Level Up!

Learn New Skills & Adventures

Level Up: New Skills & Adventures!

Level Up offers new skills, fun and adventures for campers in 5 activities over the summer: Canoeing, Fishing, Swimming, Birding and Hiking Challenges. Camper progress through skill levels to earn certifications and awards.

Here are 2024 Level Up Activities: 

Canoeing : New Team Challenges & New Adventures for Levels 1-6 (Beginner – Advanced)

Fishing — 3 Certificates,  Casting, Fish ID and Angular Award

Swimming: New Awards & Certifications for Levels 1-6 + Jr. Lifeguard & Diving

Birding – Levels 1-5 Awards

Hiking Challenges: Explore the Reservoir trails with your camper group! Choose 10+ hikes for all abilities from short & easy to Rim Trail!

Canoeing Team Challenges & Adventures

Canoe Levels 1-6 & Team Challenges 2024

This program gives campers canoeing skills for adventures and challenges in Capt’n Rough’s Cove and beyond for exploring all areas reservoir. Campers learn to canoe in Levels 1 – 3 in Capt’n Rough’s Cove. Levels 4 -6 progress to other parts of the lake. Some of the challenges and adventures are for 2nd – 4th grade campers with the counselor in the canoe. There are more advanced challenges for older campers to do first with a counselor, and then independently as a team of campers. See the 6 canoe skill levels and challenges below.

Canoe Levels 1-6 & Team Challenges

Level 1: Canoeing Intro & Safety Orientation

Introduction to canoeing: rules, PFD, & safety orientation. Paddle out and canoe in Capt’n Rough’s cove with team & counselor for a short time.

Level 2: Discoverer – Canoeing Basics

Learn the 4 basic canoe strokes & completes team challenges with group.
Discoverer Team Challenges:

  • Beach Team Trip
  • Discoverer Obstacle Course Team Challenge

Level 3: Explorer

Stroke Development, teamwork & endurance building team challenges.
Explorer Team Challenges:

  • Explorer Obstacle Course Team Challenge
  • Princess Row A Boata’s Team Adventure
  • Capt’n Rough’s Cove Challenge

Level 4: Voyager I

Campers learn how to steer / navigate canoe, lead boat, and team on extended canoe challenges.

Voyager I Team Challenges:

  • Cross The Reservoir Team Challenge

Voyager I Leadership Challenges:

Camper completes with team and counselor, navigating & steering canoe.

  • Voyager I – Beach Trip Leader Challenge
  • Voyager I – Obstacle Course Leader Challenge
  • Capt’n Rough Cove Leader Challenge
  • Tower Trip Leader Challenge

Level 5: Voyager II – Advanced Canoeist

Canoes independently with team in canoe (without counselor) and masters advance paddling skills.

*Prerequisites: Campers 5th -10th grades,& completed Levels 1-4 skills and challenges.

Voyager II: Team Challenges for the Advanced Canoeist

  • Voyager II – Obstacle Course Team Challenge
  • Voyager II – Beach Team Challenge
  • Capt’n Rough Cove Expedition Team Challenge
  • Tower Expedition Team Challenge
  • Voyage Cross The Reservoir Team Challenge

Voyager II Canoe Leadership Challenge:

  • Voyager II – Beach Leader Challenge
  • Voyager II – Capt’n Rough’s Leader Challenger
  • Tower Expedition Leader Challenge
  • Cross the Reservoir Leader Challenge

Level 6: Pathfinder – The Ultimate Canoe Team Challenges

Team completes advanced canoe challenges together (w/out counselor) on longer trips around reservoir.

*Campers rotate positions in boat during each challenges w/ each camper taking a turn to lead the boat from the stern position and paddle in all 3 positions.

  • West Cove Journey Team Challenge
  • Reservoir Explorer Team Challenge (Paddle boundary of Reservoir)
  • Voyager III – Canoe Leader Challenge

Read more on Canoe Skills and Challenges

Fishing: Fish ID & Casting License

Roughing It Casting License

Requirements to obtain a Casting License:

  1. Knows casting rules and safety procedures.
  2. Makes sure area is clear behind them.
  3. Calls out “Casting, Casting 1-2-3” to alert people they are casting.
  4. Has cast 3 times in a row successfully.

New! Fresh Water Fish ID Card

  • Find & Identify 7 freshwater fish in Lafayette Reservoir.

Angler Award I: Rig Your Own Pole

*Must obtain: Casting License & Fish ID Cards

  • Know parts of the fishing pole

  • Ability to tie fishing knots

  • Ability to fully Rig the pole for casting

  • Demonstrate ability to select & bait your hook & Fish with all types of bait. (night crawlers, power bait, + surprise bait)

  • Explain the concept of “Catch and Release”

Girl Camper Learns to Cast in Fishing

Swimming Levels - Certifications & Awards

Levels 1 – 6 (for Beginner – Advanced swimmers)

Awards:

The Star Fish: Beginner Swimmers who can put their head under water, blow bubblies, and do a glide.

Sword Fish: Beginner Swimmers swim the width and back of lap pool, independently. This qualifies you to swim in the diving pool.

I Finished The 25!: Advanced-Beginner Swimmers who can swim 25 meters by themselves independently.

Swim to Alcatraz: Advanced Swimmers who can swim 65 laps (1,609m) over the course of your camp session(s).

Diving Awards: 3 Levels— Basic, Intermediate, Advanced Diving

Jr Lifeguarding Certification: Correctly demonstrate the basic entry level knowledge and skills to safely respond to aquatic emergencies by passing the skills in this activity.


See all Swim Levels

Hiking Challenge

Camper groups can explore all the trails 10 + trails at the Lafayette Reservoir. There are hikes all ages and levels. From the beautiful vista point to all the way around the rim trail, there are so many amazing things to see!

Hikes at the Lafayette Reservoir

Level 1 – Beginner Hikes

  • Hike to your fort
  • Canoe Trail Hike
  • Hike to the Rally Point

Level 2 – Moderate Hikes for all ages!

  • Sunset Trail 
  • Ranger Station Hike

Level 3 – Extended Hikes

  • Extended Sunset Trail Hike
  • Lakeside Nature Trail 
  • Vista Point Trail 

Level 4 – More Challenging

  • Rim Trail Circle Hike
  • Campolindo Trail
  • Big Oak Trail 

Level 5 – Trail Blazer (for advanced & experienced hikers)

  • Rim Trail 

Reservoir Hike Information

  • Sunset Trail (0.50 miles)
  • Vista Point Trail (0.60 miles)
  • Big Oak Trail (2.4 miles)
  • Lakeside Nature Trail (2.79 miles)
  • Campolindo Trail (3.7 miles)
  • Rim Trail (4.97 miles)

Birding

Complete the Bird ID levels

  • Level One
  • Level Two
  • Level Three
  • Level Four
  • Level 5 – Bird habitats and Feather ID

Find Bird Sightings at the Res to complete the Bird ID Card

Bird Awards:

  • The Audubon
  • The Novice Tacker
  • The Ranger 1

Learn more about Bird Award