Arizona Rock & Canyon Adventures

This course is an ideal introduction for those who have never touched a rope and want to begin canyoneering, as well as for those looking to refresh and solidify their understanding of core concepts. Strong fundamentals are the foundation of safe, responsible travel in canyon environments and this course is designed to build that foundation intentionally.

Throughout the day, you will learn to identify and understand essential canyoneering concepts including trip planning, equipment selection and care, rappelling, rigging, canyon movement, and general safety practices. The goal of this course is for you to leave with a clear grasp of the fundamentals so you can confidently contribute as a team member while traveling in canyon with experienced leaders and mentors.

Please bring all of your typical canyoneering gear if you have any. We can provide any equipment you are missing at no additional cost. Plan to be outside for the entire day and bring what you need to stay comfortable, including plenty of water. Come with an appetite for learning and let us know in advance if you will need to borrow gear.
This is a long, hands-on day. Be prepared to work, practice, and engage fully. Every skill is taught through a progression of discussion, demonstration, and repetition. We believe this approach creates the strongest learning and retention.

We will spend the full day together covering core concepts, with some time in a classroom-style setting and the majority of the day outdoors applying newly learned skills in a practical environment.

Basic skills covered in this course include logistics and overall safety, Leave No Trace ethics, rope and equipment care, and thoughtful gear selection. Students will learn foundational knots, an introduction to anchors and rigging, including both SRT and DRT systems, as well as essential movement and safety skills such as spotting, belaying self and others, hand lines, and rappelling. The course also introduces core self rescue principles, giving participants a solid understanding of how to move responsibly, support a team, and operate safely in canyon environments.

A minimum of three students is required for the class to run. A full refund will be issued if the class does not meet minimum enrollment. You can find out more about us at www.azrockandcanyon.com

Ever looked over an edge and thought, “Yeah… I want to go down that safely”?

This one-day, 3-hour intro rappelling class is where that confidence is built. You will be on rope learning the core skills needed to descend safely, smoothly, and under control. This is hands-on instruction focused on real technique, not just watching someone else do it. All gear included in price of $60.

We will cover:

• Proper rappel setup and safety checks
• Body positioning and brake control
• Managing friction and speed
• Communication and edge awareness
• Building calm, grounded confidence on rope

Whether you are brand new to rappelling or want to solidify your fundamentals, this class gives you a strong foundation you can actually use in the real world.

Small group size, personalized instruction, and plenty of time on rope.
Come learn how to move downward with skill, awareness, and trust in your system, and yourself.

Minimum group size is three participants. If the minimum is not met, the class will be canceled and all registrations will receive a full refund.

In Canyon Rigging and Efficiency

This course is designed for canyoneers who already understand the fundamentals and are ready to move with greater precision, leadership, and flow in real terrain. This is not a classroom based skills review. We will be in the canyon, working through live scenarios, refining rigging decisions, and building efficiency under real conditions.
You should have prior canyoneering experience or have completed an Intro to Canyoneering course. Students must be comfortable rappelling, managing personal safety systems, and participating as active members of a canyon team.

This class focuses on the art of clean, intentional movement through a canyon. We will refine anchor evaluation, anchor building, rigging strategies, transitions, rope management, and group sequencing. You will practice choosing appropriate systems for the terrain in front of you, rather than defaulting to habit. We will explore SRT and DRT applications, contingency rigging, releasable systems, edge management, rope retrieval strategies, and minimizing time at the anchor without sacrificing safety.

Efficiency is not about rushing. It is about presence. It is about reducing unnecessary friction, both technical and interpersonal. We will work on communication at the anchor, leadership rotation, hazard awareness, and how to keep a team moving in a calm and grounded way.

By the end of the day, you will have a deeper understanding of how to:

• Evaluate and improve existing anchors
• Build anchors with intention
• Rig releasable and contingency systems in live canyon settings
• Move efficiently through multi drop sequences
• Manage rope systems to reduce tangles, bottlenecks, and delays
• Step into leadership with clarity and composure

This course is ideal for aspiring guides, ACA assessment candidates, and experienced recreational canyoneers who want to elevate their systems, awareness, and presence in canyon environments.

Come ready to work, to be challenged, and to refine the small details that make a profound difference when it matters most.

Advanced Rigging covers techniques used when obvious bomber anchor selection is limited, the canyon demands advanced rigging, groups must deal with tricky starts, and improvising available resources to safely keep the team making forward progress.

Many unbolted or seemingly barren canyons typically offer a feature that can be rigged or natural resources to begin several variations of construction projects. This workshop focuses on the principles of advanced canyon anchor building, identifying natural anchor choices, advanced rigging scenarios, common anchor construction projects, soft starts, and working to safely meet the demands of the team.

We will spend the day focusing on a very particular set of skills using a hands on approach that allows each individual to practice and master the techniques presented.

Technical skills covered:
• Effects of friction
• Sequencing
• Human / meat anchors
• Marginal anchors
• Chock anchors
• Courtesy anchors
• Guided rappels
• Lowering
• Retrievable traverses
• Dead man switch / hands free back up
• Double rope technique (DRT)
• Single rope technique (SRT)
• Retrievable rigging / ghosting
• Toggle set up and pull
• Various tension techniques
• Protected traverses
• Deviations/redirects
• Rope management
• Creeping
• Tail up retrievable rigging
• Multi pitch considerations
• Rappel lower
• Counter weight rappels
• Simultaneous rappels

Please Note that the skills covered will be based on time and location and are subject to change.