Our Adventure and Education Programs
Adventure Programming
Whitewater Rafting
Upper St. Louis River Trips. Approx. Total Trip Time 2-2 1/2 hours
This trip takes you through a semi-wilderness area with rugged outcrops, tall pines, abundant wildlife, and challenging rapids. (TIP: Are Looking for the Highest Water Action? For your adventurous spirits, Book your trip May-June)
Typical summer flows change, but still supply challenging rapids as you ease into the river experience with class II+ rapids building into class III/III+ rapids in the second portion of the trip.
Lower St. Louis River Trips. Approx. Total Trip Time 2 and 1/2 hours
When the Upper St. Louis River gets too low for rafting, we run the Lower St. Louis River through Jay Cooke St. Park. Since much of this section flows through narrow canyons it can only be rafted safely at summer flows. Whether it’s late in the summer or a dry summer, it’s lower Louis time!
The Lower St. Louis sports technical class III rapids and features several rapids that are three to four-foot drops. The steep-walled sections of river provide excellent scenery. Since this trip covers fewer river miles, we include additional adventures within your trip!
Aerial Challenge Course
Our 5 pole course features 12 elements on two levels, with fun challenges such as: the pipe traverse, lily pads, Burma bridge, swinging vines, Indiana Jones bridge, the X-cape and more!
Our staff is ACCT trained and certified. For added customer safety, we use the Smart Snap system to ensure a safe traverse and transition on the elements.
All participants wear a full body harness, helmet and Smart Snap clip system.
Introduction to Whitewater Kayaking
This program utilizes our challenge by choice philosophy where participants can learn at their pace and choose to try some easy class II rapids after learning the basics strokes and concepts of kayaking.
This program pairs well with watershed and stream ecology lessons.
We supply all the necessary gear.
Rapids and Ropes
The Rapids and Ropes package is exactly as it sounds, spend a day up in the air and on the water.
Rapids and ropes can be done in one day or split into two days mixed with other activities.
Introduction to Rock Climbing
We provide a fun and safe challenge for participants to learn the basics or rock climbing.
We employ a challenge by choice philosophy, so participants can learn at their pace. This lesson fits great with earth science and physical education lessons.
Outdoor and Natural Science Education
Science concepts are implemented into adventure activity
Ecosystems of the St. Louis River Watershed: Wildlife, and Energy Flow
This program is a great introduction to ecology and the various ecosystems of the region. This immersive lesson can be part of our rafting excursions or as a nature hike along the river.
Students will gain an understanding of flow of energy in a mixed coniferous/hardwood ecosystem. Using species of the region students will construct a food web, discuss trophic levels, and apply energy loss from producers to predators via predator/prey game.
Discuss defining characteristics of various ecosystems in St. Louis River watershed.
General introduction to ecology: species, populations, communities, and interactions.
Briefly discuss forest ecology, fire, change, and succession while in an old growth stand and a mixed forest.
Watersheds and Stream Ecology
This lesson pairs well with rafting or hike along the river. Students will learn and be able to define what a watershed is by creating a quick and easy model watershed.
Students will demonstrate the water cycle with their models and discuss forms of water pollution.
Discuss and understand flow of energy in a stream.
Discuss and understand significance of water temperature and oxygen levels as well as nutrient flow into streams.
Via collection of macro-invertebrates as bio-indicators, and taking temperature readings students will gauge stream health.
Geology of the St. Louis River
This lesson can be easily paired with rafting, rock climbing, or nature hike.
Students will view and discuss evidence of plate tectonic movements in Thomson Formation bed rock in one of the canyons on our adventures.
Students will discuss and view evidence and affects of glacial activity on landscape. We will also use glacial models to show how glaciers shaped the land.
Discuss the rock cycle and types of rocks that make up Thomson Formation.
Outdoor and Natural Science Education
Science concepts are implemented into adventure activities.
Orienteering and Forest Ecology
Or Rafting and Forest Ecology
Once in the woods via rafting or orienteering course students will get an immersive introduction to ecology: species, populations, communities, and interactions.
Students will create a food web using species of the St. Louis River watershed, then to understand trophic levels and flow of energy they will play predator prey game.
Briefly discuss forest ecology, fire, change, and succession while in an old growth stand and a mixed forest.
Students will learn orienteering, a fun way to learn how to use a compass and navigate by one while working as teams to complete the orienteering course.
Cultural History of the St. Louis River
While immersed in wilderness like areas via rafting, rock climbing, or hiking, students will learn and discuss Anishinaabe culture in the St. Louis River watershed, past and present.
Learn and discuss about early explorers and fur trade in the region
Discuss Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) contributions to science and engineering such as medicinal plants and use of woodland resources to live while seeing and identifying these plants and trees in the real.
Escape From Fenrir Island: Outdoor Skills
This interactive adventure pairs well with rafting, hiking, climbing or orienteering. Although it is best while rafting and actually being on a real island!
This survival scenario requires students to work together in teams to survive until rescue.
With some basic clues and and a guide book students will have to find ways to purify water, build shelter and fire, signal for help and administer first aid.
Transportation Available
Swiftwater Adventures Busing Available for Area Schools
Busing and transportation for school and youth groups can be a logistical challenge and a financial hurdle.
We can offer busing services for Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor, Cloquet, Esko, and Carlton area schools. Swiftwater Adventure buses are all MNDOT inspected and approved. Our bus drivers all have CDLs with passenger endorsements and have passed background checks.
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