Waterfall Canyoning Course

Itinerary

Due to the dynamic nature of canyons in the PNW, each day's itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors including weather, group size, and water flows. This is a rough guideline of progression but the exact itinerary of the specific days may be shuffled a bit.

Day 0 (June 1) - virtual welcome via zoom

Virtual welcome session for all students. Meet your fellow classmates, get an overview of the course, and have an opportunity to ask any questions prior to the start of the course.

Day 1 - personal movement ON ROPE

On Day 1, you'll check out gear that is sized for you and become familiar with the unique equipment we use. Competent canyoners are proficient at moving quickly and efficiently on rope in challenging terrain. This includes ascending, descending, passing knots and obstacles, moving horizontally and on an incline, and transitioning from one rope to another. This day will be spent learning and practicing personal progression on rope. 

Day 2  - CANYON EXPERIENCE (focus: personal movement, fun day in canyon)

We will have a fun descent of a local canyon, focusing on personal movement and practicing the techniques we have learned so far.

Day 3  - RIGGING 

A full day of rigging. We'll cover modern techniques specific for  an aquatic canyon environment. Students will learn options for rigging retrievable hand lines, fixed and releasable rappels, guided rappels, and multi-pitch rappels. We'll cover a variety of anchors, how to assess and build anchors, and techniques for managing the anchor as a leader. By the end of Day 3, students will have learned the skills to rig some of the more technical canyons in the PNW.

Day 4 - personal MOVEMENT IN WATER & basic rescue

Half of this day will be spent developing water movement skills specific to a canyon environment. We'll practice swimming in current, ferry angles, as well as aggressive and defensive swimming. We'll discuss the important considerations around flotation and pack management for safe descent in a narrow aquatic canyon environment. 
The other half of the day we will focus on more advanced rigging as well as rescue on rope and some common emergency scenarios. Students will learn about managing the unique hazards of an aquatic canyon environment. They will practice rope rescue systems including self-rescue, direct rescue and indirect rescue. 

Day 5 - canyon day (focus: rigging and rescue)

We will spend time practicing rigging skills in a canyon environment, followed by a fun descent of one of our local canyons putting our skills to use. The focus will be rigging and rescue  as students will have an opportunity to practice their skills  and receive feedback in a canyon environment.

Day 6 - incident management & skills review day

We will discuss common hazards in a canyon, and practice team incident management and evacuation. We will then do a review of all of the skills learned and students will have an opportunity to practice before the assessment on the final day.

day 7 - IN-CANYON ASSESSMENT

While instructors will provide ongoing feedback throughout the course, the final day gives students an opportunity to put all that they’ve learned to the test.  A formal assessment by the instructors gives students a clear understanding of what proficiencies they have, as well as specific areas for continued improvement. It's an opportunity to put all of the pieces together and receive specific feedback on your overall proficiency in a canyon environment, and what your next step should be as you progress as a canyoner. 

Important dates:

Option A (Weekends)*:

June 1 (evening online meeting)

June 26, June 27 
July 9 (half day), July 10, July 11 
July 16 (half day), July 17, July 18

Option B SOLD OUT (Condensed 7 consecutive days)*:

June 1 (evening online meeting)

July 12 - July 18 

*All days are full days (roughly 8am - 5pm) unless otherwise noted.

equipment:

Students who have canyoning gear are encouraged to bring their own gear so that they can learn on their personal gear. The Mountaineers will provide all personal gear except wetsuit and neoprene socks. Students will be required to provide their own wetsuit which can be rented locally (minimum 4/3mm). Neoprene socks can be purchased online for around $15 (minimum 3mm).
No additional gear purchasing is required for the course, as any gear that students do not have will be provided to loan for the course.

Click on the "Required Equipment" tab below for a comprehensive gear list, and to learn about gear available to graduates to use after the course.

CANCELATIONS and refunds:

Students will receive their confirmed schedule by April 25, 2021. Students can receive a full refund before May 1, 2021. Cancelations between May 1 - May 25 are eligible for a 50% refund. Cancelations after May 25 are not eligible for a refund.