Paddle, Pole & Roll Program

This is Eagle Rafting’s most highlighted "2 Day" Outreach Program that we offer to the public. Our Programs have grown and matured over the last 4 years and we are proud of our programs being high adventure and not a walk in the park . Eagle Rafting will send your council proof of insurance to cover your adventure.

Scout councilors and staff run this program. Many of our instructors work for local school districts during the fall and spring semester, then during the summer they help give the opportunity for scouts to obtain their Merit Badges. We encourage troop councilors to participate. This program shall also accommodate and give opportunity to the physically challenged. The Girl Scout Paddle Pole & Roll Program is a two day course to complete. The course is based on that troops needs and agenda set for the scouts. Guests of Eagle Rafting will use the accommodations, parking, facilities, and showers within Frandy Park for this activity. Frandy Park is the area for teaching safety, learning paddle strokes, and to attempt the Scout gate, and camping. The troop spends the first part of the day on a hike exploration at French Gulch, using canoes to paddle to, and from the hiking location. Here the scouts learn how to handle a paddle and learn different types of strokes, such as; forward, backwater, draw right/left, turn right/left, and stop. When the scouts get a bit of fun learning how to maneuver a canoe, and also to get use to sitting in one, we take off and paddle to French Gulch. At French Gulch the scouts start the hike up the boulders and waterfalls to a scenic place that over looks the lake.

We have an option to have lunch, or to just hang out and look around. The hike then changes route to take a giant boulder hike back to the canoes. The scouts then paddle back to the canoe launch site. At arrival at Frandy Park the scouts are introduced to the AIRE Inflatable Kayaks. Scouts could eat lunch and finish the second part of the day with IK Instruction.  These watercrafts are colorful and are self-bailing. Here the scouts learn how to turn and pivot the IK in a controlled manner. Time is also spent learning how to read a river’s hydrology from afloat and from ashore. Like fast water, heavy water, and water flows. We spend time explaining and demonstrating self-rescue, safety, how to get out of whitewater holes, and how to float in moving water. The second day we get the scouts on the section of river that is 4 miles of Class II and Class III (Moderate Whitewater) section of the Upper Kern River. In the morning we take 2 raft rides (IK’s are optional), then break for lunch. In the afternoon the scouts can either raft, or put there newly found IK skills to the test for the rest of the day.

Paddle, Pole & Roll Options:

1. Option (1) Lunch at hike destination
2. Option (2) Lunch at Frandy after canoe and hike
3. Option (3) the scouts are introduced to throw bags and learn how to throw them and pack them to be stowed.
4. Option (4) the scouts split up. Three scouts practice throwing bags and the rest go up stream to float down the river to be bagged by a scout.
5. Option (5) The scouts can float on there backs in a 100 yard stretch of class II whitewater and then swim to shore.
6. Option (6) Scouts flip IK’s and get back in. This is a self-rescue maneuver.

This program is $196.