Getting Started

[DiscGo]

One of my goals for 07 is to pick up Canyoneering. I do not really know what I should expect in cost or where to really begin. I do not really know anyone who canyoneers so I will largely be just picking things up as I go along.

If any of you have any advice of what gear I need, where to buy it, and just where to start, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

[Scott Card]

Gear (assmuing you are with experienced folks who own rope)

Helmet
Harness
Rap device (I prefer an ATC or Piranaha by Petzl)
Day pack (Go cheap 'cause you will be hammering it)
3-4 locking biners
webbing to donate to replacing at anchor points.
daisy chain or two
a few slings of varying lengths. I would guess you could pick up this stiff for around $250.00 total, give or take.

Now the caveat. The gear is canyon or area specific and for various difficulties/challenges in the canyon you may need different gear eg. pot shots, hooks, loooong slings, ascenders, wet suits/dry suits, knee pads...etc. In other words, some canyons are pretty straight forward and do not require the specialized gear. Others require the right stuff or they could be deadly. Also, gear needs vary with skill level, or, your ability to down climb, up climb, tred water , work the ropes and knots and anchors.

I'd try to hook up with some folks and go and see what you think. Tom Jones has some great festivals and he encourages new comers. Also, Tom has designed great gear and has just about everything at CanyoneeringUSA.com.

[Scott Card]

Add gloves to the list...

Shane has a good discussion and list at Climb-utah.com (but I can't find it now - help please Shane) and Tom Jones has a list at Canyoneeringusa.com and at the very top of the page click on "canyoneering guide" and then click introduction ... or better yet, go to http://canyoneeringusa.com/utah/intro/ Hope this helps get you started.

[rockgremlin]

My advice is go light on the gear until you know what you're getting into. You might go out and buy a bunch of gear, and do a few canyons and later find out that canyoneering isn't really your thing. I started out canyoneering with tennis shoes, a tee-shirt, swimming suit trunks, and a light camelback. No helmet, no special pack, no ropes, no harness.....nothing. But, the more canyons I did, the more intrigued I was by them, and the more willing I was to plunk down the coin for special (as well as required) canyoneering gear.

Second bit of advice - go with someone who is experienced to start. That way, you don't get into too much trouble, and you can learn quite a bit about techniques and safety. Last year Shane and I did an "Adopt-a-noob" canyoneering weekend, and it was a whole lot of fun. We had about three or four genuine newbies show up, and we did a few very fun canyons. We have lightly discussed doing it again this year at least once. You should join us this year.

[Iceaxe]

Scott gave you some good advice, except I would skip the daisy chain's for now and just use a sling or webbing when required. You will also be adding a full wet suit shortly if you like the sport. Probably pick up a 3/2 full at Sportsmen's Warehouse for about $50.

Canyoneering Gear Recommendations - Read the recommendations and then feel free to ask questions.

Watch the forum for trips where noob's are welcome. Noob's can make themselves more welcome by offering to drive, provide 1/2 of required car shuttles, offering to cook dinner, offering to carry ropes, offering to pick up permits.... in other words.... make yourself useful.

[tanya]

One of my goals for 07 is to pick up Canyoneering. I do not really know what I should expect in cost or where to really begin. I do not really know anyone who canyoneers so I will largely be just picking things up as I go along.

If any of you have any advice of what gear I need, where to buy it, and just where to start, I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

Most important is a good partner. Beg Ice to go with him --- and take lots of photos.

[DiscGo]

Thank you all so much for your assistance. I feel very confident that this will be helpful to get me going.

Last year Shane and I did an "Adopt-a-noob"... You should join us this year.

I would love that! Thank you for the invitation!


Thank you guys very much

Canyoneering Gear Recommendations - Read the recommendations and then feel free to ask questions.

That link is very helpful. Thanks.

Watch the forum for trips where noob's are welcome. Noob's can make themselves more welcome by offering to drive, provide 1/2 of required car shuttles, offering to cook dinner, offering to carry ropes, offering to pick up permits.... in other words.... make yourself useful.

That really is helpful to have a list of some ideas to help pull my weight. I really appreciate it.

Beg Ice to go with him --- and take lots of photos.

If I could convince Ice to go with me, I think he would just make fun of Ohio State the whole time.

[tanya]

Watch the forum for trips where noob's are welcome. Noob's can make themselves more welcome by offering to drive, provide 1/2 of required car shuttles, offering to cook dinner, offering to carry ropes, offering to pick up permits.... in other words.... make yourself useful.

I wonder what the females have to do to go with you.

[Iceaxe]

I wonder what the females have to do to go with you.

Just talk dirty to me

[DiscGo]

Just talk dirty to me

I'm not a girl, but I'll do what needs to be done to come with you sometime (I may have over shot that innuendo a little more than I meant)

[KillEmAll]

Just talk dirty to me

I'm not a girl, but I'll do what needs to be done to come with you sometime (I may have over shot that innuendo a little more than I meant)

Uh oh, this thread has inadvertently turned...

[Scott Card]

My advice is go light on the gear until you know what you're getting into. You might go out and buy a bunch of gear, and do a few canyons and later find out that canyoneering isn't really your thing. I started out canyoneering with tennis shoes, a tee-shirt, swimming suit trunks, and a light camelback. No helmet, no special pack, no ropes, no harness.....nothing.

