New policies classify standard canyoneering safety tools as prohibited installations.

The Coalition of American Canyoneers is filing these organizational comments with the National Park Service and the US Forest Service regarding the use of fixed anchors in Wilderness. Numbers matter and your comments can be vital to help us change these misguided policies.

Coalition of American Canyoneers Comments to the National Park Service
Coalition of American Canyoneers Comments to the U.S. Forest Service

What can […]

2024-01-27T08:21:18-08:00December 26th, 2023|Categories: Access, Education, General News|

Capitol Reef Pilot Canyoneering Permit System

Cassidy ArchCapitol Reef National Park will begin a pilot mandatory Canyoneering Permit System starting January 1, 2020. Permits will be free of charge and require self-registration located at the Capitol Reef National Park Visitor Center or online on the park website. These permits will be required for all canyoneering and climbing activities within the park.

Capitol Reef National Park staff have observed a […]

2019-12-16T14:17:59-08:00December 16th, 2019|Categories: Access, Education, Safety|Tags: , |

Canyon Graffiti and Damage Report Form

Conservation is at the heart of the Coalition of American Canyoneers’ mission to preserve and promote access to America’s canyons. The canyons are living systems; they are the metaphoric circulatory system of the planet.

We hope to highlight any threat to our canyons and through the power of our membership take action to facilitate the repair of any damage and provide a measure […]

2019-11-14T08:43:12-08:00November 13th, 2019|Categories: Access, Conservation, Education, General News|Tags: , |

Seven Teacups Canyon Signage

The CAC has been working with the Forest Service to develop signage for Seven Teacups Canyon near Kernville in Southern California.

Seven Teacups is a popular route for local canyoneers offering beautiful jumps, rappels, and slides. However, canyon information is sometimes posted on popular news sites (e.g., “Swimming Holes of California”), leading to an influx of inexperienced visitors. In high water during the spring, Teacups can be dangerous and crossing the […]

2019-12-01T20:29:48-08:00November 7th, 2019|Categories: Education, General News, Newsletter, Safety|Tags: , , , |

Fédération Internationale de Canyonisme • Federation for International Canyoning

The history of the Fédération Internationale de Canyonisme (FIC) begins with the desire to have an international canyon festival. The first international canyon festival was named “RIC” which stands for three French words: “Rassemblement Internationale de Canyon.” In 2003, Rich Carlson, USA and Koen Viaene, Belgium wanted to create a venue wherein canyoneers from around the world could come together and share […]

2018-12-23T20:00:21-08:00September 15th, 2018|Categories: Education, General News, Newsletter|

2018 SoCal Spring Round-up

On April 8th, 2018 the first SoCal Spring Round-up kicked off with nearly 100 canyoneers, sunshine, and a sampling of SoCal’s best canyons. The SoCal community made a strong showing and others even traveled from Norcal (Northern California), Utah, Nevada, and Oregon to partake in the fun! The event was hosted at Bonita Ranch Campgrounds in San Bernardino, California and included a […]

2018-12-17T16:12:56-08:00September 7th, 2018|Categories: Conservation, Education, General News, Newsletter|Tags: , , , |

Cassidy Arch Canyon – New Anchor

new first rappel

Capitol Reef National Park

The Coalition of American Canyoneers was asked by Capitol Reef National Park to consult on anchors in Cassidy Arch Canyon. This canyon has seen a tremendous increase in canyoneering activity over the past couple of years. The traditional first anchor was off of a tree above the arch on canyon left. The tree is showing signs of […]

2018-12-16T13:35:09-08:00July 18th, 2016|Categories: Access, Conservation, Education, Safety|Tags: , , |

Capitol Reef

Introduction:

Capitol Reef National Park encompasses nearly a quarter million acres of slickrock and mixed desert terrain over a 100 mile long expanse called the Waterpocket Fold. The monocline layers through which many of the parks canyons travel provide the canyoneer with a unique opportunity to encounter geology in reverse. Elsewhere, canyons in Capitol Reef are a showcase of majestic, soaring red Wingate walls, with their characteristic cracked and pocketed erosional […]

