration includes shared tent camping site. We have 34 sites and plan to do at least 2 tents per site.
UPGRADED ACCOMMODATIONS:
We will have the following UPGRADED ACCOMMODATIONS available on a first come first serve basis.
Select your upgrade and camping preference on the registration page. You must go through the registration process twice for upgraded lodging.
- 6 Tiny Home Cabins Friday and Saturday only (4 people max, no pets) for $350 - Bathrooms, kitchenettes, private grill, and fire pit.
- 7 Solo RV Hook Up Spots for $70 - More space for your rig and a hook-up.
- 40 Shared RV Spots for $40 - 20 shared site for 40 total available spots, hook-up options, flat space for sleeping in your rig or van.
RVs must register for one of 7 dedicated spots (if you have large RV or want dedicated hookup). There are also 20 shared spots allow for 40 shared registrations. This is additional registration to your event registration. You must go through the registration process twice for upgraded lodging. Once for your class and once for the tiny home cabin or RV spot.
Other nearby options if group camping is not your thing:
Royal View RV park resort (where we held the event last year)
Who Can Attend
- You must be a Colorado Whitewater member and sign the new 2025 waiver to participate in on-water activities with the club at this event (for insurance purposes). Your membership must be current through May 20, 2025.
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- To join or renew CW, click here.
- To sign the 2025 CW Insurance Waiver, click here.
- Families, friends, and children are welcome, whether they are boating or not. Non-boating children under the age of 10 are welcome to attend for Free. All other non-boating or non-volunteer attendees must register as a "Fun Hog". Children must be under adult supervision at all times.
- Kayaking kids who have some paddling experience, but are not already enrolled in the CW Kids Paddling Team must be 12 years or older by May 2025, weigh at least 50 lbs and must be accompanied in classes by a parent.
- Dogs are welcome (see rules) but must be leashed and supervised at all times.
Speaking of Dogs…
Rules at this years site:
- We do not permit unattended, aggressive, or noisy animals.
- Dogs cannot be left unattended.
- No pit bulls, dobermans, or rottweilers (or these mixes) per RV Park's contract.
- There is a maximum of 2 pets per site. All pets must have proof of a current rabies vaccination. Exotic pets, aggressive/disruptive pets are not permitted in the resort.
- Dogs must be supervised at all times and remain on a short leash and under the owners’ control at all times. Dogs may not be unattended at the campsite or dog park.
- Owners must clean up after their pet. There is a $25 charge for failure to clean up after your pet.
- Dogs are excluded from the following areas including, but not limited to, the area near Cabin rentals, the pool and pool deck, the General Store, and playground.
- Guests that have a dog that is off leash, or causing a disturbance, may be asked to leave the Resort immediately, without a refund.
Fees – How Much Does This Thing Cost?
| Training Camp Participant Type | 2025 Cost |
|---|---|
| Standard Training Camp Participant | |
| * Register by 5/12/2025 | $250 |
| CW Kids Paddling Team Member (Code required) | $100 |
|
Instructors and On-Water Volunteers (Code required) Waived registration fee reserved for on-water sweeps and leads. |
$0 |
| Fun Hog - person staying but not participating in courses | $60 |
Last day to sign up is 5/12/2025.
Refunds: Due to the difficulty of re-scheduling this large event, refunds are not available at this time.
What You Get for Your Money:
- 2 Full-day on-river training sessions with experienced instructors
- Saturday Dinner
- Access to hot showers, pool, hot tub, playground, and group fire pit
- Vendor Village
- Camping until Monday morning
- ...a ton of fun all weekend long!
Boaters who have overestimated their abilities may be asked move to a different class or even to leave the river. This is at the discretion of the Instructors and is intended to ensure the safety of the entire group. Besides, it’s much more fun to be at the top of your class rather than the bottom, losing your confidence and swimming every 30 yards or so, right?
Please Note: there is NO FLAT WATER INSTRUCTION at this event, everything we do will be discussion on dry land or practice in moving water. If you are not ready for moving water, this is not the event for you.
