Pura Vida Adventures attends American Canyoneering Association Rendezvous at Zion National Park

The Subway

Pura Vida Adventures owner, Joe Moerschbaecher, recently attended the American Canyoneering Association Conference and Rendezvous near Zion National Park Utah.
During the week and a half stay Joe had the opportunity to meet a wide range of recreational canyoneers and professional canyon guides. There was a wide range of information shared and opportunities to do many canyons.

Over the 10 days in the Zion area, Joe had the opportunity to do 13 canyons. Some of his favorite included Mystery, Spry, Engelstead, and Pine Creek. The well know Subway was one of the most beautiful canyons of the entire trip. Joe said, "Although the subway is not an incredibly technical canyon being in the Subway was one of the most awe inspiring parts of the entire trip."

Beyond the canyon experience the trip provided Joe the opportunity to make contacts with local guide services in the Zion area, professional guides from throughout the country, and land managers from National Parks and BLM land. The opportunity to teach a basic rope skills course at the canyoneering conference was a highlight for Joe. "Being able to have the opportunity to teach a workshop at the conference was a great opportuntity. There was a large attendance for the workshop and participants were of varying ability levels, but everyone was eager to learn and it made me even more excited to teach the topics." The workshop was attended by professional who work as park rangers at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, as well as, recreational canyoneers, and other professional guides.

Pura Vida Adventures is working on developing canyoneering vacation programs in the BLM land that surrounds Zion National Park please feel free to contact us at contact@pvadventures.com to inquire about these programs.

Also attending the conference was Ansley Chappel of www.Ansleyalysephoto.com . She provided photos of the trip and we will be sure to share these photos with our readers and clients once her editing is done.

American Canyoneering Course in Puerto Rico

Pura Vida Adventures' canyoneering guide Joe Moerschbaecher recently returned from an American Canyoneering Association Canyon Leader Course in Puerto Rico.

The course included 4 days of canyoneering instruction including techniques, rescue and rigging.

Days 5 and 6 of the course included continuing instruction and the canyon leader exam.

During the exam participants were timed in their ability to ascend a rope pass a knot and continue ascending the rope then descend the rope pass a knot and continue descending the rope. The second timed portion of the exam consisted of rigging a releasable system rappelling a client part way down then converting to a lowering system. After converting to a lower participants then had to convert to a 3:1 haul system followed by their choice of a complex 5:1 or compound 6:1 haul system. This first portion of the exam was the objective portion looking at times for completeing the taskS and mistakes made along the way.

The second day of the exam was more subjective and looked at how participants operated and applied the systems learned in a canyon. During this portion of the exam participants rigged releasable rappels, guided rappels, ascended and rappelled ropes, practiced pot hole escapes, and various other techniques.

The course was taught by American Canyoneering Association founder, Rich Carlson.

During the course Rich emphasized minimizing the gear needed in a canyon by carrying the most multifunctional pieces of equipment possible. Some of the new pieces of equipment Rich introduced to participants included the Purcell Prussik and VT Prussik.

Pura Vida Adventures owner, Joe Moerschbaecher was very pleased with the training stating, "Rich Carlson and the American Canyoneering Association does a top notch job in canyoneering instruction covering all the issues canyoneering participants and guides may encounter in a canyon." Pura Vida Adventures will be sure to take many of the principles and techniques learned in the course and apply them in both our guided canyoneering trips and instructional courses.

Joe's training with the American Canyoneering Association (ACA) will not end here in Jan. he is headed to Phoenix Arizona to continue working on his canyon guide certification through the ACA.

Technical Canyoneering:American Canyoneering Association Course by Rich Carlson scheduled for May

American Canyoneering Association instructor Rich Carlson and Pura Vida Adventures' 3 day Technical Canyoneering Course.

May 21st-23rd and May 29th- 31st 2010 Price $395 per person



Cost/ Dates/Location $395 a person, course dates are May 21st-23rd, May 29th-31st 2010 and, Pura Vida Adventures Brevard, NC- airport transportation from Asheville Airport available for a small additional fee.

Prerequisite Knowledge Interested students should have experience and knowledge with rappelling, as well as be familiar with and know most basic climbing knots. Please contact us if you are interested in this course but are unsure if you meet the prerequisite knowledge.

What to bring Particpants should bring carabiners, harness, and helmets, as well as other basic rope gear. This equipment can be provided if you do not have it.

Topics covered This program is the Technical Canyoneering Course offered by the American Canyoneering Association. Technical Canyoneering. http://www.canyoneering.net/content/index.php?categoryid=156&p2_articleid=84

Instructor info Rich Carlson, http://www.canyonsandcrags.com/servlet/the-template/about/Page founder American Canyoneering Assoc., Joe Moerschbaecher owner PVA first commercial company to offer canyoneering in the southeast

More info and booking info to find out more about this course or to book a spot email us at contact@pvadventures.com or call 772-579-0005 772-579-0005.
Accomodations Hampton Inn Brevard is the host hotel and has extended a special rate to participants of this course. Please email contact@pvadventures.com to get more details on this special rate.