We love canyoning!
As we all know, time flies. So even though it seems like yesterday it was 4 months ago I left NZ shores to head to a good friends wedding in the UK. It was a big ask, given we're building a relatively new business and have a baby come toddler charging around the house now who needs attention 24/7… however once the words "best man" were mentioned and then even more helpful were the words "we'll help by paying for your flights"!
So without too much need for thought – I was off on a rather lengthy series of plane rides to the far side of the world. It seemed rude not to re visit Italy and do a bit of Canyoning given I'd be that close. So a plan was formulated meeting up with an old mate who I'd guided with for a few years. Thankfully he now runs a canyoning company so we had his vehicle and a whole heap of equipment at our disposal. 4 days = 5 canyons.
I just need to say our very own Sleeping God Canyon is right up there and such an amazing place… The canyons in Italy however, are special to me after spending a season guiding over there years back and are very different from the canyons around here. Slotty and committing with very little chance of escape once you've begun your descent. They share the crystal clear water of the new Zealand canyons and have awesome slides. We were based in Torbole on the northern end of Lago di Garga – which anyone that knows about canyoning or adventure for that matter will know it's a Mecca with over 20 canyons within 20 minutes drive. With some of the best climbing in the world 15minutes away along with mountain biking right on your doorstep!
So after 5 flights back to back arriving in Venice airport at 3:30pm, we were off to the base at the lake to collect gear before heading to our first canyon a windy but quick 15minutes drive away – a nasty 30 minute hike up and about the same back down and out given we were a 5 guide strong team.There's something pretty cool about abseiling down a waterfall as the night sky closes in with a small lakeside resort warmly glowing behind you. I could barely keep my eyes open at the pizzeria with a cold beer and good company that night!
With out boring any reader with too many details, the next day we ripped through two canyons – icy cold, pumping with back to back drops with one encompassing around 25 descents over around 5km. The next day a single canyon – a beast of a canyon that went from 10 back to back slides inside of a cave like part of the canyon and then suddenly you emerged into a steep walled slot around 300m up sheer walls on both sides… the kind of place that really makes you feel insignificant! One of the coolest places I have been. Then on the final day a quick bomb through a sweet old favourite with multiple slides and jumps before packing off and heading to the airport to get ready for Rob's wedding… a best man speech needed to be written and it wasn't writing itself!
Wayne and I have discussed running trips with eager and able clients to Europe for years… this just cemented how awesome a trip this would be… just need to make it happen!
So without too much need for thought – I was off on a rather lengthy series of plane rides to the far side of the world. It seemed rude not to re visit Italy and do a bit of Canyoning given I'd be that close. So a plan was formulated meeting up with an old mate who I'd guided with for a few years. Thankfully he now runs a canyoning company so we had his vehicle and a whole heap of equipment at our disposal. 4 days = 5 canyons.
I just need to say our very own Sleeping God Canyon is right up there and such an amazing place… The canyons in Italy however, are special to me after spending a season guiding over there years back and are very different from the canyons around here. Slotty and committing with very little chance of escape once you've begun your descent. They share the crystal clear water of the new Zealand canyons and have awesome slides. We were based in Torbole on the northern end of Lago di Garga – which anyone that knows about canyoning or adventure for that matter will know it's a Mecca with over 20 canyons within 20 minutes drive. With some of the best climbing in the world 15minutes away along with mountain biking right on your doorstep!
So after 5 flights back to back arriving in Venice airport at 3:30pm, we were off to the base at the lake to collect gear before heading to our first canyon a windy but quick 15minutes drive away – a nasty 30 minute hike up and about the same back down and out given we were a 5 guide strong team.There's something pretty cool about abseiling down a waterfall as the night sky closes in with a small lakeside resort warmly glowing behind you. I could barely keep my eyes open at the pizzeria with a cold beer and good company that night!
With out boring any reader with too many details, the next day we ripped through two canyons – icy cold, pumping with back to back drops with one encompassing around 25 descents over around 5km. The next day a single canyon – a beast of a canyon that went from 10 back to back slides inside of a cave like part of the canyon and then suddenly you emerged into a steep walled slot around 300m up sheer walls on both sides… the kind of place that really makes you feel insignificant! One of the coolest places I have been. Then on the final day a quick bomb through a sweet old favourite with multiple slides and jumps before packing off and heading to the airport to get ready for Rob's wedding… a best man speech needed to be written and it wasn't writing itself!
Wayne and I have discussed running trips with eager and able clients to Europe for years… this just cemented how awesome a trip this would be… just need to make it happen!