You can BECOME qualified to participate in this event by:
- Participating in a beginner kayaking class with CW.
- Participating in a beginner kayaking class with an ACA certified company or instructor other than CW.
Gear Note: Participants are required to provide their own modern kayaking equipment, including a full sized kayak. Play-boats are not appropriate for learning river skills in most of the classes offered (with the obvious exception of the play-boating classes!), and your instructor reserves the right to refuse service if your gear is not appropriate or safe. Our intent is not to exclude participation but to provide a safe environment that promotes learning for all. There are many options around Denver for gear rentals if needed.
In addition to appropriate boat, all participants will need a helmet, river shoes, type 3 or type 5
PFD, and appropriate dry top/pants/suit or other layers for the cold Arkansas water. Kayakers
should also have float bags and a skirt.
| Level | Course Name | Short Description | Read this to decide which course is right for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs you felt comfortable following someone on. Swims might still happen, but you aren't terrified of these runs. All of these recommendations are a spectrum not a requirement. If you don't live on the front range of Colorado, you may not have done any of them. If you've only done one of the runs on ths list (or at a similar level), aim for an easier class. Floating down the middle of a run is not the same thing as finding eddies and surf waves to play in along the way. Water levels vary. If you're a little scared following someone down the easiest lines at low water, drop down a level. If you're comfortable catching every eddy out front at higher water levels on a run, maybe think about stepping up. Instructors reserve the right to reassign anyone at any time for any reason. If you'd like a recommendation on what class send an email to the instruction coordinator with your favorite run (including relative water level), a run you didn't feel comfortable on, what your goals are for this season, and any other relevant information. |
|||
| A | Introduction to Kayaking | For new kayakers. You must have taken a pool class and have been on moving water at least once. | Pool or Lake, River Run Park (S Platte), Golden Play Park <100cfs (Clear Creek) |
| B | Beginner | For kayakers who have been on more than 5 moving water trips. Learning the skills to move beyond class II. | Class II: Deckers (South Platte), Filter Plant (Poudre), Milk Run (Ark), Grizzly Creek (Colorado) Play Parks (Clear Creek) |
| B/C | Boating Betties | For the ladies, taught by the ladies! |
Play and practice, instructional, in your hard shell kayak. Strokes, edges, river reading and maneuvering; roll practice/refinement; and intro to surfing. A river roll is not required, but interest in progressing is. At minimum, you should be comfortable and experienced on Class II/II+ with a desire to develop competence on Class III water. REGISTRATION CODE REQUIRED: Email Noelle at riverevents@coloradowhitewater.org for your code. |
| B/C | Go With The Flow | Like a club cruise, an opportunity to float with friends and mentors. | A safe, mellow, float trip for those who prefer a low- stress experience. No intensive skills drills, this is a fun but instructional cruise requiring mild effort.The group(s) can determine their own focus, whether it’s discussion about reading whitewater or safety scenarios, or what-have-you. Talk to your Trip Leaders to customize your trip. |
| C | Intermediate Fundamentals | Skills for class III boaters. Punching big waves, using cross current speed, basic surfing, catching smaller eddies. | Easy Class III: Lower Blue (Blue), Rincon (Ark), Leading on Pumphouse (Colorado) or Apple Valley (St Vrain). Sometimes rolling in current (or at least attempting ;-) ) |
| D | Advanced Intermediate | Learning the skills to advance beyond class III. Hard moves in easy water. Boofs, jet ferries, using surfing to get lateral speed, | Harder Class III: Fractions below Miracle Mile (Ark) Bridges (Poudre), Tunnel 1 Down (Clear Creek), Maybe Foxton (N Fk South Platte), Maybe Waterton (S. Platte), Maybe Shoshone (Colorado). Usually rolling in current recommended |
| E | Advanced | We're not surviving the big rapids, we're styling them. Linking moves, slaloming rapids, boofing over holes. | Starting class IV: Browns (Ark), Royal Gorge (Ark), Fractions (Ark), Maybe Numbers (Ark), Maybe Stephens Down (Poudre), Maybe Upper or Lower Clear Creek. Roll Required |
| E | Play The River! |
