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Canyoneering Courses |
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Canyoneering has enjoyed a tremendous surge in popularity over the past few years. Unfortunately, many of the people who are discovering this exciting sport remain unaware of the inherent risks and the complex technical skills required to enjoy it safely. The rope skills learned from rock climbing and rappelling are a good start, but will prove to be inefficient and sometimes dangerous in an aquatic or semi-aquatic canyon environment.
The American Canyoneering Association has established a standard curriculum for recreational canyoneers that follows three skill level checklists that provides the most comprehensive technical training available. The curriculum is designed to enhance safety, efficiency and enjoyment for canyoneers of all experience levels.
Skills Checklist - Level 1 - Basic On Rope Skills
ACA Course Equivalent: Basic On Rope Skills Workshop
Skills Checklist - Level 2 - Anchors, Rigging, Techniques
ACA Course Equivalent: Technical Canyoneering Course
Skills Checklist - Level 3 - Advanced Canyoneering
ACA Course Equivalent: Advanced Canyoneering Workshops
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ACA Accredited Training Centers
The ACA curriculum is taught by certified instructors through these ACA accredited training centers:
 Canyons & Crags
Cedar City, Utah :: Contact: Rich Carlson
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Utah, Arizona, California and Taiwan
Desert Highlights
Moab, Utah :: Contact: Matt Moore
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Utah and Oregon
Excursions of Escalante
Escalante, Utah :: Contact: Rick Green
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Utah
Explornatura
Turrialba, Costa Rica :: Contact: Ronald Bottger
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Costa Rica
IBO Adventure Center
Monterrey, Mexico :: Contact: Jesus "Chuy" Guerrero
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Mexico
North Wash Outfitters
Blanding, Utah :: Contact: Jared Hillhouse
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Utah
Outdoor Adventures
San Jose, Costa Rica :: Contact: Mauricio Odio
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Costa Rica
Red Rock Canyoneering
Parowan, Utah :: Contact: Kurt Sparenberg or Steve Morga
Level 1, 2 and 3 courses offered in Utah and Colorado
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Basic On Rope Skills Workshop
 This full-day workshop provides students with the personal canyoneering skills and techniques necessary to descend canyons with competent leaders.
Topics covered are taken from the ACA's Level 1 Skills Checklist including:
- low impact canyoneering practices
- equipment selection, use and care
- knots and hitches
- climbing, belaying and handlines
- specialized rappelling techniques
- adding friction mid-rappel
- locking off on rappel
- belaying a rappeller
- pros and cons of self-belays
- basic self-rescue
ACA PROGRAM SCHEDULE
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Technical Canyoneering Course
 The ACA's extremely popular Technical Canyoneering Course has set the standard by which all other canyoneering courses are judged. This three-day course provides students with the anchor, rigging and problem-solving skills and techniques they need to become safe, efficient and independent canyoneers.
This course was designed primarily to meet the needs of recreational canyoneers, but also forms the training foundation for those planning to seek certification as a canyon leader or professional canyon guide.
Topics covered are taken from the ACA's Level 2 Skills Checklist including:
- canyon topography and rating systems
- canyon navigation and route finding
- meteorology and flash floods
- canyoneering style and ethics
- canyoneering gear selection, use and care
- climbing, belaying and handlines
- utilizing transient anchors for belays and hand lines
- how to evaluate and rig specialized canyoneering anchors and belay systems
- the importance and proper use of tension-releasing hitches and contingency anchors when rappelling into moving water
- rappelling and passive lowering systems
- efficient rope deployment and rigging
- group dynamics and problem solving
- pros and cons of using autoblocks or prusiks for self-belay
- locking off on rappel
ACA PROGRAM SCHEDULE
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Advanced Canyoneering Workshops
 The ACA's Advanced Canyoneering Workshops build upon the skills and techniques presented in our Technical Canyoneering Course. You may pick and choose one-day workshops that allow you to learn or brush up on specific skills.
Topics covered are taken from the ACA's Level 3 Skills Checklist including:
ASCENDING
This workshop teaches techniques for efficient ascending of fixed ropes using mechanical ascenders or Prusik cord. Students will also learn how to ascend with only one ascender, how to pass a knot while ascending or rappelling, how to convert a rappelling anchor to an efficient ascending anchor, how to transition from rappelling to ascending and from ascending while at mid-rope.
