So when did canyoneering start?

[accadacca]

And where...here in Utah? When did it get so popular and just go nuts? I know that the sport is still fairly new really. I first heard about this sport from rockburgler. I thought why the hell would you want to crawl through these cracks in the f'in ground? In the middle of no where none the less. Then I went through a few slots with him and had a blast. I also have seen quite a few pictures on here and read a plethora of techniques and do's and dont's. I also saw some of the old pictures in the Zion visitors center, perhaps of the first people to "canyoneer" Zion. Last question...is Utah the cream of the crop for canyoneering? I would assume yes...

[Iceaxe]

Kind of a technical question and depends on what you consider a canyoneer? John W. Powell was certainly a canyoneer. So where many of the earlier miners searching through the Grand Canyon for gold and silver.

If you mean seriously exploring slot canyons for fun and sport it probably began in the US shorty after WWII when river rafting was in its infancy. There are many documented reports of the first white water rafters through Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon exploring technical slot canyon. I have seen a detailed technical slot canyon TR dated 1948. The first known use of the term "canyoneer" that I am aware of is in reference to these early white water rafters.

I think the first time I heard the term canyoneering applied to the sport as we now know it was when Steve Allen's book "Canyoneering the San Rafael Swell" was published in 1992. Just for fun it would be interesting to know when Kelsey first used the term "canyoneering" in print.

A couple interesting reference points that I am aware of....

A modestly large group of Salt Lake climbers were exploring technical slot canyons in the early 70's (maybe the late 60's). They pretty much based and swapped beta through a local Salt Lake climbing shop.

Most the of the Zion trade routes and the heavy hitters Kolob, Imlay and Heaps had all been knocked off by the early 80's. I believe the "Green Book" was first published 1988. Fat Man's Misery was being done as a sport route by locals in the 30's!!!

Many of the Escalante trade routes had been knocked off by the early 80's by sport canyoneers. Rudy Lambrechtse published "Hiking the Escalante" in 1985 which detailed a large number of Escalante routes.

Lake Powell and Glen Canyon became a canyoneering mecca in the mid 60's when the reservoir began to fill. Lake Powell is where I got my start. My friends and I had been practicing the sport for over 20 years before we discovered it actually had a name of "canyoneering".

From my point of view the sport of technical canyoneering kind of exploded when.....

The country as a whole became more "earthy" and "outdoorsy" beginning in the 80's. Allen, Lambrechtse and Kelsey all published books that included beta on exploring slot canyons about the same time. And the explosion of the internet allowed the hundreds of small groups who had been practicing the sport in isolated pockets to communicate on a large scale and share beta, technics and ideas.

I have know real clue about the history of the sport in Europe or Australia, but I have been led to believe the three continents developed the sport separately but during roughly the same period.

The above history is just what I concocted from my travels and talking with other canyoneers. I could be full of shit. If anyone wants to add to or correct any of the above feel free.

[shaggy125]

I won't claim to know anything as far as detailed history of the sport and Shane's info sounds a lot like what I've heard too. As far as "is Utah the creme of the crop?" probably just depends on who you ask. I'm sure all of us would love to travel the world doing canyons on every continent to determine where the best of the best are but most of us can't do that. There are however many canyons outside of Utah. Canyoneering (called Canyoning outside of America) in Europe is extremely popular from what I've seen. Generally people who do canyons out there do it for the swimming, jumping, and waterpark-like features of so many of the canyons in Europe. In fact in Europe there is even a Canyoning amusement park.

http://www.canyoning-park.com/description.htm

Rich Carlson was talking about Canyoning in Europe and said that a lot of people think we are nuts doing dry canyons, they don't understand how that could be fun. Here are some photos and videos of European style canyoning:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...898553879489&q
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...763548937474&q
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...663084896122&q
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...939428553876&q
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...436380687670&q
http://www.alpix.com/nice/htmlen/pictclu.htm
http://www.inextremis-aventura.com/f..._catalogne.php
http://www.tic.udc.es/~nino/cerdena/...ddu_fotos.html

The Blue Mountains in Australia are full of Zion-esque sandstone canyons, except they are in a less dry climate meaning most canyons have at least a small flow of water through them, plus vegetation and wildlife abound. I've hung out a little in the Oz Canyons Yahoo Group, and it sounds like most Australia canyons aren't the most technically challenging in the world, but they are some of the most beautiful. Here are some videos and photo's of Australia Canyons:

