Outdoor Explorer, May/June 2000

Outdoor U

If your progeny seems less than inspired to share your enthusiasm for a given sport, then perhaps its time for a different setting and instructor. Avid mountaineer Bob Stephenson of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, had to deal with the opposite extreme. Four years ago, at the age of 9, his daughter Jaime seriously wanted to start ice climbing. Bob accompanied her to a guide service in Keene, New York, called Adirondack Rock & River where she developed the sound, basic fundamentals of rock and ice climbing. Now conquering steep 5.9s and 5.10s, her confidant dad reports that "in two years she'll be able to climb anything put in front of her."

Family-oriented sporting schools are perfect places to pass on your love of the outdoors. Not only will they teach children the necessary skills to tackle any outside activity, but mom and dad can also try something new, say surfing, and get the same sense of exhilaration and achievement. The shared experience of kayaking down rapids, climbing a 75-foot rock wall, or learning to sail on Chesapeake Bay lasts much longer than the week you're there. Far from the cell phones, VCRs, computers and other distractions of modernity, it's a chance for children to have your undivided attention, and vice-versa. So pick a sport, any sport, and spend some precious time with your kids.

•   Nantahala Outdoor Center
•   High Cascade Snowboard Camp
•   J World
•   National Wildlife Foundation
•   Dirt Camp
•   Lahaina Divers
•   L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools
•   Adirondack Rock & River
•   Strathcona Park Lodge
•   Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
•   Club Ed Surf Camps

Nantahala Outdoor Center

Look at a map of eastern North Carolina, near the border of Tennessee and Georgia, and you'll find a web of waterways that branch out like the spokes of a wheel. This is prime whitewater country, where Class II-IV rivers like the Ocoee, site of the 1996 Olympics whitewater events, attract rapids-loving kayakers, canoers, and rafters. Smack dab in the middle of this maze of blue, at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is the Nantahala Outdoor Center. Opened in 1972, NOC is the premier kayaking school in the country. More than a million people have taken one of their 30-plus kayak and canoe courses, that target everyone from nervous parents to wave-riding rodeo teenagers. Many of the instructors are ranked nationally and/or have been with the outfitter for more than a decade.

Instructor Julie Dauphine, 33, who's been on the staff of NOC since 1989, suggests that families take private instruction together. On day one, she'll take the clan to the warm waters of Fontana Lake to go over the basics like feeling comfortable in your kayak. "Posture and balance is the number one key to becoming a good paddler," says Dauphine. You'll learn how it feels to be upside down in a body of water and also how to slip out of the kayak, known as a wet exit. After lunch, it's off to nearby Little Tennessee or Tuckasiegee Rivers for a little taste of some Class II action. Your adrenaline will be rushing like the waves as you attempt to read the eddies and flow with the current. Over a week's worth of time, you may also learn to roll the kayak and try your first Class III river, the forgiving Ocoee.

The beauty of private instruction, Dauphine notes, is that you can paddle with the entire family and get on and off the river at your leisure. Most clinics are separated by age and experience (minimum weight is 60 pounds for children), and instruction usually lasts all day. For the family who yearns to be back on terra firma, there's more than 40 miles of singletrack and fire road mountain biking that weaves through the hilly countryside. Accommodations at NOC include a dormitory-style base camp with bunk rooms, five simple cabins, and a small motel. Call 888/662-1662 or visit their website at www.noc.com.

High Cascade Snowboard Camp

You can learn to snowboard at the local bunny hill, but if you want to impress the kids, you better take them to High Cascade Snowboard Camp at Oregon's 11,235-foot Mount Hood. The decade-old High Cascade is known for their summer board-ing schools for kids and adults, yet once each spring, they put on clinics for the entire family. You'll be staying at the new 9-bedroom Boardwalk Lodge in Government Camp and skiing the renowned Meadows where a vertical drop of 2,777 feet and 430 inches of snowfall a year await. For five full days, you'll spend a good eight hours with your instructor (the ratio is five students per instructor) on the slopes carving it up. Says Rich McKay, instructor at High Cascade the past six years: "You get up, eat breakfast, go ride, eat lunch, go ride, eat dinner, relax, maybe get a massage, and then go ride." Yes, at night, Meadows has 22 runs with four lighted lifts. McKay deals primarily with beginners who've never been on a board before. "By the end of the five days, they're going down steep fields of powder that are low-level expert runs," he says. If you want to give your legs a rest (you'll need to), High Cascade offers snowmobiling to their clientele. This year's family snowboard camp is March 17 to 22. Call 800/334-4272 or visit www.highcascade.com.