Ya.....but.....I must be old..... I wasn't as daring to go start this hobby without some stuff, and I like my melon as is so I got a helmet. I guess I had to have stuff cause I started in Zion. Pretty hard to do any real canyoneering without a harness, etc. Further, no place I know of rents harnesses. Also, not many folks want to lend harnesses. Many don't have extras or don't want their stuff trashed by others. Many are willing to take others out but the expense of the trip and providing all the equipment passes the pain threshold for most. I would agree with Shane that you could eliminate the daisy chains but the polite thing when going with others is to have your own harness, rap device, helmet, pack and a bit if extra webbing and biners to help contribute. Also as Ice suggested offer to assist with driving, pay some gas, bring some food, in other words help out.

Second bit of advice - go with someone who is experienced to start. That way, you don't get into too much trouble, and you can learn quite a bit about techniques and safety. Last year Shane and I did an "Adopt-a-noob" canyoneering weekend, and it was a whole lot of fun. We had about three or four genuine newbies show up, and we did a few very fun canyons. We have lightly discussed doing it again this year at least once. You should join us this year.

I too have taken a bunch of new folks out. It is fun if they have a good attitude and it doesn't cost too much in the end. I always tell them that they are welcome to come but they must have a harness and rap device at the minimum. I'd really like them to have a helmet so I don't have to worry about their head too. I have hiked and fished and been outdoors much of my life but I didn't discover canyoneering until 7ish years ago and I was immediately hooked. I have been a gear junkie canyoneer ever since. I think I have only fished 1 time since I started canyoneering. It just is not as much fun to me as canyoneering and my time away from home is limited so I easily chose canyoneering.

[DiscGo]

I already have harnesses and rope from rock climbing. Do I need a different type of harness for canyoneering?

[DiscGo]

Never mind. I just read the part on Climb-Utah about any harness working.

[Iceaxe]

I already have harnesses and rope from rock climbing.

If you have done some rock climbing you already have the basic skill set required to go canyoneering. You just need to tag along a couple of times to gain a solid base to start from.

There are some really hard canyons around, but for the most part the sport is just hiking, swimming and sliding down ropes.

[Cirrus2000]

I already have harnesses and rope from rock climbing.

If you have done some rock climbing you already have the basic skill set required to go canyoneering. You just need to tag along a couple of times to gain a solid base to start from.

Also depends on the type of climbing you've done, I would guess, and particularly how you are on rappel. If you've not really done any rappeling, then it might be good experience to practise that a bit. It's scary how easy it is to screw up a rappel system, whether it's in a life threatening way, or just a "I can't get my rope back!" way.

This coming from a (so far!) non-canyoneer, so lots of salt is required.

[tanya]

I wonder what the females have to do to go with you.

Just talk dirty to me

Would you like that in the group or in private?

[bruce from bryce]

with some climbing background at least you may know how to rappel and not have to learn hooked to the back of a truck like I did when Shane 'allowed' me to accompany him into Pine Creek. My first rappel was 4 feet and at the middle switchback in Zion.

[chapin]

advice for a noob from a relative noob:

Getting Experience:

You can learn everything you need to by getting lucky enough to do a canyon or three with some of the more experienced people on and off this board.

That said, take the three day ACA class (canyoneering.net). Because you pay a (nominal) fee to take the class, and the instructor is there just to teach, you feel absolutely comfortable asking endless dumb questions. And, the instructor feels absolutely comfortable telling you when you're doing something dumb. Rich, especially. Very, very skilled at telling you when you're doing something dumb and about to kill yourself or others.

This isn't to say that you can't learn from just meeting people on this board, but I think it's just good form to show up for a recreational trip with a few basic skills (handling your own business, finding, evaluating, and rigging basic anchors) under your belt.

Then, when you join up with people, you don't end up feeling like a freeloader. Case in point: I went to a Tom's Fest last summer, and did mystery with the emperor himself. Afterwards, he pronounced me "not a danger to others" (which i took to be high praise) and invited me to do imlay. Probably wouldn't have happened if I hadn't taken the ACA class the previous summer--and I learned a hell of a lot. I'd still call myself a novice, but i'm a housebroken novice.

Also: don't ever misrepresent your experience, comfort, or fitness level. I've been stuck in a skinny little stemming canyon with someone who fibbed, got in over his/her head, and it just wasn't cool, especially when people who thought they were on vacation ended up spending a long day babysitting.

Equipment:

Advice above perfect if you tag along informally. If you take an ACA class, put off buying everything except the harness and helmet. You can make more informed decisions about how to spend your money after you've tried a variety of loaner gear. And sticky approach shoes are nifty.

And when you do buy, buy from tom (canyoneeringusa.com guy). Not only is he nice and organizes lots of superawesome free fests, but it's really scary to ride up the mt. carmel tunnel switchbacks in his f'd up old civic. It would benefit the canyoneering community at large if he could get a new car.

chapin from brooklyn

[DiscGo]

Chapin- I notice that is your first post. Are you actually Tom campaigning for your own new car? Your comment really was helpful. Thanks for the advice. I'll look in to it now.