WHERE do you go canyoneering?
Module 11
Wondering where to start? While most “big” canyons are known, countless smaller slots remain undiscovered or rarely descended due to tough access or effort required.
Canyons are typically found in deserts, especially where soft Navajo sandstone has eroded over thousands of years. Think of them as the “sewer” systems of the land.
Utah is the canyoneering mecca, with over 650 documented slot canyons on the Colorado Plateau. It’s a hotspot for locals and global canyoneers alike! Many that live outside the US will do a yearly trip to the States to do a week or two of canyoneering.
For Utah residents/visitors, many slot canyons are just 4–5 hours from Salt Lake City, perfect for day or longer weekend trips.
To plan your adventure, you’ll need “beta”—route information about conditions, anchors, obstacles, and water levels.
Beta evolves with nature: flash floods, weather, and shifting sand can change a canyon’s layout overnight. What was dry may now require swimming!
The Subway in Zion National Park is a prime example—it often changes drastically after storms.
Start by learning the Canyon Rating System (see Module 18). Then, explore beta resources online to find canyons suited to your skill level and group.
Here are some of the most popular beta resources on the web. Look at the region where you would like to go, then look at some of the names, followed by the canyon rating system. Then you will be able to decide which canyon is appropriate for you and your group.
Keep in mind, not all beta is created equal! In my canyoneering experience, www.climb-utah.com and canyoneeringUSA.com have the most consistent reliable beta content. RopeWiki.com is probably my 3rd choice (as it is user submitted, and their is no standard for consistency for submission. While other beta may be good on their website, others are going to be drastically different!
Eventually, another long-term goal that I have, that will be similar to RopeWiki, not in feel, but in listing is to mention “all” of the canyons for that particular area, followed by the canyon rating, number of rappels, maximum rappel, if permits are needed, suitable for large frame canyoneers (because some are definitely not!), duration (time expected), include GPS coords for the approach, canyon and exit that I hand-draw for each one, and lastly include a “Canyon Video” that will be a YouTube link (which I already have some uploaded to the Canyoneering101 YouTube page) that does a Google Earth “tour” of the canyon for your viewing pleasure. And the last thing that the “Beta List” page does, is it will reference the beta sites below and let you know if that particular canyon is listed there for you to examine. But the one major thing the “Beta List” does NOT do, is describe the approach, canyon, exit or obstacles within the canyon, as that stuff can change.
My advice – I would double or triple-check other beta sources for the same canyon.
RopeWIKI.com (most active, currently)
CanyonCollective.com (inactive forum)
Bogley.com (inactive forum)