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| canyoneering instruction, canyoneering courses, canyoneering rescue skills,arizona utah canyoneering, southwest canyoneering |
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Our canyoneering courses are perfect for individuals who are looking to go beyond hiking or backpacking and learn new skills to expand their scope of exploration and adventure level.
After completing one of our detailed oriented canyoneering courses, you will be able to enjoy descending into their mysterious and magical depths.
Our Utah Canyoneering Courses are not only in a remote and unique geological area but also host some of the darkest night sky's on the planet! Granted, the daytime landscapes are particularly fetching, but the night sky? Amazing, Grand Junction, Colo., geologist and astrophotographer Terry Acomb says. There is a tremendous contrast between the bright night sky of stars and the dark canyon walls
its just beautiful out there.
Just how dark is it? Its the only Bortle class 2 sky theyve documented, said Chris Luginbuhl of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona., and a board member of the International Dark-Sky Association. In plain English that means its the darkest or starriest sky theyve seen while doing these reviews. The Bortle system is a 10-level scale with one and two being the darkest skies and 10 having the most light pollution.
Our Canyoneering Courses and Adventures are a blend of climbing, rappelling, canyoneering, wilderness skills and rescue training methods, Our instructors have National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Rescue 3 International, Wilderness Medicine Institute (WMI-WFR) and American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) certification. Our guides and instructors have some of the highest level of certification in the business and more than most canyoneering companies and teaching academys pocess! We have 23 years of experience in the outdoor adventure-based business, a client base of over 37,000 students and perfect safety record, you can expect to receive the best canyoneering skill set and training available in the Southwest!
Our classes are kept smaller in size than our competitors allowing for more personalized instruction, more time actually "doing" than waiting around which makes for a higher learning curve and a curriculumn that has more flexibility adding to the fun factor of canyoneering.
Along with spectacular views in very remote settings, the skills, challenges and the amazing sense of accomplishment you'll have at the end of our courses set us apart from everyone else in the business.
What is Canyoneering?
Canyoneering is the exploration and descent into hidden, steep sepia colored walled slot canyons. Utah's rugged terrain has a background of towering mountains, vertical mesas, unique ancient petroglyphs and cliff dwellings, and open deserts carved by rivers into deep canyons. Traveling into these abysses require you to use ropes to rappel down in steep sections. These remote canyons see few visitors, and only by the use of ropes for rappelling and rock scrambling can their narrow passages be navigated. Some sections require team effort. Sometimes you may need to squeeze by or scramble over lodged boulders, navigate deep pot holes or swift moving streams, rappell down waterfalls over 100 feet high. It is generally a day long effort to descend a canyon, but it is an incredible experience that you will never want to forget!
Our job is to give you our best, challenge you mentally and physically, and prepare you to have amazing experiences. Our goal in instructing you is to prepare you to do more canyons on your own. Our instructors have years of professional experience, in rock climbing, wilderness skills and canyoneering in the deep and remote canyons of Arizona and Utah which have made them extraordinary and unequaled guides in their field!
Our Canyoneering Courses (2, 3 and 4 day - Beginner, Intermediate and Technical) are held in southeastern Utah - inbetween Canyonlands and the Escalante, primarily in the North Wash area. It is also near the upper eastern end of Lake Powell. The canyoneering area is different to other drainages hereabouts as it contains a permanent stream, bordered by reeds, bamboo, oak and cottonwood trees for 2 miles, as far as the source of the water at a series of springs. The creek forms pools, cascades and smooth channels where the water flows over exposed, thin-bedded sandstone, and a faint path leads along for a mile or so, starting at a recently improved rest/recreation area beside UT 95.
The scenery is nice enough, with the greenery around the stream contrasting with the red, multilayered cliffs of Wingate and Kayenta sandstone that rise up to 800 feet above, though most of the canyon is wide, and the creek is enclosed by sandbanks and benches that in places provide an easier route for hiking. In the upper end of the canyon, however, the drainage splits into three forks, just as the ravine reaches the slot-forming Navajo sandstone, and each has typical North Wash-area features of pools, chokestones and tight narrows that angle upwards quite steeply. Like most such slots the passageways can only be explored fully if starting from the top, via a combination of downclimbing and rappelling, but as usual some can be seen without any equipment if entering from below.

