[Intermediate] Canyoning & Caving Training Trip

Hey Folks!

Zee & I will be running a last minute Canyoning & Caving training sesh down south this weekend! We will be heading down on Saturday morning, and camping on Saturday night at Bungonia Campground.

NOTE: Ideally you should have 2 pairs of shoes, 2 bags, 2 pairs of socks. An important part of Minimal Impact Caving is minimising the amount of external pathogens, dirt, organic matter etc introduced into the Cave ecosystem. Non fabric / meshy gear is easier to rinse off – there are sinks & taps at Bungonia. Clean gear saves Bats!

Canyoning

Date: Saturday 15th Feb

Location: Macquarie Pass.

Skills:

• Canyon Anchors & Rigging
• Assessing water conditions & appropriate rigging styles / directions
• Abseiling using a variety of descenders & lock offs
• Checking participants before abseiling
• Appropriate belay / no belays
• Appropriate jumping

Gear Required:

• 1 x Safety Sling / Daisy Chain / Cowstails / PAS etc
• 1 x Wetsuit (recommend at least 3mm)
• 1 x Canyon / Cave harness
• 1 x Helmet
• 1 x Fig 8 style descender
• 4 x locking biners
• Drybag to put your stuff in
• Bag that can get wet and fit a rope in
• Shoes that can get wet
• Gloves (recommended – neoprene ones are great for keeping your hands warm)
• Neoprene / Woollen socks
• Thermals
• Small lunch / snacks
• Emergency Blanket (can be bought for $5 from gear cupboard)
• Personal Meds
• Change of clothes & shoes / thongs for the car
• 1 x headlight (waterproof recommended)
• Shorts to wear over wetsuits

Items in BLUE can be borrowed from the gear cupboard. 

Caving

Date: Sunday 16th Feb

Location: Vertical Bungonia Cave (likely Blowfly)

Skills:

• Interpreting cave maps & navigating through caves
• Cave Ethics
• Anchors & Rigging, including ladders, rebelays & redirects if time allows
• Ascending including setup & appropriate lengths (eg cows tails, foot loops)
• Descending using a variety of Inline & Bobbin descenders & lockoffs
• Transition from ascending to descending & vice versa
• Passing rebelays & redirects (ascending & descending)
• Squeeze Safety
• Assessing weather & environmental conditions for caving (including foul air)
• Cave laddering
• Identify situations where setting up belaying / Handlines is appropriate
• Appropriate Cave gear & why
• Keeping the Bats safe (and yourself safe from histoplasmosis)

Gear Required:

• 1 x Cows tails unless you have adjustable lanyards (eg 2x Petzl Connect or 1 Petzl Dual Connect Adjust or similar) OR a short length of ~8mm ish dynamic rope 
• 1 x Hand Ascender (handled or non handled is ok)
• 1 x Chest Ascender + chest Harness
• 1 x Overalls / Cave suit
• 1 x Canyon / Cave harness
• 1 x Helmet
• 1 x Bobbin or Inline descender
• 1 foot loop (sling or accessory cord is ok)
• 6 locking biners (or 4 locking & 2 snappers)
• Small bag to put your stuff in that you’re okay with dragging through a cave and getting covered with mud
• Shoes you’re okay with wearing through a cave and getting covered with mud (Wellies are popular)
• Woollen / Synthetic socks (no cotton!)
• Gloves
• Kneepads (optional but highly recommended)
• Thermals
• Small lunch / snacks that won’t make a mess (Cave Softly!)
• Change of clothes & shoes / thongs for the car
• 2 x headlights & spare batteries for them (extra headlights also acceptable, especially if they don’t take batteries)
• Personal meds

Items in BLUE can be borrowed from the gear cupboard. 

Camping

• Tent
• Sleeping mat
• Sleeping bag
• Clothes
• Raincoat
• 1 x Dinner + 1 x breakfast
• Stove, cutlery, pots, utensils etc
• At least 4L water (there are drinkable water fountains but don’t always work)
• Towel + toiletries (there is hot showers available)

Items in BLUE can be borrowed from the gear cupboard. 

Please let me know in the comments:

• What gear you need (I will be doing a gear cupboard run today)
• Previous experience
• Do you need / have a car? Where are you driving from / need a lift from?
• What type of rope do you use for Canyoning & Caving?