Safety
Canyoneering is an inherently risky activity. Possible causes
of injury or death include falls, drowning, and hypothermia.
Jumping into water is very risky. Those doing so have a responsibility
to check the water depth and make sure there are no submerged
hazards. Canyons can and do change. A jump or slide might
be done safely under favorable conditions but be extremely
dangerous under others. You cannot assume that a jump or slide
that was made safely by the author of a description is still
safe when you get there. Lower the first person by rope and
have him check for water depth and under water hazards. A
diver's mask or goggles are recommended. Northwest canyons
are typically full of cold water. A full body wetsuit is a
good idea for most canyons. Dry suits are less useful as they
are likely to tear on rocks and fallen logs. Persons following
descriptions or suggestions found on this website do so at
their own risk and assume complete responsibility for their
safety and actions. It is not possible for a description to
warn of every hazard and difficulty. Canyons change constantly.
Rappel anchors can be washed away in floods. All canyoneers
must be prepared to deal with these contingencies. Those who
lack adequate training, experience or judgment to deal with
outdoor emergencies and canyoneering difficulties are strongly
urged not to go. Please report any changes found in canyon
conditions or inaccuracies in canyon descriptions to this
site. Safe canyoneering in northwest canyons is normally dependent
on safe water conditions. This usually means the low water
levels of summer or early fall. The descriptions on this site
were written with low water conditions in mind. A canyon which
can be done safely at low water may prove deadly at higher
flows. Winter snow pack varies from year to year as does the
time and duration of the spring run off. It is the responsibility
of canyoneers to check the water level before entering any
canyon.
Distances given in descriptions are estimates. Heights given
for waterfalls, jumps or slides are either visual estimates
or have been taken from other sources such as waterfall websites.
Actual distances or heights may vary substantially from those
found in the descriptions.
Rappelling is a risky activity. Rappelling down waterfalls
is dangerous. Rappelling down waterfalls into deep water is
more dangerous. Rappelling into deep water with current and
or hydraulics is extremely dangerous. People have drowned
after rappelling only eight feet into deep water! The techniques
and equipment used for such rappels are in some ways different
from those used in rock and mountain climbing. Those who wish
to rappel in wet canyons should not do so unless they have
adequate training and experience.
Both natural and artificial (i.e. bolts) rappel anchors
have been known to fail, with catastrophic results. Most of
the rappel anchors mentioned in the descriptions are trees
or fallen logs in creek beds. Fallen logs are in a constant
state of weakening from decay. They are destroyed or moved
by flooding. Even large rocks are moved in heavy runoff. Trees
fall down or die. There is no guarantee that the rappel anchors
mentioned in the descriptions are still safe or even exist
any more. Bolts corrode and lose strength with age. Indeed,
they may have been installed improperly and been unsafe from
day one. It is the responsibility of canyoneers to evaluate
all existing rappel anchors and learn safe anchoring techniques.
The wet rock in northwest canyons is very slippery. No matter
what kind of footwear you have on, it is a virtual certainty
that you will slip at least some of the time. |