Back Country Boys Whitewater
A WhiteWater Rafting trip for dads to initiate their sons into manhood
July 15-19, 2024
We know the pain of not being ushered into manhood.
This is why we created the Backcountry Whitewater Trip. It is your opportunity to spend an unforgettable five days on the river with your son, and help him cross the threshold into manhood.
dads & 12-14 Year old sons
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Bucket list experience for dads and their 12-14 year old sons
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5 day 4 night trip on the Arkansas River in beautiful Colorado
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Registration cost covers raft, paddles, safety gear, meals, wilderness guides, facilitators & materials
“This experience is amazing. Fathers and sons will come away changed."
Back Country Attendee
We are excited to announce that this trip will be in partnership with Noah’s Ark, a premier Colorado-based outfitter that for the last 40 years has been known for providing extraordinary recreation and educational opportunities for families and youth from all over the world. Noah’s Ark will be serving as our outfitters, rafting guides, and friends.
Meet your guides
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Jesse French
Executive Director - Restoration Project
Jesse French is a Colorado native, dad, and real-life cowboy. As the Executive Director of Restoration Project, Jesse is passionate about what happens when men address their wounds, know their God, and are intentional about bringing restoration to their world.
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Justin Koehn
Core Member - Restoration Project Grove
Justin Koehn is well acquainted with the wilderness. Whether he’s camping with his kids, fishing with his buddy Jesse, or guiding a group of men on an expedition, Justin sees the wilderness as a canvas which he engages with the wisdom, patience, and vision of an artisan. We are so excited that Justin is guiding whitewater this year.
Early Bird Pricing Ends 2/15
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Early Bird: $2,750
per father-son pair
Includes raft, paddles, safety gear, meals, wilderness guides, facilitators, and materials.
Deposits of $250 are accepted to reserve your space. The final payment is due 60 days before the trip.
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Regular: $2,850
per father-son pair
Includes raft, paddles, safety gear, meals, wilderness guides, facilitators, and materials.
Deposits of $250 are accepted to reserve your space. The final payment is due 60 days before the trip.
FAQS
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This is not just a river trip. God the Father used the wilderness as the context for his Son’s preparation for ministry, and we believe there is no better place to help your son discover who he is becoming as a man. All the while, we will be learning to handle a group raft with 6-8 people, hiking beautiful canyons, fishing in the beautiful Arkansas River, and camping away from civilization and while enjoying the fierce beauty of the Canyon-lands. This expedition is perfect for dads who want to take it up a notch and experience more with their sons than they could alone.
Back Country is Phase 2 of the Man Maker Expedition series, and is designed for fathers and sons ages 12-14 years old. During this experience, we continue building on the foundation you have laid and dive deeper into what it means to be a man. This is a great kickoff, culmination or somewhere in the middle for your son's "Man Year" experience. We believe boys are born, but men are made. [Specific activities intentionally kept secret!]
Additionally, our guides will teach through the categories and concepts presented in the Man Maker Project book, and walk with intention into deeper understanding of Godly masculinity.
Backcountry Whitewater Rafting is truly a back-river experience. This is completely primitive with no facilities but the woods. However, our river guides have over 40 years of experience providing delicious meals and canoe instruction so there is no need for prior canoeing experience. Ability to physically paddle a raft and hike moderately is required.
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This multi-day raft trip will traverse rapids which are categorized between I-III. This particular stretch of river is extremely well known to our river guides, and will provide a backdrop for an incredible amount of fun among rapids that are exhilarating, but manageable for our group.
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This trip begins in the afternoon of July 15th at Noah’s Ark, which is located on the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, Colorado.
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No outdoor experience is necessary, through all participants must be physically able to paddle a raft for 5-6 hours a day, and do some moderate hiking. There will be other physical challenges included in this experience as well, though participants may opt out if needed.
We provide all river gear, all meals, and our guides have over 40 years of river guiding experience, creating the space for any father-son pair to participate.
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You’ll be led by experienced river guides as well as facilitators who will walk you and your son through the relational content of the weekend.
We provide all rafts, life vests, gear related to rafting, and group gear. All meals are also provided. You are responsible for personal clothing and camping gear. A limited number of tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads are available to rent.
Upon registration you will receive a packing list which will outline everything you need for a great trip.
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Backcountry truly is an epic adventure as we raft down the Arkansas River in Colorado. We’ll make our way through the red canyon walls, navigate rapids, and enjoy the stunning beauty of the river and surrounding canyon. We have no doubt this will be one of the most memorable trips you’ve ever experienced.
In addition to amazing adventure in a beautiful place, fathers and sons will have separately facilitated times with our trained trail guides, inviting them deeper into the categories of Godly masculinity. We will be challenged to share our stories, consider how each man uniquely reflects the image of God, and utilize the elements of risk to usher the young men into true manhood. Our time together will culminate in a blessing ceremony during which each boy will be clearly called into manhood.
If you have any desire whatsoever to initiate your son into Godly manhood, then use this trip to catalyze the process. It is a great kickoff, culmination or somewhere in the middle of your son’s rites of passage experience. Father will receive pre-departure material, guided conversation suggestions, and trail guides to prepare for the journey.
You will also receive a copy of The Man Maker Project: Boys are Born, Men are Made, so they are resourced and prepared to think intentionally about the Rites of Passage year for their sons. Prior to the expedition, a member of the Restoration Project team will connect with each father individually in order to best support him in our process of initiating his son.
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We’d love to chat more with you if you have any questions. Please email Jeremy at jeremy@restorationproject.net