Beginner tips...

[walkthetaco]

Ah, yes, we all have to start somewhere. Think back to your very first canyoneering experience, do you remember that feeling, that rush? Now think to where you are at now with your skills. How did you get there?

I'm extremely interested in canyoneering and have done mostly beginner stuff and one technical canyon. But I want to do more, I want to learn it all, immerse myself into it. Do you suggest taking a course or class to build upon my skills? Any good ones out there? I assume this is a great place to meet others that I could learn from...etc....

Any thoughts, tips, suggestions, break it down for me..Thanks so much & happy adventures !
Crystal

[flatiron]

Do you suggest taking a course or class to build upon my skills? Any good ones out there?
I assume this is a great place to meet others that I could learn from.
Crystal

Yes, several, & Yes.

Don't do 'meet up groups' - at least until you have enough experience to judge for yourself.

[moab mark]

Looks like you live in Moab. Go talk to Matt at desert highlights he can probably give you some training or sign up on a few of his routes and be a sponge of everything he does.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Slot Machine]

Like Mark said. Take some lessons. Learning to canyoneer via the internets is time-consuming and dangerous. Trust me.

After your lessons, find a friend on Bogley, then go tackle U-Turn.

Here is the U-Turn challenge: If you step on any crypto or leave any rope grooves, then you lose. If you can ghost the last rappel without damaging the rock, you get bonus points.

I must ask, what is the story behind the name 'walkthetaco'?

Bob

[TommyBoy]

Once you do take a course practice everything you learned. Either in your garage or in canyon so you don't forget it.

[walkthetaco]

Thanks moab mark. I will do that !

[walkthetaco]

allright ! Yes the rope/anchors are the hardest for me but good tip to practice in the garage.....hee hee...well...walkthetaco.....i'm not sure how it came about to be honest. I was having to make up a username for something and somehow it was suggested and I sort of like it. sorry it's not more exciting of a story. I suppose it'd be interesting to see someone walk a taco vs. a dog though....huh? or maybe it's a dance or a way to walk. however, tacos walk. sorry for the ramble.

[peakbaggers]

If Matt at Desert Highlights doesn't work out for some reason, another one close by you is Jared Hillhouse in Blanding who offers training classes. Has a website at North Wash Outfitters.

[maarten.1975]

I'd say take a good instruction course to learn the basic techniques of canyoneering. When I did mine a couple of years ago, it was a fantastic day, and I learned oh so much. Such a course may be different from the 'adventure-day canyoneering'-trips which, are often also offered (they guide you through a canyon that day, and are not so much focussed on the learning element).
( so probably not a highly spectaculair canyon on your instruction course, because that is not the target that day)

I think canyoneering is more of a way to 'think', then just a number of techniques. With the basic knowledge from the (in my case 1-day) course, I started with the easier canyons, expanding my experience little by little. Read a lot on the internet, prepare properly for all canyons you are going to do, share time and knowledge with canyoneeringfriends.

And that is how far I got until now.
I'd say good luck, have fun and stay safe!

[Deathcricket]

Maybe it's different for me coming from a tech background, but I think you can learn everything you need online. Just do everything double stranded, inspect every anchor, and don't ever do any fancy knots until you practiced them to perfection in your garage. It's not rocket science and literally takes 5 mins to learn. Then go practice on a 10 foot rap some place close to your house. Then maybe a 30 footer, I bet if you go to a nearby rockclimbing place there are some simple places with anchors already made. Then just be familiar with knots and know how they should look, how to weight and test them, and slowly learn how to tie them. And in my opinion, you're ready to start joining groups. Yes there are some dangerous groups out there, but my guess is they consist of less than 1 % of the canyoneering population. Just be honest with them that you are learning, and new to the sport. And when you get in a group, don't trust that they know what they are doing, ask questions. But it's a myth that this sport is difficult to learn. People make it complicated, and that's when mistakes happen and people die.

Don't get me wrong, paying $300-$500 for a class I'm sure is awesome, but that would also buy a heck of a long rope to double strand and rap pretty much any canyon in existence. And for a noob to shell out that kinda cash to learn such simple proceedures seems kinda wasteful to me. Just do easy "trade type" canyons and find a good core group to hang with, way more important IMO than a class. I don't know Moab that well but like down here we have Yankee Doodle and Keyhole as good beginner 1st canyons to practice on.

