Stoked to learn to canyon and then learn to lead canyons? Already know how to canyon but want to become a trip leader? Are you a TLIT and want to gain trip leading skills and want to put canyoning under your belt as a skill you have? You have come to the right place!
The vision is for Jason and I (Oliver) to take a group of passionate and enthusiastic folk out to Kanangra to learn all the skills to go from interested in canyoning (you dont need to have canyoned before) right through to L1 trip leader for Canyoning and L1 General Trip leader so you would be able to run hikes etc along with assist on canyons and be well on your way to being able to run them. The plan is to camp and cook together each evening. We will carpool where possible because we care about the planet and 4 days is long enough to make it worth while.
The approximate plan would be to go up to the mountains for FOUR (4) days as a group to learn together. Some ideas of what we will be doing:
Day 1 – Learn to trip lead – We will go over the Trip Leaders Induction PPT then implement it with a group hike where we will practice the skills we just went over. This could be the main blue-mountains or Kanangra to be decided.
Day 2 – Rope Skills – We will go over rope skills everything from basic knots and how to flake a rope to how to rig different abseils and how to ascend the rope. Depending on the skill level of the group we will tailor this accordingly and could go over L1 climbing trip leader skills too. This could be the main blue-mountains or Kanangra to be decided.
Day 3 – Practice Canyon skills in a canyon (Box Creek) – We will all go to the canyon and set abseils and practice all the skills we went over yesterday but in a canyon context. This canyon is perfect for this because you can walk around each abseil so you can do the same one several times and just walk back up to practice different skills.
Day 4 – You lead us in a canyon – The normal rules to run a canyon is 1xL1 and 1xL2 trip leaders but whats the exchange rate for L1->L2? surely 6 L1’s can run a trip. This will be an opportunity for the learners to put their newfound skills to the test and lead the teachers through the canyon. Ideally you will do everything as a team from planning to completion and we will only interject if we see anything particularly egregious.
Why should you come along?
- You get to spend 4 days out in the bush
- You get to spend 4 days with great people, I have no doubt we will all be great friends by the end
- The club will cover dinner for 3 nights
- You get to learn cool shit
Why shouldn’t you come along?
- Your lame
- You already have the skills for L1 Canyon Trip Leader*
- You can’t make all 4 days
What to bring?
Nothing the club can’t provide but I will update this when our plan is a bit more locked in – no one should choose not to come because they dont think they have the right gear
What if I can’t make all the days?
Appily and say so in the comments, probs won’t be able to take you but if there is enough interest we might run another for the people who couldn’t make it.
How do I get the best chance to come along?
In the comments: tell me about your skill level and canyon experience, why your keen to come along, what your dietary requirements are, and what your dream adventure holiday would be.
Make sure your contact details in your profile are correct and easy for me to find you, if I can’t find you to get in contact you won’t be coming. You have no idea how annoying it is when you say your FB profile is ‘James Smith’ but there are three of them at UNSW in the club group.
Any questions please reach out, I look forward to a great few days and boosting the canyoning leadership in the club!
* If you are an experienced Club Member/Canyoner and want to come help out for any component please contact me directly and we can figure out how to best include you. If you rock up un-announced I will not feed you but might if I know your coming.
Stoke and image cred: https://sleepwhenwearedead.net/2023/06/11/box-creek-falls/
Attendees
- Jason Brand
- Oliver Nicholls