Course Prerequisites

Basic Technical Canyoneering Course Prerequisites:(opens in a new tab)

The Basic Technical Canyoneering Course is our beginning ground school course. For this reason there is no prerequisite. Some things to consider would only be your desire to learn the safest way to enjoy the sport of canyoneering.

This is a great course for those coming from any other rope discipline as well (ie. rock climbing, rope rescue). While canyoneering shares similarities with other rope type activities, it has a lot of variables and nuances specific to this sport and we talk about those and break them down in this course.

This course also gives the basics required in order to keep up to pace in the advanced and rescue courses (see below). We have had a lot of individuals with rope experience skip this course thinking it’ll be too basic and jump into the advance and find themselves lost. We have had a lot of individuals with prior rope experience take this course and thank us for a great course and how much more they learned about rappelling safely than they had known from their other disciplines.

Advanced Canyoneering Course Prerequisites:(opens in a new tab)

This course is designed to be taken in structured order and builds upon the previous courses. The Advanced Course is designed to take the material and techniques discussed in the Basic Technical Canyoneering Course and add to them. As such it is required to have taken a Basic 3 day Technical Canyoneering course from us or another reputable Canyoneering Specific Training company. All of the below prerequisites are stuff that is taught in our Basic Course.

Techniques and concepts that need to be proficient before taking this course include, but not limited to:

• Navigation and route finding: understanding the basics of using topographical maps and navigation tools such as GPS and phone apps to locate the proper canyon.
• Canyoneering beta (route descriptions): understanding how to read Canyon beta and route information as well as knowing how to use and apply the canyon rating system when determining which canyons to descend. Along with this knowing how and when to enter or not enter based on weather patterns and weather forecasting. Knowing the risk factors listed in Canyon route information regarding flash flood potential in that canyon and how to recognize flash flood dangers and potential “Go or No Go” situations.
• Choosing the appropriate gear and having the appropriate gear for the canyons: In the basic course we can supply enough gear to beginning students to use and try out before purchasing their own gear, in and advanced course you should come prepared with the appropriate gear that you learned about in the Basic Course and be ready to rock and roll!
• Anchors, anchor dynamics and load forces: You should understand the basics of building anchors from the ground up (or out). This includes what anchor types are used in canyoneering, what and when to use each one, how to check them to see if they are safe, how to rebuild them or replace them if necessary and how to rig into them whether using and SRT or DRT rigging system and when each one of those are appropriate. You should know how to set a totem block contingency anchor and why it is used and when it is appropriate not to use it.
• Courtesy anchors: You should know what a courtesy anchor is, why it is used and how to rig one and check it. You should know how to set this for a group and how to use it as the last man down.
• Rappelling: You should be confident in your rappelling skills. You should know how to use your specific canyoneering rappelling device (NO ATC’s OR PLAIN FIGURE 8’s ALLOWED IN CANYONEERING COURSES). You should know how to adjust your friction settings and how to lock off your device so that you can go hands free if and when it is necessary.
• Ascending: You should know the basics of ascending and how to ascend (You don’t have to be awesome at it, but an advanced class should not be the first time you have set up an ascending rig). You should be able to set up an ascending system on the rope and understand the basic concepts of the motions of ascending.
• Transitions: Transitioning from ascending to rappel and from rappel to ascending should not be a new concept for you. If you know how to ascend you should be able to switch mid rope to either in case of emergencies while on the rope.
• Canyon movement: While not everyone gets comfortable with stemming and potholes, you should be knowledgeable with stemming and know what it is. Canyoneering is 20% rappelling and the other 80% is stemming, climbing, swimming, hiking and scrambling (to include sliding and downclimbing).

Self and Partner Rescue Course Prerequisites:(opens in a new tab)

This course is designed to be taken in structured order and builds upon the previous courses. The Self and Partner Rescue Course is designed to take the material and techniques discussed in both the Basic Technical and Advanced Canyoneering Courses and add to them. As such it is required to have taken a Basic 3 day Technical Canyoneering Course and Advanced Canyoneering Course from us or another reputable canyoneering specific training company.

Techniques and Concepts that need to be proficient in before taking this course Include, but not limited to:

All the techniques listed for the Advanced Class Prerequisites as well as:

• How to rig and rappel with a VT Prusik
• How to pass a knot in the middle of the rope on both rappelling and ascending
• The basics of what creates mechanical advantage and how to set up a 2:1, 3:1
• Potholes, pothole avoidance and sequencing a group through obstacles
• SRT, DRT, twin rope systems, tails up rope systems, static rigging vs. dynamic
• Rigging, releasable and transient anchor systems