Welcome to BluuGnome
BluuGnome is a
collection of beta and route and information for canyons I have personally been through. Of
course I don't list everything I have done but there is plenty of fun to
be had in what is offered. Most routes are in Utah since I
gravitate to the style
and feel of Utah canyons more than anywhere else.
Route descriptions include GPS coordinates,
maps, written descriptions, suggested gear and other bits of information. The information as accurate as possible but errors can be made.
Always remember canyons change due to natural causes and or man made modifications.
Think for yourself and do not blindly trust beta (mine or anyone
else's). Canyoneering can be dangerous and you are responsible for your
own safety and decisions.
The free route information on BluuGnome can be manually
entered bit by bit into your GPS or mapping software. But, if you prefer
a downloadable GPX file, visit the
BG Gear Store to
purchase the file. Purchasing GPX files makes data entry a lot
faster and less error prone and is a great way to support the
literally thousands of hours required to curate this
information for you. The BG Gear store also offers various
canyoneering gear.
Links to picture albums on the beta pages
are not meant for showing just the pretty. Instead, the
albums include images of as much of the route as possible allowing people to
quickly click
through the images to get an overall feel for the place. If you just
want the pretty images, there are plenty to find all over the inter-webs.
The few categorized attributes of the canyon rating system
fails at conveying canyon details like difficulty, scenic value, fun
factor, or pay to play ratio. For example, compare Hard Day
Harvey versus West Blarney. Due to the combination of route length
and skills required, a beginner will see HUGE differences in
difficulty, while both canyons have similar ratings according to the
rating system. But if comparing canyons, you need to start
somewhere. The rating system is divided into 4 sections. Technical -
assigned a number 1, 2, 3 or 4. Water - assigned a letter A, B
or C. Time - assigned a roman numeral I, II, III, IV. V or VI.
Risk - assigned a letter R or X. This
canyoneering
rating chart illustrates
each section and explains a bit about each. If you are new,
plug into the community and ask what canyons may be appropriate for
a beginner in what ever area you are interested in. A
few rating examples: 4 B III X, 3 A IV or 4 C II.
The best and highly recommend starting point is to go with an experienced group
to get a feel for
the sport
and have opportunities to ask, learn and practice. Going with
a group of experienced people not only makes new friends but also
exposes you to a varied set of people with a wide range of views, techniques and ethics (spoken and unspoken).
When with that group offer to assist where you can and ask questions
to learn, your willingness to help and learn will likely get you
invited back.
Another option is to use online communities
(Facebook, Meetup, etc.) where you can learn a ton by reading and
interacting as well as look for public invitations to join on
adventures.
Courses can be valuable but be aware courses are not a replacement for experience, connecting with the
community is still recommended. When taking a course, remember you
were shown One possible way, and not THE way to do things. If
you hold too rigidly to what a course taught you, you can be closed
minded and miss opportunities to learn from others.
Books, web sites and other sources offer some insights, but are not
enough to prepare you. Connect with and learn from other
people should be your priority when first starting. Book and
website info can help augment your knowledge and give you lots to
think about and discuss with others.
Every canyoneering area has it's own flavor and the flavors vary a
LOT. After gaining a lot of experience in one area, many
people fall into the trap if thinking they have a full understanding of the
sport.
It can not be understated that this is NOT the case. Every
area has its own ethics, style of terrain, styles of movement, and so much more. Bolted anchors, natural anchors, potholes, stemming,
hi pay to play ratios, route finding difficulty, and more will provide VASTLY different
experiences. As you grow, try to keep in mind that what is
good in one area may not be the best in all areas. Take the time to
connect with others and be open enough to learn why each of the
areas is treated the way it is.
A great online resource for basic knowledge is the Dye Clan's
Canyoneering 101 page.
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