CARIBOU — The Caribou Parks and Recreation Department will be offering a full summer season of CRX to area boys and girls going into grades 7-10.
CRX is an outdoor adventure program, which encourages young people to have fun while exercising. Over an eight-week period youths can participate in exciting and healthy activities such as kayaking, biking, swimming and camping. There is even one week set aside for girls to enjoy the outdoors and challenge themselves in the WOW (Wild Outdoor Women) program.
This year will feature a few new offerings. For one week boys and girls entering grades 5-7 will get a preview of the excitement if they register for introduction to kayaking slated for the week of July 9-12. For the older teens a special white water rafting adventure will open the program with a two-night three-day adventure. Another new trip will combine the excitement of river kayaking with native history and folklore as participants paddle down the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Registration for all CRX programs began May 1. All registrations must be done in person at the Caribou Wellness and Recreation Center. Upon registration, participants will receive a detailed itinerary of the program offering for which they registered.
Youngsters registering for paddle sports and water trips must have proof that they have successfully completed their Beginners Level Swimming (Level 4 Red Cross).
Week one is offering a white water tafting trip from June 20-22 for grades 7-10. White water rafting is an extreme sport that people from all over come to experience. This two-night, three-day adventure will offer an experience that participants will surely not forget. The fee is $150 for residents and $175 for non-residents.
Week two is an Allagash Wilderness Waterway trip from June 26-28 for grades 7-10. The rec department is offering a three-day, two-night trip on the remote waterway. Kids will learn the basic skills associated with traveling with gear in boats, setting up tents, and cooking over a fire. Top that off with star-filled nights around a campfire eating s’mores and telling stories. The registration fee is $75 for resident and $100 for non-resident.
Week three is kayaking introduction for grades 5-7 and will meet from July 9-12. During this week participants will learn methods associated with flipping boats and getting back in and whether or not a kayak can truly be sunk. The fee is $35 for residents and $125 for non-residents.
Week four kayaking pros, meets from July 16-19 for grades 7-10. This week is geared toward all previous participants who know names like: Rum Rapids, Mad River Dam, Dodo’s Bridge and Cross Lake Boat Landing. This year promises to visit new places and some of the prior participants favorites as well. The fee is $35 for residents and $125 for non-residents.
Week five is Wild Outdoor Women meeting July 23-26. This week combines all the great activities of CRX, each day explores a different component of CRX: hiking, biking, canoeing and kayaking. The fee is $35 for residents and $125 for non-residents.
Week six is mountain biking running from July 30 through Aug. 2 for grades 7-10. Participants will experience a variety of different terrain and techniques required to ride efficiently. Rides will be from three to 17 miles in length. Participants should expect lots of swimming and grilling. The fee is $35 residents and $125 for non-residents.
Week seven is Baxter State Park I for grades 9-10, Aug. 7-9. This two-night, three-day trip will test participants in a way they have never been tested before. Upon arrival participants bike to the famous Ledge Falls, where they spend the afternoon basking in the sun and sliding on the rocks. The night caps off with a carb-loaded feast in preparation for 10 grueling hours of physical exertion. Upon completing the climb, the group retreats to the campsite for an eating frenzy complete with campfire stories of aching muscles and sore feet. The trip concludes with a bike ride to Togue Pond Beach. The fee is $75 for residents and $100 for non-residents.
Week eight is Baxter State Park II for grades 7 and 8, August 14-16. The trip components are the same as Baxter State Park I but with a different age group.
Pre-registration is required for these trips. Payment is due upon registration. For questions regarding any of these trips, please call the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department at 493-4224.
