DISCOVERING THE THRILLS OF CANYONING
Banff Canyoning tours offer exhilarating adventure, writes Debbie Olsen.
My husband and I were sitting side-by-side on a narrow rock ledge just above a waterfall in a deep canyon near Abraham Lake while our canyoning guide, Guillaume Coupier, set up ropes for us to rappel down. As I watched Coupier expertly descend into the canyon, I was feeling a bit apprehensive about my own descent. That's when my husband leaned over and told me he thought this was the perfect moment for a “kiss selfie.” I thought he was nuts. But I gave him a quick kiss, leaned back in my harness, and rappelled down beside the waterfall. That kiss distracted me just enough to take the edge off.
Canyoning, also known as Canyoneering, is an adventure sport that involves exploring a canyon using a combination of hiking, rappelling, climbing and swimming. The sport originated in France in the late 19th century and it's still incredibly popular there. When Coupier, who is from France, came to Alberta and saw the Rockies, he fell in love with what he describes as “a beautiful playground.”
“The point of this activity is to explore the canyon mostly by walking, swimming, jumping and sliding,” Coupier explained before the tour began. “Don't look up if you hear me shout “rock” and be especially careful when you're hiking in shallow water. That's where the most common injuries, twisted ankles and knees, happen.”
After a full safety briefing, we geared up in wetsuits and helmets and were transported to a trailhead where we began hiking. We followed our guide up the side of a mountain until we came to a place where we could safely access the canyon and the river. Coupier explained that there are several canyons to choose from near Nordegg. He selects the canyon based on water levels, weather and the fitness and skill levels of tour participants. There are even canyons suitable for families with children.
I proceeded slowly and carefully as I hiked along the rocky shoreline and in the shallow water of the river. I took our guide's comment about twisting a knee seriously. I've done that before on a ski hill and it resulted in a ride on the “toboggan of shame” with the ski patrol. I wasn't keen on repeating that — ever. Fortunately, Coupier was patient and pleased to see his guests going along carefully.
When we came to smaller rapids and waterfalls, we slid down on our bottoms. Some sections of the river were deep enough to float down a short way, but the tallest waterfalls required rappelling. Our guide set up safety ropes using hangers attached to the rock through bolts before lowering himself down the waterfall. Once he was at the bottom, he acted as the belayer for the rest of the group, managing the rope as a safety precaution in case one of us slipped or fell.
Our canyoning tour was done really well and we all descended even the tallest waterfall safely — though not entirely without mishaps. As I stood below a particularly tall waterfall attempting to remove my gloves so I could take a video of my husband rappelling down, I heard a loud “plunk” and realized I had just dropped my cellphone into the flowing river. I quickly recovered the phone and ensured that it hadn't broken on one of the rocks.
When I purchased it, I had been told the phone was water resistant, but I had never really tested it — until that moment. As it turns out, my phone really was water resistant and I was able to video my husband descending the waterfall and capture some of the other fantastic scenery.
Later, I heard another “plunk” and frantically looked around to make sure I hadn't dropped the phone again. When I heard the sound a third time, I realized what was happening. I looked up and caught my husband throwing a rock into the water and laughing. If he wasn't such a good kisser, I might have decided to end the marriage then and there.