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~dnoble/canyoning.html
http://ozultimate.com/canyoning/
http://imageevent.com/bluecanyons (lots of videos on here if you look hard enough)

Even in the U.S. Canyoneering is starting to become popular outside of Utah. There are some really good routes showing up in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Colorado, and California that are more similar to European style canyoneering. Here are some photos and videos of them:

http://www.canyoneeringnorthwest.hopto.org/
http://imageevent.com/bluecanyons/american
http://imageevent.com/bluecanyons/canada
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...360867024883&q

Another place with some really good canyons is Monterrey Mexico where last years ACA international rendezvous was held.

http://canyoneeringusa.com/rave/0505mexico/index.htm

I don't know that there are many other places where you find keeper potholes (since most canyons outside Utah have flowing water). Not sure that many Canyoneers outside of Utah have done high off the deck stemming, or crossed over a silo or bomb-bay. These seem to be challenges that are unique to dry canyons like Utah has. Some people I've talked to that have done countless canyons outside of Utah say that tales from Americans about high stemming and bomb bays scares the crap out of them, where stories of high water flows, hydraulics, eddy's etc... would probably scare the crap out of us. Is Utah the creme of the crop? Maybe for dry challenging canyons, but there are so many canyons out there yet to be discovered I wouldn't limit yourself to just Utah, I know I plan on at least making it up to the pacific northwest in the next year or two. Hopefully someday trips to Australia and Europe will be possible.

Eric.

[Iceaxe]

I don't know much about the history of European "Canyoning".... but some of my friends who have extensive experience in both European "Canyoning" and American "Canyoneering" tell me they are almost two completely separate sports with many different skill sets and challenges required, but with some crossover. I was told to think of it as snow skiing vs snow boarding. Both are fun, both are similar, yet both very are different.

I don't know exactly how true that is but it sounds good

[Scott P]

Hey Shane,

I remember in Trail, you took some photos of the Moki steps. You should post them.

Anyway, there are Moki steps (and even ruins) in technical canyons proving that canyoneering started at least 1000 years ago. It may have had practical uses back then, but who says it wasn't done for fun?

Anyway, my father did Misery Canyon (side canyon of Parunaweap) in the early 60's with some ranchers. No bolts or slings, they used lassos and rope tricks, and the trip included rescuing a deer from a pothole. Around that time he also did Davis Gulch, a semi technical canyon.

[bruce from bryce]

As we were departing the Cathedral, IVY the boatmaster stopped to show us a very long set of Moki steps that are only visible because of the low water. My photo of them is poor as I was having some issues with my memory card (actually I shot a 6 minute video going through Shimrock without knowing it).

[Iceaxe]

As we were departing the Cathedral, IVY the boatmaster stopped to show us a very long set of Moki steps that are only visible because of the low water.

There are hundreds of moki steps around Powell. Many of the historical Powell moki routes were put in by white eyes during the mining era.

Even more moki routes have been installed by boaters in recent years There are actually a couple really cool boater moki routes i know of down by Gunsight.

[hesse15]

I don't know much about the history of European "Canyoning".... but some of my friends who have extensive experience in both European "Canyoning" and American "Canyoneering" tell me they are almost two completely separate sports with many different skill sets and challenges required, but with some crossover. I was told to think of it as snow skiing vs snow boarding. Both are fun, both are similar, yet both very are different.

I don't know exactly how true that is but it sounds good

check the fourth video de french one
and you see how bikinis and canyons fit much better in europe than here
here when i finish spry canyon change my wetsuit my buddy was such in a rush to take pictures like he never saw a female body before!!!

we need more women in this sport for sure in USA
too many boys not enough speedos!!!

[Iceaxe]

we need more women in this sport for sure in USA

too many boys not enough speedos!!!

every time I hear "guy in Speedo" my GAY-DAR goes up.

Hey Hesse..... what was that dish called you brought to Tom's going away party. That was really good. I think I need to know how to make it so I can sit around watching TV, drinking beer and eating them pea thingys. I think I'm hooked on them.... or maybe just pregnent.... cause I sure have been craving them.

[accadacca]

we need more women in this sport for sure in USA

[hesse15]

we need more women in this sport for sure in USA

too many boys not enough speedos!!!

every time I hear "guy in Speedo" my GAY-DAR goes up.