These courses are for individuals committed to becoming the safest and most prepared canyoneers possible. Former students remark not only on their newly gained skill sets, but also on their capacity to solve problems in the field quickly, efficiently, and safely. We foster low impact practices, keen leadership skills, and independence.
If you consolidate the best of canyoneering into two days, the Beginner course would be it. A great primer for those wishing to move forward in the sport of canyoneering, and an in-depth preview of our Canyoneering Course syllabus can be seen below.
Our two, three and four day Canyoneering courses are "one of a kind" and offer more skills/training/practice to completely suit your goals and with the most highly experienced staff in the Southwest, you'll be glad you signed up!
We highly recommend that you be in very good to excellent physical condition for any one of our Canyoneering courses.
We concentrate on building competence in techniques essential to self-guided canyoneering.*

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..$395* per person (Beginner 2-day course/Private add $75 pp)
..$595* per person (Intermediate 3-day course/Private add $120 pp)
..$695* per person (Technical 4-day course/Private add $150 pp)
..*additional $75 gear fee** refundable at end of course (Intermediate and Technical Courses only) |
| ..Dates |
..See Schedule Below |
| ..Class Size |
..Minimum 2 - Maximum 6 students per Instructor |
| ..Discounts |
..REI Members $10 Off / Bring-A-Friend $50 Off * |
| ..Ages |
..18 and Up |
| ..Equipment |
..Included (harness, helmet, gear**) except daypack. |
| ..Location |
..Call Us for Map - North Wash near Hanksville, Utah |
| ..Times |
..6:00 am - Summer / 8:30 am - Fall /Winter/Spring |
..Prerequisites
..Written Test |
..Little or no rock climbing experience
..Optional |
| ..Rating |
to  |
| ..Course Info |
..Pre-Course information materials will be emailed
..to participants within 14-days of course starting date.
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Please call us if the dates below do not work with your schedule
january
2013 |
..beginner 14 - 15
..intermediate 17 - 19
..technical n/a
..canyoneering adventure 24 - 27
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july
2013
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..beginner 7 - 8
..intermediate 24 - 26
..technical 24 - 27
..canyoneering adventure 24 - 26/27
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february
2013 |
..beginner 11 - 12
..intermediate 24 - 26
..technical n/a
..canyoneering adventure n/a
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august
2013
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..beginner 21 - 22
..intermediate 21 - 23
..technical 21 - 24
..canyoneering adventure 21 - 23/24
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march
2013 |
..beginner 3 - 4
..intermediate 12 - 14
..technical 12 - 15
..canyoneering adventure 26 - 28/29
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september
2013
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..beginner 22 - 23
..intermediate 11 - 13
..technical 1 - 4
..canyoneering adventure 24 - 26/27
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april
2013 |
..beginner 7 - 8
..intermediate 17 - 19
..technical 21 - 24
..canyoneering adventure 25 - 27/28
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october
2013
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..beginner 6 - 7
..intermediate 17 - 19
..technical 26 - 29
..canyoneering adventure 21 - 23/24
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may
2013 |
..beginner 14 & 15
..intermediate 14 - 16
..technical 14 - 17
..canyoneering adventure 14 - 16/17
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november
2013
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..beginner 3 - 4
..intermediate 22 - 24
..technical n/a
..canyoneering adventure 24 - 26/27
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june
2013
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..beginner 2 & 3
..intermediate 6 - 8 & 16 - 18
..technical 16 - 19
..canyoneering adventure 6 - 8/9
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december
2013
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..beginner 2 - 3
..intermediate n/a
..technical n/a
..canyoneering adventure 21 - 23/24
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* Discounts only apply to scheduled courses on our calendar.
Note: Beginner, Intermediate and Technical Canyoneering Courses are held near Hanksville, Utah (as seen in the movie 127 Hours) and involve overnight campouts. Transportation from Scottsdale is available. Meals and camping equipment is an additional cost.
*Wet Canyons: Technical Canyoneering Courses require the student to have a current CPR and Water Safety American Red Cross Certificate. Wet Canyoneering Courses will require wet suits which can be rented from us for an additional $26 per day (minimumal rental 4 to 5 days) or bring your own.
*Dry Canyons: Beginner, Intermediate and Technical Canyoneering Courses will not require American Red Cross CPR/Water Safety certification or wetsuits, but expect to get your feet and lower torso wet - List of equipment, instruction coverage and syllabus varies from class to class depending on the specific canyoneering course, weather and learning curve of participating students. A detail course syllabus is available upon request by students participating in the 3 and 4 day Canyoneering courses.
We provide all the necessary technical gear for you or your group, but recommend:
4 - 8 quarts of water/person & lunch/snacks per day
Sunscreen, durable hiking pants and shorts, long sleeve shirt
T-shirt, swim shorts, light fleece jacket (June - Nov)
Warm clothes/fleece (Oct - May)
Hat, gloves & rain gear (Oct - May)
Camera (with waterproof bag)
Hiking pack
Wetsuit (April - October rentals are available - 5mm to 8mm depending on water temps)
Taking the journey into one of our Canyoneering course's will not only prepare you for many years of self-guided canyoneering, but also introduce you to skill sets which are useful in any outdoor adventure. Twenty three years of fine-tuning have produced thousands of graduates with precise attention to detail, hands-on ability with both theory and application, and strong decision-making expertise. Even our beginner level course is comprehensive and empowering. Consider this course an investment toward a lifetime of exploration.

