>>2846866You’re right that going alone is fucking dumb and that was Ralston’s biggest mistake but you’re wrong that canyoneering is just as safe as climbing. Canyoneering is far far far riskier than sport or even trad climbing. The most dangerous thing one does routinely while climbing is rappelling and that’s the main thing you do in canyoneering. There is the added risk in canyoneering that you are often using natural anchors like trees or rocks slung with potentially old webbing since a lot of routes aren’t bolted and many canyoneers actively oppose bolting. Adding water to the mix significantly increases hazard and risk especially if you’re dealing with running water and/or potholes. Scores of very experienced canyoneers have died from flash floods, drowning, or hypothermia even in the middle of the summer in places like Zion. There is a ton of technical knowledge required to canyoneer safely whereas climbing, especially sport climbing, has a relative lower knowledge curve when starting off.
Anyone interested in canyoneering should take classes, pay a guide, or find a guru to teach them the ways. And never do it alone.