[rick t]

Steve Morga, of Intrepid Adventure Sports (Google it), teaches canyoneering classes in Moab, and is extremely competent, safety oriented, and patient and understanding beyond belief. He also has his own meetup group, so you don't have to wonder about the qualifications of the unknown people leading the meetup activity. The cost is reasonable and well worth it, for your own enjoyment, comfort, safety and peace of mind. Concerns about advice that you don't need classes because they cost money, and that suggests you can learn everything you need to know on your own on the internet, are well founded.

[TommyBoy]

I think its kinda funny that DC goes on about not needing classes and just read about it on the net and practice in the garage and you'll be good and then at the end of the post it says, "your safety is not my responsibility." Just an observation though, not a judgement of the post, since I kind of agree with him. I have taken two courses, one when I was just starting out and I feel like I learned very little and forgot most of it anyway. The second one I felt like I learned quite a bit since that one was after a year and a half of 2-3 canyon trips a month and I had a solid base of experience to attach the skills to. I could have researched the info on the web, but I was lazy and wanted someone to feed it to me. Basically if you can find someone willing to take out a complete newb on some easy canyons to get a feel for it you will probably learn and retain alot more when you do take a course. If you go that route though make sure whoever is taking you knows just how little you know so they can watch out for you.

[ratagonia]

Maybe it's different for me ...

Yes it is.

tom

[Renatomic808]

My favorite, and best advice I can give; be highly aware of what you're doing, and don't injured or die. If it keeps you safe.. DO IT.

[Deathcricket]

I think its kinda funny that DC goes on about not needing classes and just read about it on the net and practice in the garage and you'll be good and then at the end of the post it says, "your safety is not my responsibility." Just an observation though, not a judgement of the post, since I kind of agree with him.

It's an old joke about how Tom always follows me around post to post taking snipes at me, since he has nothing better to do. But in this case I agree it reads funny as F%$#, lol. I guess it's been a couple years and I should change it, but haven't found a funnier one yet. :)

[Cannon]

From somebody (me) who had my first Canyoneering experience in January 2012:
1) My first experience was two days in the North Wash in a "class" with experienced teachers (Dark Horse Leadership)
2) I felt the instruction taught me a lot about the basics and gave me confidence in how to get through a canyon safely
3) After the class, my first couple of canyons were with experienced canyoneers (it's always fun to see how different people approach the same obstacle)
4) I then would go to high-traffic canyons so I would likely have others around, just in case...
5) I am someone who tends to over prepare... I read a lot of posts on this and other sites to learn a) which canyons are within my ability and how to prepare for them, b) more techniques etc. as shared in the tech tip areas of the sites and c) what to be aware of by reading the many accident reports (this has greatly heightened my sense of safety awareness)
6) I second the keep it simple concept. You can get confused with all of the options. Find what is easiest for you and master it... them move to the next technique.
7) It's all about the experience... find people you enjoy being around and have fun!

[kiwi_outdoors]

well, lets see.

Check your anchor
Don't let go (your rope hand)

that's about it

Oh, and learn how to swim in long dark slots.

[Bootboy]

Start small and work your way up.

Pay attention to people who are teaching you.

Take risks, but make sure they are calculated.

Always have a plan B.

Set personal rules and hold yourself and your friends to them. For example: everyone wears a helmet every time. No exceptions.

Never justify or make excuses for anything you know isn't right. Like forgetting your FA kit, leaving your helmet, not taking enough water, proceeding in the face of inclement weather, etc... Live to fight another day.

[dlofting]

Some of your approach to canyoneering will depend on what you aleady know or have experienced. I'd done a bit of climbing and had taken a 7 day mountaineering course so had been taught the basics of knots, anchors, rope management, rescue, rappelling, etc. I was still very much a novice but it helped me put things in place when I took canyoneering specific courses or read books/internet posts. Canyoneering has some specifics that are different from those in climbing or mountaineering, and you will learn those in courses, canyoneering books or forums like this, but it does help to have an overall framework to work within. If you've never done an activity that involves technical rope work I'd recommend reading "Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills". There are parts of the book that don't apply at all to canyoneering, and you can omit reading them, but the sections on knots, anchors and rope management are quite useful. It's also a great reference book to have at hand.