Arizona Rock & Canyon Adventures

Class meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings (my house) and all day Saturday at the Tom's Thumb Trailhead in Scottsdale. Registering for this day is for the entire course.

This course is the perfect primer for those who have never touched a rope looking to begin canyoneering along with those wanting to refresh their understanding of the many core concepts. The basics are a critical starting point for every responsible individual entering the canyons.

Throughout the course you will learn to identify and understand core concepts of trip planning, equipment, rappelling, rigging, canyon movement, overall general safety and much more. The goal of this course is to have you leave understanding the core concepts of canyoneering, so you can become a contributing team member while in canyon with competent leaders and mentors.

Please bring all your typical canyoneering gear, if you have any. We can provided what you don't have at no cost. Please bring whatever you need to stay comfortable all day as we will be outside the entire day. Please bring plenty of water and an appetite for learning. Let us know if you need to borrow any gear.

It will be a long day and very hands on so please come prepared to work. We will be practicing all the skills we teach. We typically talk about the skill, demo it and then have you do it. We find this is the best way to learn.

We will spend 2 days together going over core concepts with some time spent in a classroom type environment and the bulk of the time outdoors putting the freshly acquired skills to use.

Basic skills covered:
LOGISTICS & SAFETY
LEAVE NO TRACE ETHICS
ROPE & EQUIPMENT CARE
GEAR SELECTION
BASIC KNOTS
INTRO TO ANCHORS
INTRO TO RIGGING
SRT AND DRT RIGGING
SPOTTING
BELAYING SELF AND OTHERS
HAND LINES
RAPPELLING
SELF RESCUE

YOU MUST BE A CURRENT AMC MEMBER TO ATTEND

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.

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