Surfs, spins, spats, cartwheels, tailies and loops! This course will introduce you to the world of playing on the river. We'll mix time in a playpark working on boat control, foundational skills and traditional "freestyle" tricks with time on a down river section applying those skills, learning some down-river tricks, working on fear control and learning to play in a natural river environment. |
You'll be upside down more than any other course so a good roll is required. We'll be making rapids you're comfortable running harder and more fun! New for 2025, lets welcome Mason Hargrove to teach this section! I'm Mason Hargrove, a 21-year-old professional whitewater athlete and college student. As a former Jr. Men's World Champion in Freestyle Kayaking, a Vice World Cup champion in the Senior Men’s class, and a 5-time USA Freestyle Champion, I’m stoked to help everyone out on the water. I want to see you meet your goals and make new ones as we progress in your kayaking journey! |
| B-E | Rowing | Two day rowing clinic is a fun and immersive way to learn and build on rowing, water reading & scouting, and river safety skills, working up to class III+ whitewater. | No experience necessary, for beginner and intermediate rafters. |
| Kids Team |
Must be enrolled with Kid's Team. REGISTRATION CODE REQUIRED: Email Noelle at riverevents@coloradowhitewater.org for your code. |
Additional Course Information 2025See list of courses in the prior section.
- Please register for the course you would like to take when booking. If you change your mind later, we can try to accommodate that, please reach out as soon as possible.
- Be prepared for any kind of weather. It could be 80 degrees, it could pour rain, it could snow. Seriously. Be prepared.
- If you're a newer boater, make sure your boat FITS YOU and you have the 5 essentials (kayak, paddle, spray skirt, helmet and PFD) and appropriate clothing.
On Water Volunteers
- Must be competent in Class III whitewater at a minimum.
- Instructors are being asked to recruit their own support teams. If an instructor has asked you to assist with their class, please indicate who that instructor is when registering.
- If you have not been asked to assist, we are still in need of volunteers with Class III or better boating skills and rescue experience.
- The number of volunteers may be capped without notice!
- Full sized kayak (unless playboating)
- Rescue vest
- Throw rope
- Knife
- Whistle
- First aid kit
- Boat based rescue techniques for people and equipment
- Boat recovery techniques
- Self rescue techniques
- Swimmer rescues and assists
- Current CPR and First Aid certifications
- Recent swift water rescue training
Please keep in mind that this is a fund raising event, and the proceeds allow Colorado Whitewater to sponsor conservation activities such as river cleanups, special events, and helping protect and fix neglected or abused sections of rivers we've grown to love. Even though we are a volunteer organization, we are able to promote the sport of whitewater kayaking for all abilities - from newbies to the more experienced. Your support helps provide our members with ACA certified instructors, allows for discounted swiftwater safety classes, free CPR/First Aid training, and so much more!
Other Stuff You'll Need to Know If You Haven't Been to Training Camp BeforeCash registrations will NOT BE ACCEPTED at Training Camp - Not from Volunteers or anyone.
But there will be other opportunities to spend cash, so don't leave your wallet at home!
- Please register early so you don't miss out on the class you want!
- Be prepared for any kind of weather. It could be 80 degrees, it could pour rain, it could snow. Seriously. Be prepared.
- If you're a newer boater, make sure your boat FITS YOU and you have the 5 essentials (kayak, paddle, spray skirt, helmet and PFD).
- State Parks Passes not required for the campsite
- Instruction will utilize ARHA parking and vehicles will need a pass (shuttle is done by members of the class)
- We are confirming how the license plate registration fee you should have bought covers parking fees....
- If your vehicle is not registered with state parks, then you need to purchase beforehand at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife site.
- All volunteers and participants will receive a schedule and details by email the week of the event.
- No matter what else you do, be prepared to have an AWESOME weekend!
There is a ton of information here! Please read carefully and if your question is not answered in this posting you can email Noelle Wilhite. Please include your phone number and best time to reach you.
Thanks to these awesome companies:
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