Lake Isabella Kern River
Lake Isabella is a reservoir on the Kern River created by Isabella Dam. It is one of the larger Californian reservoirs and is the main water supply of Bakersfield. The former towns of Isabella and Kernville were flooded by the reservoir.
Fed by snowmelt near Mt. Whitney, Kern River is a 165 miles long river passing through the scenic canyons of the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is also famous for hosting California's State Freshwater Fish, California Golden Trout. Whitewater rafting, whitewater kayaking, fly fishing are popular recreations in the Kern River area.
The Kern River Canyon was created not just by the erosion of the river, but also by tectonic forces caused by the active Kern Canyon Fault.
The Kern River Oil Field is located in the lower Sierra foothills, north of the river before the Bakersfield.
Time
DEPART: Friday, May 3nd 2PM
RETURN: Sunday, May 5th 7PM
Activities
Cooking, Camping, Camp Fire, Food, Knots, First Aid related requirements.
Saturday at the Lake Isabella, we will have water activities: tubing, knee boarding, wakeboarding, kayaking, sailing, and swimming. For sailing we have a double-hull Hobie Cat and a Laser sailboat.
Due to the unusually low water condition, rafting and/or kayaking on the river is not available. We will continue our activities on Lake Isabella on Sunday.
[Rafting] Sunday we will do an all-day raft trip on the Upper Kern. Raft Trip is approximately 4 hours and then a 4 hour drive home.
*Note: Water Safety
This is a high water activity trip. We need all participants to exercise good common sense and sound judgment. Scouts should be water safe (complete the swimming merit badge) and able to stay afloat with a life vest without issues. All adults and eagle scouts, please help keep an eye out on things going on around you.
The troop has life vests available for use. However, each scout should bring his own life vest that fits him snugly and tightly. This is especially true for young/smaller scouts. A loose life vest is not only ineffective, it could also pose additional danger.
Adult leaders please double check to make sure the water level is safe for scouts jumping off of it.
Adult Quartermaster will be setting ground rules for the use of jet skis. Also, one jet ski would be used to patrol and keep tabs on things.
Adult Quartermaster will assign tasks for various things, such as:
Setting up our newest inflatable kayak.
Setting up the Hobie.
Setting up the Laser sailboat
Cost
The Lake Isabella trip requires 3 SUVs to tow our troop trailer, boat trailer, and jet ski trailer for 400 miles (round trip). The total fuel required for the 3 SUVs is roughly 105 gallons. To operate the 3 jet skis for a total of 8 hours over 2 days would add another 25 gallons. The total cost for fuel would be 130 gallons of gas x $4.10/gallon, which comes out to $533.00. (As a comparison, to rent a 3-seater jet ski at Lake Isabella is roughly $500.00/day, not including kneeboard and/or wakeboard.)
So, it would cost $30 for each scout, sibling, and friends for camp, food, and troop's fuel cost. (ESTIMATED) as of 2022
Location
Camp - Boulder Gulch at Lake Isabella(on Route 155) #67 (35.671753,-118.469627) & #77 (35.671901,-118.469849) camps site are preferred. (Camp site map)
Rafting
11300 Kernville Road
Kernville, CA. 93238
760-376-3745
11305 Kernville Rd Kernville, CA 93238
Tel: 760.376.3648 / 800.375.7395
11113 Kernville Road, Kernville, CA 93238
Tel:760.376.6553 / 800.861.6553
E-mail: reservations@mtnriver.com
Mountain and River Adventures Campground
15775 Sierra Way, Kernville, CA 93238
Reference
Maps/Direction
Note, on the last turn from Wofford Height Blvd. to the camp ground, there's a sign that says Boulder Gulch Camp Ground. Camp site is first come first serve. There are a couple sites (Camp site map), #67 & #77, that we always get because they provide easy access to our trailers.
Pit Stops
In-N-Out Burger, 25220 The Old Road, Newhall, CA 91321, 800.786.1000
Food Lake Isabella -- The Pizza Barn, 11401 Kernville Rd, Kernville, CA 93238, 760.376.1856
Food preparation
Equipments
Troop
Troop trailer
Boat trailer
Jet Ski trailer
Individual:
Camp chairs/Folding chairs
Easy Up (if you got room)
Sleeping Bag
Sun Screen
goggles
Rash Guard
Life Vest/Jacket
Water Shoe/Sports Sandal/used tennis shoes (ready to be thrown away)... no slippers (very good chance to lose them)
Your own cups/water bottles
Weather
Kern/Lake Isabella vicinity are at a low elevation and can be hot during the day. Check weather forecast as weekend approaches. Water is cold, suitable for brief immersion!
Forms
Permission/Medical Release forms are required from every scout.
Jet Ski and Wake Boarding Wavier (click to print the form) is required from every scout.
[Rafting] ASSUMPTION OF RISK AND LIABILITY WAIVER forms must be filled out and signed by the parents of each Scout to go on the Raft.
*** If you or your scout have had any of these symptoms in the last 21 days: FEVER, COUGH, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, DIFFICULTY BREATHING, LOSS OF TASTE OR SMELL, STOMACH UPSET, HEADACHE, FATIGUE, BODY ACHES, RASH, or has TRAVELED IN THE LAST 21 DAYS or been in contact with any COVID-19 CONFIRMED PATIENTS, please do not participate in the upcoming activity.
Please refer BSA website for latest Covid guideline. https://www.scouting.org/coronavirus/
Due to COVID-19, all participants of troop outings must fill out two consent forms: BSA Activity Consent Form and Troop Consent Form. Starting from carpooling, all participants must practice safety measures throughout the entire outing, such as social distancing or wearing face masks. Make sure to exercise proper judgement and maintain good personal hygiene, such as bringing hand sanitizer.
*** Scouts' behaviors should be in accordance with Scout Oath and Scout Laws. Horseplay, physical violence, harassment, initiation rites, bullying, theft, verbal insults, ..., are prohibited. It's of the utmost importance that scouts follow instructions, especially during outings. Otherwise scout, not only put himself in danger, he also endangers those around him. Guardians are responsible for their scouts' manners.
