Yileen Canyon – Beginner Friendly Canyoning Trip

Hi there fellow UNSWOCers!

Nadav and I will be running a beginner friendly trip down Yileen Canyon on Saturday February 26th. Get ready for some spectacular views of the Gross Valley, constricted swims, jumps and hopefully some funky spiders all topped off with a 40m abseil at the end.

The plan is to carpool from Sydney on Saturday morning (we will create a group chat once the trip list is finalised). The canyon will take 5-7 hours and we will return to Sydney Saturday evening.

Please note, for the packing list we specify NO COTTON as hypothermia is common in canyons, and cotton will only make it worse! Trust me… I’ve gotten hypothermia canyoning on a 35 degree summer day.

What to Wear:

• Wool/neoprene socks – please do not wear cotton socks!
• Enclosed shoes that you are happy to get wet and muddy (Volleys have great grip for canyons *hint hint*)
• Swimmers or undergarments you are happy to swim in.
• Quick dry shorts/pants (boardshorts work well).
• Shirt (preferably not cotton).
• Warm layers such as a fleece, wool jumper, etc (if required).

What to Pack:

• 25-50L backpack
• 2L Water (or 1L and a water filter)
• Lunch
• Sugary snacks
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• A spare pair of shorts to wear over your wetsuit (ideally an old pair of boardshorts or quickdry shorts)
• Synthetic or wool thermals
• Rain jacket
• Beanie (optional)
• Gloves (optional)
• Head torch
• Waterproof dry bags*
• Wetsuit*
• Harness*
• Helmet*
• Descender*
• Safety sling*
• Locking carabiners x2*
• Emergency blanket **
• Any personal medication, toiletries, epipens, ect. that you may need.
• Dry clothes, socks + shoes for after the canyon.
• A garbage bag to put your wet stuff in for the way home.

Anything with an * can be borrowed from the gear cupboard on Wednesday nights. Anything with a ** can be purchased from the gear cupboard. Please remember to bring a cash deposit with you when borrowing gear!

If you know how to use a prussik, please feel free to byo or grab a set when at the gear cupboard too!

Please note: You must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and not have any symptoms to attend this trip. We will need to sight your proof of vaccination prior to embarking on the trip. 

We will only be accepting people who leave a comment, to check that you have read the above. So, please comment if you have a car, any prior experience, any medical conditions (e.g. allergies that we should be aware of) and your favourite place in the world.

Get excited!