Basic Canyon Equivalency

We welcome canyoneers to our community who learned to canyon elsewhere. Whether to join our trips, or to take our Intermediate Course, we encourage experienced canyoneers to check out our equivalency process. 

A benefit of joining Mountaineers trips is confidence in leader training as well as the training level of your entire team. Our goal is to have a transparent and low-barrier equivalency process, while ensuring the level of proficiency we expect of our participants. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR STANDARDS

Basic Equivalency is a good choice for canyoneers who are trained in releasable rigging and have training and experience in aquatic canyons. Those who successfully complete Basic Equivalency will be granted the Basic Canyon badge, which will allow them to join all Basic Canyon trips.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 unique aquatic canyons
• Minimum 10 total technical canyon descents
• Aquatic Requirements:
  • Formal river-based whitewater training or canyon-specific whitewater training within the past 5 years -OR-
  • Referral from a Mountaineers Canyon Leader

HOW TO APPLY

• For Basic Equivalency Only: Apply here
• For Basic Equivalency as a prerequisite for the Intermediate Canyon Skills Course: apply here

We will review your application and get back to you shortly to confirm your eligibility.

If you are approved for Basic Equivalency, you will be required to do the following:

1. Complete the e-Learning course (we will send you an access link once you are approved). This 1-2 hour e-Learning will cover fundamental skills and concepts needed to pass the technical assessment, as well as understand the core concepts of the Mountaineers philosophy for canyoning trips.
2. Complete the half-day technical assessment. A summary the assessment is outlined below. Please reach out to the Leadership Chair on the Seattle Canyoning Committee to schedule a date for your assessment (if taking the Intermediate Course, your assessment date will be built into the course schedule).

Once you have completed the e-Learning and passed the technical assessment, you will receive the Basic Waterfall Canyoning Course badge which allows you to join as a participant on Mountaineers basic canyon trips and attend basic skills practice sessions.

TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT summary

Please read the overview below of what what to expect from the technical assessment. The e-Learning will go into more depth on the skills you will be required to demonstrate.

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVEs

The assessment confirms that you have the autonomy to perform fundamental basic canyoning skills without assistance, which is critical as a participant on Mountaineers basic canyon trips. You will be expected to:

• Demonstrate all required skills with minimal safety errors
• Show a basic ability to solve unexpected problems
• Complete the skills within a reasonable period of time (Basic Equivalency Only), or complete the skills within a set period of time (Intermediate Canyon Skills Course)

ASSESSMENTs

To pass the assessments, all skills must be completed without any major safety errors, and with a maximum of two minor safety errors.

Vertical Movement Assessment

• Basic Equivalency Only: No Time Limit (Within Reason) 
• To Take Intermediate Course: Complete within 5 minutes or less

This assessment verifies your ability to move safely and efficiently up and down a single-strand rope with a knot obstruction. You will be expected to:

1. Ascend with a frog system
2. Pass a knot on ascent while maintaining two points on contact
3. Convert from ascent to rappel
4. Pass a knot on rappel

Basic Rigging Assessment

• Basic Equivalency Only: No Time Limit (Within Reason) 
• To Take Intermediate Course: Complete within 1.4x an instructor's demonstration time (aim for 7-10 minutes)

This assessment incorporates many of the rigging skills we use most frequently on Mountaineers canyon trips. You will be expected to:

1. Self-belay and rig a retrievable traverse line
2. Rig unlinked bolts with a canyon quickdraw
3. Tie an MMO (Munter Mule Overhand) releasable system
4. Clean all rigging, rappel, and retrieve your rope

Anchor Manager Assessment 

• This assessment has no time limit

This assessment covers fundamental skills to be a safe and proficient anchor manager and active team participant on Mountaineers basic canyon trips. An assessor will prompt you to demonstrate the following skills:

• Tying a BFK (Big Friendly Knot)
• Packing a Rope Bag
• Inspecting Anchor Integrity
• Adding a Nexus Carabiner
• Verifying a LIFT Safety Check for a Teammate
• Setting Rope Length
• Rigging an EMO (Eight Mule Overhand) Releasable 8 Block
• Releasing an EMO to Lower a Teammate
• Communicating with Hand and Whistle Signals
• Rappelling Safely to the Ground
• Retrieving a Rope