Canyoneering Blog

-Honduras, Second Location:  During this year’s trip to Rawacala, we met a group of enthusiastic adventurers from another region of the country.  They are talented and generous, with a mission quite similar to our own… the promotion of education, safety through training and fun.  We are beginning coordination for a get together.  Dates are Feb 1st-6th, 2024.

Rick Green

EoE Owner/Guide

ACA President

 

Another calendar year of canyoneering has come to a close and a new one has begun.  In 2022 the dedicated Team of ACA volunteers trained, assessed and certified more individuals than ever before.  The workshops continued to be an excellent source of skill building and additional courses have expanded training opportunities inside and outside of the canyoneering community.  As a group we worked within our established framework of standards, yet remained dynamic and adaptable as new opportunities arose.  Incredible.  So, on behalf of our ACA Membership and all who benefited from this generous gift of time and knowledge, I want to say a huge THANK YOU.  Every person who helped make this a reality shared much of their time and passion. Well played Team ACA!

Rick Green

EoE Owner/Guide

ACA President

The guides themselves are absolutely phenomenal. The amount of canyon guiding experience they possess is extraordinary and is matched with a clear passion for guests safety and empowerment.  The two Senior Guides have been leading these adventures for a combined total of well over 25 years and had run thousands of people safely through the canyon.   Even the “new guide” had been leading for 8yrs!  Everything Guide had spent years spotting, coaching, sequencing, providing good belays….it was all there.

The canyon and surrounding terrain is fantastic.  The primary routes they guide are through a deep and sinuous slot canyon, cut into soft volcanic stone by a spring fed river.  The beauty is almost overwhelming, but the sliding, jumping and rappelling into crystal clear pools probably helps keep the guests pretty focused:). High quality public adventure is an exotic setting.!

Our days started early at the shop, which is set up very nicely and has everything you need.  Good music, fresh bread or pastries from Berani, a little bad dancing (me:) while we get into wetsuits, then we’d be on our way.  To a canyon, to a river, to a canyon river….training, training, training.  Each evening we’d finish up at late and get to the shop where Niels had a locally catered dinner ready to nourish our tired brains and bodies.  The men focus and skill levels compelled each of us to dig deep inside and elevate our efforts to another level.  One heck of an experience!

Including just a few quick photos of the fun on then ACA FaceBook.

Greetings Members –

The American Canyoneering Association has a new Skill Assessment format.  In response to Member input (thank you), we have refined elements of the program that is working well, and added new items to help us Assess your canyoneering skills effectively and efficiently.  Two experienced “test groups” were part of the experimentation process, extending a special thank you to them as well.  The general feedback from the Test Groups and Assessors is that we have significantly improved the Assessment experience.  Those who passed Assessment felt they grasped the material very well, and those who did not pass understood precisely why, and how to proceed forward.  This is the goal we endeavor towards together.

– 2 Initial opportunities at each station.

– Stoppage of tasks at point of error.  Called a “Strike”.

– Immediate debrief and explanation of error.

– Available Training on tasks between “Strikes”.

– “Comeback”.  A third Strike opportunity, for those meeting qualifying criteria (*see below).

Skill “Stations”-  Each Station will have a task that likely includes a single item to assess or a combination of multiple elements from the Skills Lists.  At Stations, you will arrive, be informed of the task(s) and given the opportunity to ask clarifying questions.  Following this, the Task Assessment will formally begin. It may be a timed task, such as a rescue, or it may be something simple or subjective that is not timed.  Either way, the task and the parameters will be clear, so there is no ambiguity regarding expectation.

Station “Strikes”-   Students receive two initial attempts to pass each Skill Station.  Failures at a Station results in a “Strike”.  If an unrecoverable error occurs, your Assessor will stop the assessment immediately and explain any mistake in technique, sequence, etc.  Following this, the student can practice with trainers or other strong peers and later return to the station.  Two Strikes at the same Station will result in a “Station Standby”.

Station “Standby”- Two Strikes at a Station is a Station “Standby”.  If the student has equal to or less that the qualifying number of Station Standby’s (4-Aspirant, 3-Assistant Leader, 2-Canyon Leader) they receive a third attempt or “Station Comeback” at the Station(s) they have failed.

*Station “Comebacks” –  Must be completed within 30 days of original Assessment.  The “Comeback” attempts may occur immediately following the completed Assessment or it may be scheduled.  This will be based on available time and the Assessors discretion.

Assessment Failure-  If a person exceeds the number of authorized Station Standbys, it will be an Assessment Failure.  Students are welcome to stay and observe, or even assist the assessors with certain tasks, but their assessment will be over at that time.  Direct feedback provided by Assessors can be used to develop a training plan for going forward.

That’s it.  Thank you for everyones help in this endeavor to build the strongest training, assessment and certification program possible.  See you at the next workshop, assessment or other event. Train well, be safe, have fun.  GLAR  starts Friday!!!  Honduras next, Dec 1-4, 2022:)