2023-01-11T17:02:30-08:00June 6th, 2015|

Newsletter – Fall 2014

canyoneersThe Coalition of American Canyoneers (CAC) continues to grow, with membership more than doubling this year. We now have over 850 members! Thanks to all of you for joining and welcome to our new members! When dealing with issues like the Eaton Canyon closure in Southern California, or the recent winter shutdown of Kelly Point access in Grand Canyon, the power of […]

2018-12-23T20:12:44-08:00December 4th, 2014|Categories: Access, Conservation, Education, General News, Newsletter|Tags: , |

Garden Creek Service Project – Grand Canyon National Park

Sponsored by the National Park Service – Grand Canyon

anchor webbing

Illegally Placed Anchor Bolts

The illegal entry bolts at Garden Creek in Grand Canyon are no more. In response to an NPS request, eleven members from the Coalition of American Canyoneers hiked 3,000′ down into Grand Canyon on Saturday to remove the bolts from the top of Garden Creek.

The bolts were expansion bolts, and […]

2018-12-25T04:54:29-08:00June 24th, 2013|Categories: Access, Conservation, Education, General News|Tags: , , , |

Search and Rescue Poster

SAR Poster

As technical canyoneering has become more popular, rescues have unfortunately been increasing. Last August, the Coconino County Sheriff’s and Sedona Fire Department SAR teams pulled off one of the most difficult rescues ever in Insomnia Canyon.

Insomnia Canyon Rescue Keeps Arizona Responders Up All Night by Tom Vines

In an effort to inform the public about canyoneering safety the Coconino County Sheriff’s […]

2018-12-15T10:45:05-08:00May 23rd, 2013|Categories: Education, Safety|

New NPS Policy Authorizes Fixed Anchors in Wilderness

bolts for canyoneering

Director’s Order #41: Wilderness Stewardship

7.2 Climbing: For the purpose of this Order, climbing is defined to include rock climbing, snow and ice climbing, mountaineering, canyoneering, and caving, where climbing equipment, such as ropes and fixed or removable anchors, is generally used to support an ascent or descent. […]

2018-12-15T12:14:33-08:00May 16th, 2013|Categories: Access, Conservation, Education, Newsletter, Safety|

Board of Directors Retreat • March 22-23, 2013

bod

The meeting was opened by a message from Board President, Wolf Schuster welcoming everyone to the meeting and thanking all of the participants for scheduling time to attend.

The first question raised was: “Why join American Canyoneers?”

• One of the main benefits discussed was the fact that an organized group is better able to access/have conversation with public and private land […]

2018-12-15T12:32:34-08:00April 17th, 2013|Categories: Access, Administration, Conservation, Education, General News, Newsletter, Safety|

NCRC 2013

NCRC Rescue Training NCRC Rescue Training

National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC)

There is quite a bit of overlap between caving and canyoneering. The environment can be almost identical when dealing with slot canyons in Utah. Even though it technically is a canyon, there is no going “up” […]

2018-12-25T05:14:09-08:00December 23rd, 2012|Categories: Education, General News, Safety|

Grand Canyon NP Technical Canyoneering

fossil canyonGrand Canyon National Park is replete with small tributaries and deep, narrow slot canyons that funnel into the main gorge. Canyoneering into these canyons is a challenging adventure through some of the most rugged and remote terrain Grand Canyon has to offer. Rescues are difficult and sometimes even impossible. While dazzling surprises abound for those with advanced technical skills and a […]

2018-12-17T09:26:33-08:00December 10th, 2012|Categories: Access, Education, Safety|Tags: , , , |

Canyoneering in Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Slot

Introduction:

John Wesley Powell coined the term “canyoneer” on his explorations of the Colorado Plateau in 1869. Today, many Grand Canyon hikers, boaters, and technical Canyoneers use the term “canyoneer” to refer to their activities. Unlike most other canyoneering locations, technical canyoneering in Grand Canyon often requires an expedition mentality. The scale of the place is vast. Access to slot canyons […]

2018-12-16T12:29:22-08:00December 9th, 2012|Categories: Access, Education, General News, Newsletter, Safety|Tags: , |
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