POTHOLE ESCAPES
This workshop addresses a variety of methods that can be employed to escape keeper potholes. Potholes are formed by erosion at the base of a seasonal waterfall. As long as the water is flowing, potholes remain full and you can usually swim out. When the water flow stops, the potholes dry up and you may have to climb out once you have rappelled in. Methods covered include partner assists, cheater sticks, pack tosses and direct aid climbing using hooks or fixed placements.
SWIFT WATER CANYONS
The ACA places a lot of emphasis on dealing with moving water. Canyons were formed by water and continue to provide the path of least resistance. No canyoneer's skills toolbox is complete without an understanding of stream dynamics and how to safely deal with flowing water. In this workshop we cover swift water crossing and swimming, water slides and jumps and specialized rope systems for Class C canyons.
ADVANCED ANCHORS AND ROPEWORK
This workshop includes advanced rope work for advanced and expert-rated canyons. Topics covered include advanced knots and anchor systems, rigging and using retrievable anchor systems, advanced techniques for rope deployment, efficient rope management, multi-pitch rappels, sequencing and pre-rigged rappels, combination rappel and passive lower for long drops, advanced rope work for traverses and extremely strong water current, direct aid climbing techniques, guided rappels, rebelays, deviations, and strategies for first descents.
CANYONEERING SELF-RESCUE
The ACA's Canyoneering Self-Rescue workshop provides students with specialized skills and techniques for self-rescue and buddy rescue in canyoneering terrain. Students will work through a number of practical exercises presented as "what if" scenarios to help them learn to apply their new skills and gain confidence. Topics covered include avoiding rescue situations by pre-rigging for contingencies, assisted/tandem rappels, converting static blocks to lowering systems, converting static blocks to haul systems, converting contingency rigging to haul systems and improvised carry techniques.
ACA PROGRAM SCHEDULE
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Canyon Rescue Workshop
The ACA's 7-day Canyon Rescue Workshop provides students with highly-specialized skills and techniques for self-rescue and buddy rescue in extreme canyoneering situations. Special emphasis is placed on applying these skills and techniques in canyons with strong water current. Students will work through a number of practical exercises presented as "what if" scenarios to help them learn to apply their new skills and gain confidence.
Canyon Rescue is also an ideal course for organized Search and Rescue (SAR) team members, backcountry rangers and law enforcement officials who must access technical canyon terrain for advanced situation assessment prior to committing additional resources.
Topics covered include:
- avoiding rescue situations by pre-rigging for contingencies
- anchor considerations for technical rescue
- accessing a victim from above or below
- passing a knot while descending or ascending
- deploying additional rope during a rappel
- pick-offs and assisted rappels
- specialized rope rescue systems for canyoneering, including the "cut and lower" and "balancier"
- raising systems using mechanical advantage and counter-weights
- converting a blocked rope for a lowering system
- converting a blocked rope for a raising system
- converting a contingency anchor for a raising system
- swift water rescue techniques
- improvised carrying techniques
ACA PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Wilderness First Aid Course
 Canyoneering involves some of the most remote and rugged terrain imaginable, where access to emergency medical care can be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Canyoneers must learn to be self-sufficient and one critical step is acquiring solid first aid skills.
The course is designed to provide training in general areas of back country emergency and extended care, as well as specific training related to canyoneering-specific injuries and illnesses. The material covered makes this course ideal for anyone involved in climbing and paddling sports as well.
Lecture and discussion, practical exercises and outdoor scenarios help students gain confidence and encourage the development of critical decision-making skills. No previous training or experience is required.
Topics covered include:
- action in an emergency
- patient assessment and emergency care
- care of bleeding, wounds and burns
- musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries
- splinting, dressing and bandages
- circulatory emergencies
- respiratory emergencies
- neurological emergencies
- abdominal emergencies
- diabetic emergencies and allergies
- physical and environmental hazards
- heat injuries and dehydration
- cold injuries
- altitude emergencies
- poisons, toxins and poisonous plants
- bites and stings
- water emergencies
- search and rescue operations
- patient packaging and transportation
- first aid kits and improvised supplies
While many of the topics covered appear to be standard emergency care, the backcountry emphasis on long-term care and evacuation makes this course unique.
ACA PROGRAM SCHEDULE
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