What is Canyoneering?

The Canyoneering Experience

Those who choose to begin a canyoneering journey will have to be skilled in a variety of different area. They will have to hike, swim, climb, scramble, and rappel in many different areas to complete an entire canyoneering journey.

Trips can be days long or just a few hours, though most are usually at least a couple of miles long. They will also involve overcoming many different obstacles. Some of these obstacles may be steep drop-offs, deep pools, large gaps, and very tight spaces.

Each canyon is best for different experience levels, so people can work their way up to more difficult canyons. Canyoneering is a sport that never gets boring since there are so many places to explore. Participants will also constantly be working on their technique.

Photo by Mia & Steve Mestdagh

Gear

Since canyoneering involves a lot of different activities and skills, there is a variety of gear that is required. The right gear is essential for a safe and fun canyoneering trip. The following is a list of common gear that is needed, but every journey will require different gear and setups.
Boots
Appropriate Clothing
Water
Ropes
Rappelling gear
Helmet

It is the responsibility of those who go canyoneering to check ahead of time to see what gear is required for the route. There are many online guides and park guides that have important information and individual gear lists.

Safety

The most important thing to remember when canyoneering is that there will be many dangerous situations, so mitigating risks is essential.
Routes should always be checked ahead of time to make sure that those heading into the journey have the right gear, skills, and experience to complete the course.

It is dangerous to go canyoneering alone, so a group of two or more is highly recommended for a safe trip. People who insist on heading into the canyons alone should let a few trusted people know exactly where they are going and what time they should be back. If they are not back by the estimated time, rescue crews can be called to the area to increase the chance of a safe recovery.

Skills should be practiced and perfected before heading in the canyons. There are many safe places to practice skills rappelling, scrambling, and climbing without getting into a precarious situation in a canyon.

Canyons are prone to flash flooding, so those heading into canyons should always check the weather reports to be sure heavy rain and flash flooding are not in the forecast for the surrounding and immediate areas.

By following these basic safety rules, heading going canyoneering can be a fun, safe, and memorable journey.

The Ultimate Outdoor Sport

There is no sport that combines such a wide variety of skills at the same time. From swimming one minute to rappelling the next, half of the fun of exploring a canyon is the surprising adventures that are around each turn. Getting involved in canyoneering will blossom into a lifelong love and respect for canyons and the beautiful outdoors.

Featured photo by Dave Riggs