The practice of an extreme sport is an opportunity to get out of the daily train. And there is no extreme sport without risks. The canyoning is one of those practices that fascinate much more than they were. However, we must always keep the risks in mind, as well as the means of minimizing them.
Risks
canyoning sometimes makes the headlines with sensations, and not in the right category.
Among the main risks you can encounter by practicing canyoning, we can note, in order of importance:
Sudden flood :
The sudden increase in water flow is the most dreaded accident. In addition, canyons having been dug by water for many years often have walls, preventing adventurers from leaving the course before the end. Natural paradise can quickly turn into a deadly trap by this lack of escape .
ignorance of the field :
The water movements at the foot of the waterfalls, the scraps of stones, the poor estimate of the depth, the presence of natural obstacles ... All these risk factors are linked to the sites you are walking. This is why it is important not to embark on an adventure without having, beforehand, took all the necessary information.
competition :
There is great competition among companies that offer canyoning activity , which sometimes prefer to favor profitability, to the detriment of security. Check that the basic rules are respected, such as wearing helmet in accordance with the standards in force! Do not hesitate to inquire, to compare…
under estimation of the danger :
Undating the danger is a danger in itself. canyoning , if Playful and so beautiful, often lets us forget that there remains a mountain activity, with its techniques and its specificities.
Advice
The risks are part of the game. However, it is possible to reduce their impact, by following a few recommendations.
As we have just seen, many factors are to be taken into account, from water temperature to morphology of gorges , including the regulations in force . This is why it is widely advised to:
Contact competent professionals :
Using a club or a serious association is the ideal opportunity to train in order to predict the risks.
- Choose your equipment
- Find a course adapted to its level
- Receive an optimal framework
- Practice in good conditions
stay humble :
Humility is one of the essential values of extreme sports. Knowing how to recognize the strength of nature, respect it, without wanting to challenge it or destroy it. The important thing is to know how to discover the dangers it represents, hidden behind its beauty. The practice of canyoning is intimately linked to nature. This is why respect is of vigor.
It is advisable to walk on the edges of the torrent rather than directly in the water if the depth is less than 40 cm. The trampling of funds is behind many environmental problems, which has put the practice of canyoning in the sights of certain environmental groups.
avoid the competitive spirit :
Over the years, the competitive spirit appeared where it did not exist before. Wanting to do better or stronger than the neighbor is the worst attitude to have in a sport such as canyoning.
Once all these recommendations followed, the canyoning remains a sport full of thrills and emotions.
Minimizing the risk is taking all the necessary precautions before, during and after the activity. Without a minimum of security, there is no pleasure. Without a minimum of danger, there is no challenge. All activities include risks if the practitioner is not responsible.
This is the reason why, in practice, this sport remains a formidable experience of discovery, both of an activity, a canyon, a landscape, but also of oneself.
Do not hesitate to ask all your questions in our canyoning forum before Contact a professional and you will be ready, you too, for Starting you on the canyon adventure!
