Canyoning Grades.

V: Vertical difficulty

A Aquatic difficulty

1

Very easy

• • No rappels, rope normally unnecessary for progress.

• No climbing or down climbing.

• • No water or calm water.

• Swimming optional.

2

Easy

• • Rappel anchors are very easily reached.

• • Rappels are very easy <= 10m.

• Easy climbing and down climbing with little exposure.

• • Swims less than 10m in calm water.

• • Simple jumps less than 3m.

• Short, low angled slides

3  A little Difficult

• • Low Vertical flow. Rappels land in pools with calm water.

• • Rappel anchors are easily reached. Rappels are easy. <= 30m. Rappels are separated by enough room to regroup.

• • Setting hand lines is easy.

• Climbing moves to grade 12. A little exposure, which may require the use of a rope.

• • Swims less than 30m in calm water.

• • Slight current in places.

• • Simple jumps between 3 and 5m

• Long or moderately angled slides.

4

Difficult

• • Low to moderate vertical flow that can begin to cause imbalance or entrapment.

• • Rappels anchors are difficult to reach and/or Rappels > 30m

• • Setting handlines is difficult and delicate.

• • Mulit-pitch rappels with relatively spacious re-belay stations.

• • Rough rock edges requiring rope wear management.

• • Rappels with obscured sections and/or landings pools. Landing pools have current.

• Climbing moves to grade 15 or A0. Exposed and/or requires belaying and protection.

• • Prolonged immersion in cold water.

• • Moderate current in places.

• • Simple jumps between 5 and 8m

• • Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of less than 5m.

• • Siphons of less than 1m in length and / or depth.

• Large or steep slides.

5

Quite Difficult

• • Medium to high vertical flow. Crossing the flow requires correct route selection and balance.

• • Multi-pitch Rappels may have hanging re-belays.

• • Requirement to cross pools with current during the descent.

• • Canyon surface is very slippery and/or has significant obstacles

• • Retrieving the rope is difficult or has to be done whilst swimming.

• Exposed climbing moves up to grade 18 or A1.

• • Prolonged immersion in cold water resulting in a substantial heat loss.

• • Current strong enough that it could affect a swimmers path through the water.

• • Hydryaulics such as eddies, recirculations, holes may trap a Canyoner for a short period of time.

• • Simple jumps between 8 and 10m.

• • Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of 5 to 8m.

• Large Siphons up to 2m in length and / or depth.

6  Very difficult

Exposed

• • Strong to very strong vertical flow

• • Sustained waterfalls

• • Crossing the flow is very difficult, requiring effective management of selected route and / or balance.

• • Requirement to build advanced and/or delicate natural anchors

• • Rappel anchors are very difficult to reach.

• • Setting hand lines is very difficult and very delicate.

• • Exposed climbing moves to grade 19 or A2.

• • Canyon surface exceptionally slippery and/or loose.

• Rappel landing pools are turbulent and/or with significant current.

• • Moderate current that makes a selected swimming path or stopping point difficult to achieve.

• • Hydryaulics such as eddies, recirculations, holes may trap a Canyoner for a moderate period of time..

• • Simple Jumps between 10 and 14m

• • Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of 5 to 8m.

• • Siphon of up to 3m depth and / or length.

• Technical siphon, up to1m deep, with possible current.

7Extremely Difficult

Very Exposed

• • Very strong to extremely strong vertical flow

• • Very sustained waterfalls that lead into one another without a gap.

• • Crossing the flow is extremely difficult; requiring anticipation and specific rope management, maneuver, balance, support and pace.

• • Exposed climbing moves > grade 19 or A2

• • Limited visibility of route and frequent obstacles.

• • Requirement to move through powerful current at the end of a rappel or rappel landing in a very turbulent pool with powerful current.

• Control of breathing: sections where you must hold your breath.

• • Strong current that makes a selected swimming path or stopping point extremely difficult to achieve

• • Hydraulics such as eddies, recirculations or holes may trap a Canyoner for a prolonged period of time.

• • Simple jumps greater than 14m

• • Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing greater than 10m.

• • Siphons over 3m in length and / or depth.

• Technical and committing siphon, more than 1m tall, with current or no visibility.

COMMITMENT

DURATION

CRITERIA

I

• • Able to get out of a flood quickly.

• • Escape is easy throughout the Canyon

• Total time (approach, descent, return) less than 2 hours.

II

• • Able to get out of a flood in less than 15 mins

• • Escape takes up to 30 minutes.

• Total time (approach, descent, return) is between 2 and 4 hours.

III

• • Able to get out of a flood in less than 30 minutes.

• • Escape takes up to 1 hour.

• Total time (approach, descent return) is between 4 and 8 hours.

IV

• • Able to get out of a flood in less than 1 hour.

• • Escape takes up to 2 hours.

• Total time (approach, descent return) between 8 hours and 1 day.

V

• • Able to get out of a flood in less than 2 hours.

• • Escape takes up to 4 hours.

• Total time (approach, descent return) is between 1 and 2 days.

VI

• • Getting out of a flood takes more than 2 hours

• • Escape requires more than 4 hours.

• Total time (approach, descent return) is more than 2 days.

No stars

Canyons that have been descended, but are not really worth the effort required. Included so people searching for new canyons know to discount these streams.

*

Locally Significant Canyons.Good canyons that are worth the effort required to descend

**

Regionally Significant Canyons.Canyons of above average quality that are worth returning to several times

***

Nationally significant Canyons.The highest quality canyons, with an excellent mix of good access, beauty, fun and challenge.

****

Canyons of International significance. (Not used in NZ so far)