J World

These days, there seems to be more sailing schools than sailors. But if you want to learn from the best, choose J World. In a recent survey in Practical Sailor, J World won the highest ratings for its skilled instructors, challenging courses, and fleet of high-quality sailboats. Founded in 1982 in Newport, Rhode Island, J World has since added teaching facilities in San Diego, Annapolis, the Keys, and Sweden. The Annapolis-based franchise is owned by Jahn Tihansky, a former sailmaker and instructor with US Sailing. While Tihansky states that any child 14 and older is mature enough to take the learn-to-sail or intermediate sailing courses, he suggests private instruction for the entire family or for children 10 and up. Indeed, Tihansky just returned from the Keys where he taught a family from New Mexico how to bareboat charter.

In Annapolis, J World can put you up a hotel in this historic seaport or you can opt for the seven-day learn-to-sail liveaboard. Tihansky's philosophy of "more time on the water, less time in the classroom" will turn any landlubber family into sailing aficionados. You'll learn how to set the sails, practice your knots, stop and start under sail, tack, jibe (controlled, of course), and anchor. More advanced courses will teach salty dogs how to put up a spinnaker, navigate, and moor. Tihansky also tries to get guests involved with local sailing clubs and races, which practically consumes this town in summer. Call 800/996-2038 or visit www.sailjworld.com.

National Wildlife Foundation

This summer marks the 30th anniversary of National Wildlife Foundation's NatureLink Family Summit. Since its inception, the summit has been hosted all over the country from Estes Park, Colorado, to the Blue Ridge Mountains to Bellingham, Washington. This year, the summit will be held for the first time on the shores of Lake Superior in Marquette, Michigan. According to Summits Coordinator, Nikol Carr, the structure of the program is similar no matter where they go. "There's always the element of photography, birding, hiking-outdoor adventures, all with a hint of local flavor," says Carr.

Families will be hosted at Northern Michigan University where they'll stay in dorm rooms and eat in the dining halls. While there are only two beds per room, it's possible for a family of four to share two bedrooms and the adjoining bathroom. During the day, adults are separated from the kids. Parents can choose between 25 to 30 classes to enroll, including birding, Native American culture, and nature writing. You take three courses a day and meet the kids for lunch if they happen to be on campus. Depending on age, Junior will be having fun in his or her day camp. There is no minimum age. Children 2 and under have child care, 3 and 4-year-olds have half-day programs, while 5 to 17-year-olds hang with kids their own age.

Counselors will lead children on a variety of outings, including jaunts to the Children's Museum, a half-day field trip to the Marquette Lighthouse on the shores of Lake Superior, or a day on the boardwalks and parks of Little Presque Isle. You can rest assured that your children will learn just as much as you do as they're led by naturalists or teachers, many of whom have been doing this for a good 20 years. At 3:30 in the afternoon, the whole clan can regroup and take family classes, such as canoeing or crafts. Dates for the summit are July 29 to August 4. To register, call 800/245-5484 or visit www.nwf.org.

Dirt Camp

Arguably the finest mountain biking school in the country, decade-old Dirt Camp runs clinics around the country. For adults, the course in Moab, Utah, is a perennial favorite. For families, Vice-President Elias Bachmann suggests checking out one of the resort courses in Northstar-at-Tahoe, California; Keystone, Colorado; Waterville Valley, New Hampshire; and Fontana Village, North Carolina. "We chose those venues-Colorado, the Smoky Mountains, Lake Tahoe-because of the wealth of outdoor activities there, " says Bachmann. For example, at Keystone, after a morning of mountain biking, you can whitewater raft down the Colorado River, sail on Lake Dillon, or golf the new River Course.

