Canyoneering Ground School

Hi all:

Where: Brett & Kate Kettering's home. Call or email for the address.

When: 3/30/19, 9am - early afternoon, depending on speed we can cover material.

What You'll Need: Helmet, harness, rappel device (you'll get to see and maybe try several Canyoneering-specific devices), safety tether, gloves, spare locking carabiner, sturdy shoes, clothing appropriate for weather, scrambling, and rappeling. Snacks and drinks. Camp/lawn chair for lecture portions. 30' of 1" tubular webbing (natural colors preferred: black, tan, rust, forest green, https://www.amazon.com/SGT-KNOTS-Bluewater-Tubular-Webbing/dp/B07H3G4PB2...). Two 8mm (5/16") steel rapid links (e.g. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Reese-3-1-8-ft-Weldless-Metallic-Steel-Chain/31...).

This is an opportunity for beginners to acquire basic Canyoneering skills or for those who are rusty to re-learn and refine basic Canyoneering skills. We plan to follow-up with trips through local canyons in subsequent months where you'll be able to practice in canyons.

Preference will be given to those signed-up for Dan Creveling's Zion Canyoneering trip in September 2019. Others who want to learn this material will be welcome, based on numbers of students and available mentors.

The proposed date is Saturday, 3/30/19. However, we can pick another weekend in March if that doesn't work for many. The weekends I cannot be available are those of Saturday, 3/2/19, and Saturday, 3/16/19. Let Brett know if you cannot make 3/30/19 and if not, which of 3/9/19 or 3/23/19 you can make. 

If you're an experienced Canyoneer comfortable with the basic Canyoneering knots, building anchors, rigging for rappel (including contingency lowering setups), and Canyoneering rappeling, your assistance to work with small groups of students is requested. Please let Brett know if you can help.

Basic Canyoneering Knots

Basic Canyoneering Anchors

Rigging to rappel and lower rappelers

Getting on rappel and rappeling: We'll start on relatively flat ground and may move to a small rappel site nearby

We plan to offier the opportunity to go through local canyons in subsequent months. We'll likely pick from these options, and descriptions will be provided in the future.

1) Pajarito Gorge: Bolted setup with the chance to play with a guided rappel. Could even use the side-canyon rappel for a ~300’ opportunity. 

2) Potrillo: Bolted and natural anchor practice. 

3) Ancho Springs: Retrievable anchor practice. 

4) San Ildefonso: Retrievable and natural anchor with tricky start practice. 

5) Jason’s Warm Spring: Quick bolted canyon fun. 

6) El Salto Falls (near Taos): Longer canyon that can be wet. All natural anchors.