@homerdog hi, current Bowdoin student and orientation trip leader - they are not going to send out orientation trips that are high-risk. Many BOC (Bowdoin Outing Club) leaders ARE professional raft guides over the summer - I know at least 10. In addition, the BOC trains its own raft guides in August before move-in. The students who are assigned to lead these trips have been adequately prepared to guide whitewater. They also might assign more leaders (generally it is two leaders per trip) to more technical trips like whitewater. I was on a whitewater orientation trip my first year and loved it. I never felt unsafe with my “college kid” leaders - they definitely knew what they were doing. We also had 6 leaders between 2 trip groups. If it’s what your son is interested in, he should go for it! (and you’re not necessarily going to get your first choice trip anyway)
Sorry if this is late advice! Not sure when y’all had to turn in trip requests by…