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 2025 Level Up Activities:
Canoeing: New Team Challenges & New Adventures for Levels 1-6 (Beginner – Advanced)
Kayaking: New Levels 1-3 and Adventures
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 2025
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
Kayak Levels 1 - 3
Level 1: Discoverer
Learn the basic kayaking skills that will allow campers to confidently paddle around the reservoir. This includes Understanding Safety & Rules, how to properly load/unload kayak, basic paddling skills, and balance/basic communication with partner. These are key skills that campers should have proficiency in before moving on to level two skills.
Must complete three of the following challenges:
- Cove Obstacle/Skills Course
- Scavenger Hunt/Paddling Challenge in the Cove
- Paddle Across the Reservoir & Back
- Paddle to the West end of the Reservoir
Level 2: Explorer
The purpose of Level 2 is to have campers gain confidence with their paddling skills, maneuvering, working with their kayak partner and communication, and build up their endurance.
Challenges to Complete:
- Paddle around the whole reservoir
- Obstacle course/Skills Course
- Scavenger hunt around the reservoir
Level 3: Guide
This is the most advanced level where CILT Campers begin to hone their kayak skills, leadership, and learn waterfront safety. They would learn how to tow another kayak, plan, and create a route or activity with safety in mind, and how to lead a paddle talk that they could do with a younger group.
Challenges to Complete:
- Learn to Tow
- Create their own voyage!
- Paddle talk-camper can give a paddle talk to the other campers, including key components for safety!
Fishing: Fish ID & Casting License
Roughing It Casting License
Requirements to obtain a Casting License (2nd-10th grade)
- Knows casting rules and safety procedures.
- Makes sure area is clear behind them.
- Calls out “Casting, Casting 1-2-3” to alert people they are casting.
- Has cast 3 times in a row successfully.
New! Fresh Water Fish ID Card
- Find & Identify 7 freshwater fish in Lafayette Reservoir.
Angler Apprentice (3rd-10th grade)
- Has obtained Casting License
- Can bait their own hook (Safely and independently bait a hook without assistance).
- Correctly identify at least three fish species using fish ID cards
- Locate likely fish “hot spot” based on environmental clues (vegetation, depth, etc)
- Can tie a fisherman knot
- Rig a fishing line with appropriate weight
Master Fisher (5th-10th grade)
- Has obtained Casting License and completed Angler Apprentice
- Cast with precision at various distances, adjusting for wind and water conditions.
- Demonstrate proper technique in de-baiting a hook after fishing.
- Catch & Release – If a fish is caught, safely and carefully remove the fish from hook with minimal harm.
- Can demonstrate how to Rig a fishing pole
- Tacklebox Knowledge – Can identify all items in Tackle box & explain uses for each.
- Fished with 3 different types of bait
- Fished for 3 different types of fish (bass, catfish, sturgeon or others)
- Completed Shore Fishing (at the beach at Superchoice)
- Hike & Fish – Fished from 3 different areas at the Reservoir (at Superchoice)
Swimming Levels - Certifications & Awards
Levels 1 – 6 (for Beginner – Advanced swimmers)
Starfish Award- Level 1: Introduction to Water Skills
Super Seastar Award- Level 2: Fundamental Aquatic Skills
Butterfly Fish Award- Level 3: Stroke Development
Yellow Tang Award- Level 4: Stroke Improvement
Barracuda Award- Level 5: Stroke Refinement
Sunfish Award- Level 6: Swimming and Skill Proficiency
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 Certifications: Level 1 (shallow water rescues) and Level 2 (deep water rescues). Correctly demonstrate the knowledge and skills to safely respond to aquatic emergencies by passing the skills in this activity.
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
