Canyoneering - Lessons Learned

So, you can't do anything like canyoneering and not learn from something that either didn't go the way you had planned, or something that might have worked better if you'd tried something different.  I have a good friend that has gotten me into canyoneering, who has taught me so much about how to navigate the canyons, and safely go through them, but also about the beauty of the canyon and what you can gain from the experience.  Here's a few guidelines for canyoneering that I've learned from others, and experienced myself.

• Don't do a canyon if you don't have AT LEAST 2 experienced canyoneering people in your group.  These people need to be experienced in setting up rappels off of bolts or natural anchors.  They need to know the knots, and the gear you're using inside and out so they can teach others and check others gear to make sure everything is ok.  According to BSA, both people need to be trained as well in their Canyon Leaders Course.
  
  
• With 2 leaders, you can both set up rappels, send one down first (first one doesn't get a bottom belayer, so it's advisable to set up a top belay for the first one down) and then belay's everyone else that comes down.  The other leader can check and recheck all the boys equipment, and talk them down the rappel from above.  So, where the first rappeller needs to be good at rappelling and belaying, the last one needs to be rock solid sure that he sets up his equipment properly because there's nobody to check on his personal setup.
  
• The last rappeller will also check to make sure that the ropes aren't twisted, and that they will come down properly after he finishes his rappel
  
  
• NO HORSEPLAY, NO SHOWING OFF around cliffs, period.  Don't stand for it, and let the boys know that if they do, they will be sitting in the truck the rest of the time.  It only takes one time to get someone really hurt, or dead.  Take no chances!
  
  
• If you are doing a canyon with water in it that you will be swimming through, assume it is going to be 40 degrees F.  It's typically in the shade 100% of the day, so it never gets warmed up from the sun.  If you are going to be swimming through cold water for very long, and repeatedly through the canyon, you'll want to consider wet suits.  You as a leader may have enough extra insulation to make the canyon bearable, but some of those boys with 0.001% body fat will freeze in no time at all with no way to warm up without trudging through more water to get to the end of the canyon where you can sit out in the sun and dry off.
  
  
• Check your anchor between rappellers.  This is important if you are rappelling off a natural anchor, or one you made yourself.  One time we did a rappel that was only 15 feet, but we had to set up an anchor by burying a rock down in the sand with a rope tied to it, and then stacking rock and sand on that rock.  It was a solid anchor, but after 10 people had rappelled on it, it shifted enough that it came loose on someone when they were a couple of feet off the ground.  Luckily, nobody was hurt and we were able to set up the anchor again.  Checking the anchor between each rappel would have allowed us to find slight shifting in the rocks and enabled us to make sure the anchor was solid.
  
  
• Don't assume someone has more experience than he actually does.  Sometimes you'll take a group and one of the boys (or leaders) will say that he's had lots of experience rappelling and can do it "with his eyes closed."  Then when you get started, you see him making simple mistakes, and unsure about himself while on the edge of the cliff.  Sure, he'll continue to say that he knows what he's doing to save face with his peers, but you need to make sure he really knows what he's doing.
  
  
• Bring more water than you think you need, especially if your canyon involves a hike to the top of it, or back up to the top after it.  I did a canyon once with some family members and we assumed that the canyon would be wet.  Unfortunately, it wasn't wet, so as we went through the canyon we never got cooled off.  Therefore we went through more water to replace our sweat.  Add to that the fact that we went down the canyon first, and ran out of water by then end of the canyon, but still had to hike back up a different canyon to get to our vehicles, and we were in a bit of trouble.  So, those that were doing the worst stopped to rest in the shade while the rest pushed on ahead without water to get bottles of water from the vehicles for the others.  We all made it out fine, but it wasn't the way the canyon trip was supposed to go.
  
  
• Don't assume that since you have some experience with rappelling and climbing that you can take a group of scouts through a slot canyon (even if you have taken the week long training course offered by the scout council).  Slot canyons have their own challenges and obstacles that require an experienced person to get you through.  Especially if you're taking scouts.  Go with someone who has lots of experience with canyoneering.  Learn everything you can from him on the first dozen trips or so before you call yourself a professional and able to take charge of a group of scouts.
  
  
• With that all being said, have some fun and enjoy being somewhere that 99.99999% of the people in your area will never even dream of going.  Take the chance to enjoy the beauty around you and the amazing forces of nature that created each canyon.

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