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What is a guided canyoneering trip?
A guided canyoneering trip consist of the group hiking through narrow
canyons. Morning trips meet at 8:30 a.m. and afternoon trips meet
at 3:00 p.m. Our meeting place is at the Blanding Visitors Center (200 East Center) where we'll have a safety briefing and instructions
for the trip. We'll gear up and then depart for the canyon(s). During
the trip we will be hiking over slick rock, in sand, through water,
and between the walls of the canyons. We will be in and out of the
sun and shade. There will be several steep inclines to hike up, and
several steep descents into the canyon(s), some may require rappelling. Once finished we will hike
out, inventory gear and depart to your various other destinations.
Who are your guides?
Click here to meet our guides.
Do I need to be in good physical shape?
No you don't need to be in peak physical condition. You do need to
be able to hike for several hours on different types of terrain and
different angles of terrain.
Do I need to have previous Canyoneering experience?
Aside from knowing what to expect, previous experience is not necessary.
Trips are designed to accept those of any skill level.
Do I need to know how to rappel?
Rappelling know-how is not required and guides are more than willing
to help instruct on the basics to get you down the canyon. Due to
the heights of some of the drops, those with an extreme fear of heights
should take into consideration whether or not they believe they would
be able to finish once started on a hike requiring rappelling. Once
started into some of the canyons the only way out is to rappel out.
Some people find the rappel either the most exciting part, or the
scariest part.
Are your trips suitable for families?
Families are fun to watch together in the canyons. However due to
the nature of some of the canyons and the drops trips are not recommended
for children. Minimum age limit is 12 years old.
Will I be required to sign a waiver?
Yes. You can download a copy here to have signed and ready with you as well as our Emergency Contact Form.
(PDF format)
Do you ever cancel trips?
Very rarely do we need to cancel a trip. Because of the possibility
for flash flooding, some trips may be canceled or not scheduled due
to excessive rain.
How do I register for a trip?
You can e-mail us or call to make the appointment. We can respond to you and let you know if we have any openings at that time.
You can see our contact information on our Contact
us link. A deposit of $25.00 per person is required at the time
you call to make the reservations.
What is your cancellation policy?
You may cancel your trip up to 24 hrs in advance without any penalties.
You may cancel within 12 hrs of your trip with a 1/2 penalty of your
deposit amount. Any cancellations you make within 12 hrs of trip will
result in a loss of the full deposit. If we decide that the weather
is too bad to go out and we cancel the trip you will receive a full
refund. These decisions will generally be made that morning depending
on the weather. If it is lightly raining we may still go if we deem
it to be safe. In such a case as we do make the trip and you decide
not to go you will lose your deposit. When making decisions we are
looking at safety of the canyon and area we are entering. Our decisions
are based on whether or not it will be safe, not necessarily whether
it will be comfortable or not. Hence below it is suggested for rain
gear if threatening.
What do I need to bring?
During the trips all technical gear (ropes, harnesses, helmets) will
be provided. If you have your own equipment you are welcome to bring
it. Your guide will need to inspect the equipment to make sure it
is safe. Also bottled water, but you are welcome to bring a water
bladder with you if you like. In preparing for the trips consider
clothing selection carefully. Due to the harsh and abrasive nature
of the canyon environment clothes and equipment can be easily damaged.
Imagine running these items down a wall of sand paper. You should
consider wearing inexpensive clothing that can be damaged. Each trip
has a high probability to encounter some wading through water. To
make the trips more enjoyable and memorable here are a few suggestions
of items to consider bringing a long with you, although a heavy pack
is also not desired.
Camera - Make sure that you have a way to protect the camera from hitting and scraping against the canyon walls as well as sand and water protection. We do have some Dry bags available upon request.
Comfortable hiking / wading shoes - Shoes with ankle support
as well as good soles, no open toed shoes or sandals. Shoes should
be able to get wet.
Comfortable socks - Without proper socks hiking can be miserable. Synthetic material keeps the
feet warmer when wet. Wool, Pile (Fleece), Acrylic blends are good choices. Sometimes
in cold weather neoprene socks are worn.
Pants which could get wet - Clothing which are a synthetic
make repel water better and keep you warmer when wet. Levis, Denim,
and cotton blend pants are hard to move in when wet. Shorts are not
recommended due to the abrasive conditions.
Hat for sun protection - During the technical parts of the trip we will be wearing helmets, however a hat is nice for the hike in and out.
Jacket and or rain gear - Weather forecast for possible rain
we will still hike but need to be prepared.
How long are the hikes?
They vary depending on how many canyons we hike and how large the
group is. Naturally we want to make sure everyone is comfortable and
not rushed with frequent breaks after strenuous sections. Our most
popular canyon choice of three canyons looped together has taken a
group of six 4 1/2 hrs and it has taken a group of four 3 1/2 hrs
where another group of four took 4 1/2 hrs. For a single canyon with
a moderate group you would be looking at 1 1/2 to 2 hrs and for two
canyons with a moderate group you would be looking at 2 to 2 1/2 hrs.
Do I need to provide my own transportation?
Not necessarily. Because of the nature of the canyons we will most
likely be exiting out at the bottom after leaving our vehicle at the
top. In this case we would ask someone in the group to volunteer to
assist with a car shuttle. By leaving your vehicle at the bottom
of the canyon it will be available to get us back to the top to pick
up our vehicle.
I am flying in, what is the closest airport?
Larger Airports:
- Albuquerque, NM International Airport - 320 miles (approx. 5 hrs 25 min drive time).
- Salt Lake City, UT International Airport - 338 miles (approx. 5 hrs 55 min drive time).
- Phoenix, AZ International Airport - 372 miles (approx. 6 hrs 10 min drive time).
- Las Vegas, NV International Airport - 473 miles (approx. 7 hrs 50 min drive time).
Smaller Airports closer that have car rentals:
- Cortez Municipal Airport - Cortez, CO 65 miles (approx. 1 hr 10 min drive time).
- Four Corners Regional Airport - Farmington, NM 100 miles (approx. 1 hr 45 min drive time).
- Grand County Airport - Moab, UT 117 miles (approx. 1 hr 50 min drive time).
- Telluride Regional Airport - Telluride, CO 124 miles (approx. 2 hrs drive time).
- Durango-LaPlata County Airport - Durango, CO 135 miles (approx. 2 hrs 35 min drive time).
What kind of facilities are available in Blanding?
Even though we are in a small town (population approx. 3000), we have all the modern conveniences available. I.e. Hotels, Motels,
Gas stations, Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Library w/ internet access, etc. Most hotels now have internet and WiFi service. Blanding also has a couple of cell phone towers installed and they work with most carriers or on an extended network (Roam) capability. Click here for a listing of our towns hotels/motels.
Am I supposed to tip my guide?
Gratuities are not required, though they are an excellent way to show appreciation to your guide if you had a positive experience, especially if your expectations were exceeded. Some of our guides work for very little compensation and mostly for the thrill of watching others expereince something new. Tip amounts are at your discretion, but between $20 and $50 for full-day trips are typical.
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