Level of Difficulty
We rate each of our trips as "Easy", "Moderate", "Challenging" and "Strenuous" based on the level of physical ability and prerequisite skills required. This rating system is designed to help you decide which trip is most appropriate. Some trips may be a combination of different activity levels. In these cases we do our best to approximate the general difficulty level for the entire trip. Our trip ratings are subjective and relative to fluctuating environmental conditions as well.
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easy
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moderate
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challenging
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strenuous
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description
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most days involve fairly easy travel and easy activity, if required at all.
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these trips combine a moderate level of activities for both "off the beaten track" and basecamp exploration
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these trips are physically challenging and usually set in remote and rugged wilderness regions. challenging terrain encountered.
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these trips involve strenuous activity in remote and rugged terrain and encounters with wildlife, loose footing, rough seas, extreme weather, etc.
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activities and weather
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day hikes, 4wd, flat-water kayaking, average weather conditions
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trekking. sea kayaking, white water rafting, camping, single pitch rock climbing, moderate weather conditions
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backpacking (light loads under 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing, cold or hot weather conditions
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backpacking (heavy loads over 35 pounds), sea kayaking, multi-pitch rock climbing
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experience
required
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no experience required
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some experience required
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previous experience often recommended
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previous experience strongly recommended and sometimes required
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fitness
required
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good
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very good
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excellent
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excellent
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activity
per day
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4 - 6 hours
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6 - 8 hours
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6 - 10 hours
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8 - 12 hours
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highest altitude
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5,000 feet
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6,500 feet
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9,000 feet
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13,000 feet
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To sign up for our canyoneer course call or email us to check availability. If a course is open click on the On-line Application Form or go to our application and map (meeting point) site, print out both the Application (PDF), Map and Waiver. Fill out the application and fax or mail it to us (don't fax the waiver, just bring it the day of your course).
Note: *Summer courses start at 6:00 a.m. - October thru April Intermediate courses start at 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 depending upon weather at the designated pick-up point. Call us the day before your course starts to verify start time. Bring your own snacks, lunch, water, sunblock and wear appropriate clothing. Camera (disposable), writing pad and pen are recommended.
*Summer courses - May 1 thru September 30.

course cancellations
While it is unlikely, if the Arizona Climbing and Adventure School cancels a course due to insufficient reservations or conditions beyond our control (weather, etc.); alternate dates or refunds will be given as preferred. If you cancel within 14 days prior to your session, rescheduling your course can be expected. There are no refunds on gift certificates. If you fail to show at the designated meeting place at the appointed time you will be charged for the course - there are no exceptions. If you would like to reschedule within 48-hours of the course's starting date, you may do so. To receive a full monetary refund (minus a 20% handling fee), 14 days notice is required (expect a refund within 2 billing cycles or 60-days of your course date). You may also want to purchase travel insurance due to cancellations click here for more information.
liability
Although we spare no effort to assure a safe program, we can assume no responsibility for your safety or loss of personal equipment. In a sport of this nature an element of risk is inherent and beyond human control. A signed release (waiver) will be required of all participants. A parent or guardian release is required for students under the age of 18. These can be obtained in advance by contacting our office or downloading from our website.
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Arizona Climbing and Adventure School is a unique opportunity for individuals to experience the spirit, courage and exploration of the Southwest. It is an initiation into the unexpected, a chance to accomplish something very exciting and to discover strengths you never knew you had. Additionally, the Arizona Climbing and Adventure School provides education in wilderness skills and working effectively with others.
To achieve a high learning curve among our students we keep our groups small in size. We consider the impact on the safety and flexibility of the group above all. Everyone knows that large groups and large student-to-instructor ratios are what make money for a guide service. But we feel that groups and ratios compromise the safety, enjoyment and success of individual participants. Better for you and better for us. Having smaller groups also means you receive more attention and guidance from our professionals when you need it the most.
The skills you must learn in order to safely and ecologically negotiate the terrain, climate and altitude in which our courses are offered include:
safety skills for travel through rigorous terrain.
how to pack a backpack.
physical fitness

competence with map and compass, gps, route selection, navigation.
rope use and knot tying, bowline, water knot, square knot, clove hitch, half hitch, figure eight
basic first aid so that every student can handle reasonable emergencies and recognizes and aid in treating illness related to altitude, hypothermia, fatigue.
rescue preparedness
rock climbing, belaying, backpacking, canyoneering, rappelling, anchors.
campcraft including minimum impact camping, ecological considerations, wilderness cooking, food selection and nutrition.
water purification, hygiene and sanitation.
care of equipment, ropes, clothing, packs, etc.
environmental stewardship and Leave No Trace (LNT) techniques.
safety from storms, flash floods and lightning.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream."
-Samuel Langhorne Clemens
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