an eye out for cumulonimbus development. Weather reports are available in tourist information offices, campsites and local newspapers. Relevant websites are given in each chapter.
Floods can make a huge difference to the condition of a canyoning route (left: before flooding, right: after flooding)
Snow and glacial melt
Melting snow and ice can lead to dangerously high water levels as the day heats up. This is mainly a problem of canyoning early or late in the season. Few canyons in this guidebook have significant snow fields present in their catchment areas during the summer months.
Presence of upstream dams
Many canyons in the Alps have hydroelectric constructions somewhere along their length. Surprisingly, given the growing popularity of canyoning as a sport, it is difficult to find definitive information on their purge/opening patterns. Put simply, there are three basic types of construction
a grill in the stream bed which pipes away water to a nearby reservoir or power plant
a small dam that traps water first before piping it away
larger-scale dams, holding back millions of cubic metres of water, which is piped off to the power plant. Water may be piped into the reservoir from a number of sources.
When a single river intake closes (due to obstruction, malfunction or maintenance purposes), the water normally diverted away will return to the natural riverbed. Unless the river is large this is unlikely to cause problems for the canyoner. If the whole power plant needs to be shut down, or if rainfall is especially heavy, even the larger reservoirs fill and may be forced to open their overflow gates. A release of such vast amounts of water would be disastrous to unwary canyoners downstream. The smaller dams are also dangerous. They may be ‘purged’ after rainy periods to flush away sand and other debris that could otherwise harm the system. In short, the flow of a river below a hydroelectric installation may suddenly increase without warning, even in times of good weather.
In Switzerland it is usually possible to ring somebody to determine the risk of the dam opening (although the hydroelectric companies still decline all responsibility). In Italy this sort of service is by no means standard, and a certain degree of risk often has to be taken.
Jumps and toboggans
It would be fair to say that anyone who wasn’t prepared to jump or toboggan anything wouldn’t be getting the most out of this sport. As well as being great fun, these techniques speed progression and, in certain circumstances, may actually be safer than abseiling (for example, if an abseil deposits you in the worst of the current). That said, the Fédération Français de la Montagne et de l’Escalade (FFME) reports that half of all rescues arise due to misjudged jumps, with a smaller number attributed to toboggans. Injuries are more likely with jumps over 4m. Abseil to verify pool depth if there is any uncertainty. Note that canyons can change drastically over time – pools silt up or fill with detritus washed down by floods. To reduce the chance of injury, jump with legs together and slightly bent, flexing on entering the water. For toboggans, keep feet together and elbows away from the rock.
Jumping is a useful technique and great fun, but it carries obvious risks (Route 82 in the Carnic pre-Alps)
When toboggans go wrong! The 20m toboggan in Combra (Route 27 in the Ticino region)
Waterfalls and abseils
Use a hand-line to approach exposed pitch-heads, and clip into the anchor while rigging. Tie long hair back to reduce the risk of it being sucked into the descender. Although sharp edges can damage ropes, the majority of abseil problems arise due to high water (see ‘Canyoning rope techniques’ below).
Slippery rock
Falls resulting from slippery or loose rock account for about a third of all canyoning injuries. Some rock types provide good friction but become slippery when wet, particularly when covered in a layer of algae. Good shoes are essential (see ‘Equipment and clothing’, below). Be sure to test out their grip when first entering the canyon.
Rockfall
Rockfall is a greater risk in drier canyons, where loose rocks tend to loiter at pitch-heads. Rocks also get thrown in from above and blown in on windy days (when it is better to avoid tightly encased canyons).
Hypothermia and exhaustion
A warm, well-fitting wetsuit is essential (see ‘Equipment and clothing’, below). The chances of hypothermia are increased if exhausted, so physical fitness, food and fluids are important; it is easy to forget to drink when constantly immersed in water.
Absence or failure of in-situ equipment
The quality and positioning of in situ equipment varies greatly from canyon to canyon and from one pitch to the next. Even good quality rigging may be damaged by floods or rockfall. The quality, state and position of all equipment needs to be scrutinised before deciding whether or not you want to risk your life on it. Where possible avoid single-point anchors. Back up hand-lines with a belay or rig your own. In less frequented canyons, or those that are badly flood prone, be prepared to replace damaged anchors or slings.
Rope loss or damage
Losing a rope is a nightmare situation. At best it is an expensive mistake. At worst it prevents further descent and escape. A rope may get stuck when pulling through, or entangled in flood debris at the foot of a waterfall. Good rope management is key in preventing this (see ‘Canyoning rope techniques’, below). Ensure that all tackle-sacs have a flotation device (an empty bottle or waterproof drum) and take extra care in high water not to allow them to get swept downstream (do not throw them down pitches unattended!). Ropes also get damaged, for example when abseiling over sharp edges (a rope severs with surprising ease when under load). There are several methods to avoid this (also discussed below). Best practice is to carry a spare rope, so the canyon can be completed safely if a rope is lost.
Canyoning rope techniques
It is assumed that the reader is able to abseil proficiently and has a thorough practical knowledge of basic rope techniques. Therefore they are not described in detail here. Alpine canyons are not the places to learn these skills.
Below is a basic summary of the techniques appropriate to canyoning. Further information can be found in the resources listed in Appendix B.
Single-rope technique
When abseiling, climbers typically use the whole rope, doubled over and thrown down the pitch (the double-rope technique). This technique is both time-consuming (as all the rope has to be paid out, then packed away again) and potentially dangerous in wet canyons, where
turbulent plunge-pools will cause any excess rope to tangle, making the rope difficult to release from a descender
the
