IN THIS MODULE
09.0 Canyoneering Is a TEAM Sport
Canyoneering is a team sport. Individual skill absolutely matters, but the strongest rappeller, fastest hiker, or best problem-solver all have a role to play but as a team.
That sounds obvious, but group dynamics can create problems very quickly. One person may be fast. Another may be nervous at every rappel. Someone may be tired, dehydrated, cold, or simply having an “off” day.
09.1 Efficiency Matters—But This Is Not a Race
Rappelling is often one of the biggest time consumers in a technical canyon. A group can become much more efficient by downclimbing appropriate obstacles, having the next person prepare while another is rappelling, keeping gear organized, and avoiding unnecessary delays at every rappel station.
09.2 A Real Example
On one of my Imlay Canyon trips, our group went from roughly 17 hours to about 8 hours on a later descent. We did not accomplish that by recklessly racing through the canyon. We became more efficient, worked better as a team, and reduced the group size from 6 to 3.
Efficiency is useful because daylight, weather, cold, fatigue, and water all matter. But speed can never become more important than Rule #1: safety.
“You are only as fast as the slowest person.”
09.3 Stay Together
One of the easiest ways to turn a problem into a complicated one is to split the group. Even when some people are faster or slower, I generally want the group to remain within earshot of one another whenever terrain allows it.
People sometimes separate when they are frustrated, embarrassed, stressed, or emotional. That is exactly when the group needs to communicate more—not less. If somebody is having a problem, work the problem together, if possible.
09.4 Everyone Gets a Voice
Every person in the group sees and hears something slightly different. The trip leader may notice the anchor, while somebody farther back notices the weather changing. A beginner may ask the question that makes an experienced person stop and look at the system one more time. That is a good thing.
09.5 The Team Vote | Veto
• Everyone has a responsibility to speak up when something does not look or feel right.
• The leader should check the group—and the group should check the leader.
• Do not stay quiet simply because somebody else has more experience.
• A concern does not automatically mean somebody is correct, but it absolutely deserves to be heard.
09.6 What Good Teamwork Looks Like
GOOD TEAM HABITS
• Stay together and communicate.
• Help the slowest or least experienced person.
• Share responsibilities and double-check one another.
WARNING SIGNS
• People are disappearing far ahead or behind.
• Nobody wants to question the leader.
• One person is doing all the thinking while the group follows.
09.7 *Case Study: Solo Canyoneering In Death Valley — 2022
In December 2022, Death Valley National Park reported the death of a 54-year-old man who had been canyoneering alone in Mosaic Canyon. (NPS noted that canyoneering is typically done as a group activity because of the inherent risks.) He had not been reported overdue; the search began only after rangers connected an abandoned campsite, a vehicle at the trailhead, and identification found with his gear.
Rangers later found that his rappel rope did not reach the ground on a long rappel. He had tied webbing to the end of the rope and apparently fell about 30 feet while trying to pass the knot joining the rope and webbing.
Lesson Learned: Partners can catch errors, manage emergencies, call for help, and notice when somebody is overdue. If you do travel into remote terrain, leave a detailed plan and carry reliable emergency communication.
09.8 Additional Reading:
Source: National Park Service — “Solo canyoneer dies in rappelling accident” (Death Valley National Park, December 12, 2022).