Dirt Camp runs clinics from two hours to two days with a minimum age requirement of 12. Comparable to skiing in winter, guides venture up and down green, blue, and black trails based on level of expertise. A typical day on the mountain for novices will go over climbing and breathing techniques, how to use your gears, and positioning yourself correctly on the bike. Instructors will often use chairlifts to concentrate on downhill runs where they help inchoate bikers maintain control, and thus have a far more enjoyable ride. More experienced cyclists will practice climbing up rocky terrain, going over ledges, and crossing streams. Call 800/711-DIRT or visit www.dirtcamp.com.

Lahaina Divers

There's nothing wrong with getting most of the course work for a scuba diving certificate out of the way at the local YMCA. But doing your open-water completion dive in a pool? That's certainly not going to motivate your child to continue on with the sport. You need to go to Maui where Lahaina Divers, in operation since 1978, will take you on a 15-minute ride to Turtle Reef for your completion dive. Here, in 35 to 40 feet of water, you'll be eyeball-to-eyeball with large green sea turtles, found in abundance in these waters. Of course, adults and children 12 and older (junior certification that can be updated at age 15) can take the 3-day PADI-certified course offered by Lahaina Divers, but diving instructor Tim Means asks, "why come to a beautiful resort setting and spend time in a classroom?"

Once certified, Lahaina Divers will take you on one-hour boat rides to dive the clear waters of Molokini Crater, inundated with tropical fish and their neon patterns, or the lava tubes near Lanai. Hawaii's bizarre reef formation is a labyrinth of tubes, caves, and caverns, a testament to the natural history of these volcanic islands. Lahaina Divers offers affordable packages in conjunction with the Maui Islander resort and other local hotels. Call 800/998-3483 or visit www.lahainadivers.com.

L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools

It was L.L. Bean's fly-fishing program that started the outdoor discovery school in 1979. They have since expanded to canoeing and sea kayaking, but every summer they still offer a Parent and Child Introductory Fly-Fishing Weekend for ages 12 and up. "We've seen our fair share of teenagers, but now and then we have a 65-year-old father with his 40-year-old son ," says L.L. Bean's Steve Gent. The course is held on a private campus two miles from the retail store in Freeport, Maine. Casting ponds stocked with fish entice anglers, but as Gent notes, "this is not your wild river in Montana, but a place where you can learn the mechanics of the sport to become a better fisherman." Instructors teach guests how to cast, tie basic knots, and most importantly, collect bugs. By the end of the weekend, Gent guarantees that you'll leave thinking like a fish. This summer's fly-fishing weekend is July 22 and 23. Call 888/552-3261 to receive a catalog of all outdoor discovery programs or visit www.llbean.com/odp.

Adirondack Rock & River

Only in the business for 11 years, Adirondack Rock & River has nonetheless garnered a reputation as one of the top places in the States to learn the sport of rock climbing. Its location certainly doesn't hurt. Nestled deep in the High Peaks region of New York's Adirondack State Park, there's over 100 cliffs to choose from. Ed Palen, President of AR&R, recommends private guiding for families rather than attend a standard course, even going so far as offering a special parent/child rate. Of course, children over 12 can sign up for any of the courses, but Palen points out the special bond kids have with their parents when going through an adventure like this for the first time alone.

"Usually the adult becomes a child, tinkering with the gear," says Palen, adding that "kids just want to scramble up the rock."

A typical day starts at breakfast on the outdoor porch of AR&R's two guest lodges. There's a quick 30-minute talk about the equipment, outfitting each individual with a harness, helmet and climbing shoes, whose bottoms are made of sticky rubber. Then it's a 20-minute drive and 5-minute walk-in to one of four exemplary novice cliffs. After securing a site, Palen or one of his guides will delve further into how the ropes work and what's a belay (the thing that stops you from falling if you slip off the rock). The remainder of the day is spent on the rock face, getting comfortable with hand and toe holds as you climb up and rappel down the 75-foot cliff.

"People are very apprehensive on that first climb, but by their third try, it's no problem," says Palen. For intermediates and advanced climbers, Palen will bring you to a 700-foot cliff where you'll spend the day. You'll learn how to do a multi-pitch climb and be more of a team, rather than just following a leader. Call 518/576-2041 or visit www.rockandriver.com.

