Canyoning Guide II

Course content

Course goal: as the person in charge, a Canyoning Guide II should have the knowledge and skills to lead guests safely through canyons and, where applicable, deploy Canyoning Guides I optimally.

Practice:

• Rope work on dry land
• Rope work in the canyon
• Technique and tactics in canyons with high water flow
• Rescue techniques

Theory:

• Equipment
• Hydrology
• Weather (with external speaker)
• Guiding technique at level II
• Trip preparation incl. safety plan
• First aid (with external speaker)
• Rights and duties at level II

Exams:

• Theory exam
• Rope work exam

Required equipment

Canyoning equipment must undergo and pass a PPE inspection before the course. The course leader is entitled to prohibit the use of non-compliant equipment, which may also affect participation in the course.

Clothing:

• Wetsuit, long sleeves and legs, approx. 5 mm thick, with hood
• Neoprene socks, approx. 4-5 mm thick
• Canyoning shoes
• Thermal underwear if available
• Neoprene gloves if available
• Swimsuit
• Clothing and shoes for practical work on dry land

Technical equipment:

• Canyoning harness with gear loops
• 2 cowtails made of dynamic single rope
• 1 figure-eight descender suited to the rope used, so that efficient releasable systems can be set up. (The rope must pass easily as a loop through the small eye of the figure eight.)
• 1 additional figure-eight descender or, alternatively, a canyoning descender.
• 8 screwgate karabiners or other locking karabiners
• 2 ascenders with handle
• At least 2 quick links (Maillon Rapide)
• Remnants of dynamic rope, at least 9 mm thick, 8-10 m
• Rope cutter (anvil cutter) or rescue knife, attached to the harness within easy reach
• Canyoning rucksack
• Waterproof container
• Diving mask
• Ropes: canyoning or static ropes, of which
  • 2 shorter ones (20-50 m)
  • 1 longer one (60-100 m)
• Rockfall helmet
• Buoyancy aid

Miscellaneous:

• Small first aid kit
• Writing materials
• If available: emergency bolting kit incl. bolts

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 18
• Passed Canyoning Guide I course
• Valid Rescue3 course or equivalent course
• Proof of experience (this must be signed. Compulsory: bring to the course):
  • 30 trips in at least 10 different canyons, of which at least
    • 10 canyons must have been done privately and
    • 10 canyons must have been done commercially.

Supporting documents

• First aid and BLS-AED-SRC complete courses or First Aid Level 1 IAS (IVR) (max. 2 years old)
• Valid Rescue3 course or equivalent course.
• Proof of experience: see above
• Proof of private accident insurance

Copies of all supporting documents must be handed to the course leader on site. SOA cards are only issued once all documents have been received.
Courses/exams are only considered passed once all documents have been submitted; certificates are issued only then. Missing documents (e.g. BLS/AED, first aid, logbooks) can be submitted up to 3 months after completing the course/exam – after that, any claim to certification of the training/exams/courses lapses. The same applies to any resits, which must also take place within 3 months of the exam date. For later certification, the training/exams/courses must be repeated in full. This rule applies from the 2024 course year onwards.