Hey Hesse..... what was that dish called you brought to Tom's going away party. That was really good. I think I need to know how to make it so I can sit around watching TV, drinking beer and eating them pea thingys. I think I'm hooked on them.... or maybe just pregnent.... cause I sure have been craving them.

they are called edamame are soy bean in the pod so pretty healthy
you can buy them in oriental store(like chinese japanese food0
i usually buy them in a store in SLC in 700east and 900S
usually a frozen bag of 1lb cost 1.40$ so not really expensive
you dump them in boiling water for 5 minutes you put some salt and they are done

hope to see you sometime in some canyons

[savanna3313]

they are called edamame are soy bean in the pod so pretty healthy you can buy them in oriental store(like chinese japanese food i usually buy them in a store in SLC in 700east and 900S
usually a frozen bag of 1lb cost 1.40$ so not really expensive
you dump them in boiling water for 5 minutes you put some salt and they are done hope to see you sometime in some canyons

Not too soon after he consumes large quantities of soybeans though, right? Seems like I remember a thread on here about having gas while wearing a wet suit and the effects within......

[Iceaxe]

Farting is just an easy way to warm the sleeping bag

[moabfool]

I think the first time I heard the term canyoneering applied to the sport as we now know it was when Steve Allen's book "Canyoneering the San Rafael Swell" was published in 1992. Just for fun it would be interesting to know when Kelsey first used the term "canyoneering" in print.

I saw the term "canyoneering" in Outside Magazine some time in the late 80's/early 90's. I'm 98% sure I still have the issue in a box at home. I'll dig for it tonight. According to the article, a couple guys were doing a canyon on Lake Powell from the San Juan County side. They had to pay for a permit to get on native land and take a native guide with them.

The technique involved leaving fixed lines and hauling a kiddie raft to navigate the potholes. The goal was Lake Powell and a waiting power boat. They ran out of rope and were going to have to pull their last rappel line if they wanted to continue. They gave up and went back up the route. They flew over the canyon in a small plane on the way out. They figure they were less than 200 yards from the lake when they gave up.

[stefan]

just wanted to add this for consolidation ... from ice's constrychnine TR : http://uutah.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1862

in reference to the piton in constrychnine ...

Nothing for sure but here is what I have puzzled together on many of the canyons in the area. I believe the pitons in the area belonged to a guy named Art. Most of the Hanksville area canyons were explored about 20 years ago by Art, who was a part-time Hanksville resident. This was before the sport even had a name known as canyoneering. Art was a rock climber who discovered slot canyons. Art was killed about 15 years ago in a helicopter crash, I believe in Montana. From what I understand Art did some guiding or something.

Anyhoo..... Arts widow told some friends of mine about the Up Middle Maidenwater and Down South Maidenwater loop about 5 years ago. They used to call it "Art's Loop" in his honor. The widow was not a climber or canyoneer and doesn't remember much about canyons.

So that is my thoughts on the pitons in the area.

[ratagonia]

Hey Shane,

I remember in Trail, you took some photos of the Moki steps. You should post them.

Anyway, there are Moki steps (and even ruins) in technical canyons proving that canyoneering started at least 1000 years ago. It may have had practical uses back then, but who says it wasn't done for fun?

Around that time he also did Davis Gulch, a semi technical canyon.

There's some amazing Moki step routes in Davis Gulch:

http://www.canyoneeringusa.com/rave/...vis/davis2.htm

Tom

[Scott P]

I think the first time I heard the term canyoneering applied to the sport as we now know it was when Steve Allen's book "Canyoneering the San Rafael Swell" was published in 1992.

Old news maybe, but if anyone is interested, I noticed the term canyoneering and canyoneers used in the book Mexico's Copper Canyon Country: A Hiking and Backpacking Guide, published in 1989.

[tanya]

If you mean seriously exploring slot canyons for fun and sport it probably began in the US shorty after WWII when river rafting was in its infancy. There are many documented reports of the first white water rafters through Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon exploring technical slot canyon. I have seen a detailed technical slot canyon TR dated 1948. The first known use of the term "canyoneer" that I am aware of is in reference to these early white water rafters.

What a dream! On a row boat and exploring canyons! Now that is the life!

[hank moon]

Hey Shane,

I remember in Trail, you took some photos of the Moki steps. You should post them.

The steps are just around the corner in this great shot of the Great Cowboy and Indian Trail Derby of 1862 my great grandpap gave me.

The Indians won that year using their clever "mo-kee" steps that allowed faster progress through the canyon. Wish Ida been there....

[Iceaxe]

Great Cowboy and Indian Trail Derby of 1862