Strathcona Park Lodge

If you're indecisive about which sport to choose or simply want to attend an adventure camp that's designed for the entire family, then head straight to Strathcona. Opened in 1959, the lodge attracts families from all over the globe. That's not surprising when you consider its setting-surrounded by the snowcapped peaks and old-growth forest of 550,000-acre Strathcona Provincial Park in the heart of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The lodge is a complex of chalets and cabins fronting 30-mile-long Campbell Lake and is only a 40-minute drive from the Pacific.

Strathcona's Family Adventure Weeks in July and August take full advantage of its glorious locale. Guests canoe, sea kayak, rock climb, g on naturalist-led hikes, a high ropes course, and learn orienteering and survival skills. "Our objective is to bring kids and parents together, not separate them," says co-owner Christine Clarke. The highlight of the week is an overnight canoe and camping trip where kids learn about no trace camping and wilderness ethics. Back at the lodge, there is no telephones or television reception in this part of the world. Just you and your youngin sitting on the stone deck, taking in the views and the crisp fresh air as you talk about the day. The week is ideal for children ages 6 to 18. Call 250/286-6010 or visit www.strathcona.bc.ca.

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center

One week a year, fortunate families can get their hands dirty along with working archaeologists at Crow Canyon's Family Excavation Program. Set in the high desert country of Cortez, Colorado, on the border of Mesa Verde National Park's 14,000 foot peaks, the excavation site was once a Puebloan community occupied between 600 and 1300 A.D. On the first day, children in Grades 7 or older will tour the area with their parents and get an overview of the research that's been done at the site over the past three years. By Wednesday of that week, high school students and adults will grab a trowel and whisk broom to remove their own artifacts (middle school students work on a simulated site). You'll be working at an altitude of 6,200 feet, kneeling on the ground and hauling up buckets of dirt. You'll also get the chance to find pottery shards, turquoise beads, and other remnants of an ancient Southwestern community. On Thursday, everyone goes on an ecology hike through the pinyon and juniper trees to learn how the Puebloans used plants for food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. Then its back to the field for some more searching. The final full day is a tour of Mesa Verde National Park with the people who know it best, one of the archaeologists.

Lodging on this 110-acre campus is in a Navajo hogan, an eight-sided log cabin that is designed to greet the morning sun. Rest your weary arm muscles in a rocking chair on the outdoor deck as you take in the mountainous panorama. This year's program runs July 16 to July 22. Call 800/422-8975, ext. 146, or visit www.crowcanyon.org.

Club Ed Surf Camps

Named after founder Ed Guzman, Club Ed has been teaching the fine art of surfing for 10 years from their home base in Santa Cruz, California. Kids over 9 can take courses with their parents, alone, or parents can try it with people their own age. Hey, we're talking California surfing, dude. Everything's cool. Here's a typical day in the weeklong camp, as told by Donna Green, a novice who took the course last year at the ripe young age of 42: "You camp at Manreesa State Campground, where you get up, look out over the bluff at the waters of the Pacific and then build a fire. If you're lucky, Roger, the gourmet chef is already there cooking french toast. At about 9, people don their wetsuits and head down for a morning session that can last from two to three hours. Then you come back and eat a massive amount of lunch because the sport consumes so much energy. You rest, perhaps get a massage pre-arranged by Ed, and then go back down to the water for another session. By the time you return to the campground, Roger has prepared a deluxe dinner. You eat tremendous amounts of food and then sit around the campfire."

Out of the water, instructors will discuss how to read waves, tidal conditions, and how to take good care of your board. In the ocean, guides will ride directly alongside novices, even giving you a little push, if necessary, to catch the wave. Green states that it's not unusual for a guide to grab the back of your wetsuit and haul you up so that you get the feel of riding a wave. Seasoned riders get to fine tune their skills such as walking the board or setting up for bigger waves. Throughout the session, guides will be shouting instructions like "this is a good wave, you can catch it," or "paddle right." Then it's back to the beach for a critique of how you did that day. Try not to embarrass yourself in front of the kid. That wouldn't be cool, dude. Call 800/287-7873 or visit www.club-ed.com.