Age for canyoneering

[Canyons]

So what is the youngest age you have taken kids in technical slot canyons and which ones?



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[Iceaxe]

I started my kids at 4 and 5 with canyons like Leprechaun, Blarney, Burro Wash, Subway, Keyhole.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Sandstone Addiction]

My boys were 5, 9, and 11 when we did our first canyon.

I think the 3 biggest concerns to deal with are 1) length of hike 2) cold water protection and 3) willingness to be lowered or tandem rap.

Here are some of our adventures--I would recommend them all:

U-Turn

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...012-April-10th

East Fork Lep

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...orial-Day-2012

Keyhole

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...ly-Aug-16-2012

Echo

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...ly-Aug-17-2012

Entrajo

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...y-April-4-2013

Little Bluejohn

http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthre...n-April-5-2013

[Iceaxe]

I lowered the kids until they expressed a desire to do the rappels on their own. Then I belayed them with a top roped for the next few years. Now they are 15 & 17 and are capable of leading most of the normal trade routes. Often these days when I do routes with my kids they lead, it's great experience, I'm just along for the ride, but I do keep a watchful fathers eye on what is going on.

One BIG tip I can give is don't over do it... always leave them wanting more or they will not want to go next time. Start easy with something like Little Wild Horse and work your way up. Don't scare them or you will pay dearly for it next trip. If you plan to lower them, get some practice somewhere safe and easy first so the kids are comfortable hanging from a rope. I used to toss a rope over the swing set and raise and lower the kids in the backyard until it became a big game to them. Good luck....



My daughter Stormy in Leprechaun at 5 y/o.



My daughter Sierra in Burro Wash at 5 years, 32 days old.



A video of my kids in Leprechaun Canyon at ages 6 and 4.

[ratagonia]

I've guided 5 year olds. Mostly good experiences, but a few not so good.

It really is about YOUR skills. Canyoneering skills, yah, but also parenting skills.

Tom

[Iceaxe]

but also parenting skills.

Terrible parents....

My kids used to joke that they were going to turn me in for child abuse because I was always "forcing" them to hike 20 miles through the desert with no trails, and "forcing" them to swim through putrid water filled with dead animals, and that all I would feed them for the day was a bottle of Gatorade and a stick of beef jerky.....

[Scott P]

My kids used to joke that they were going to turn me in for child abuse

My kids sometimes joke about that when I go without them.

[Rob L]

My kids sometimes joke about that when I go without them.