Greetings canyoneers,

I hope this new year is bringing many blessings to you and those you love. Karma has been good to me and making me feel excited for the upcoming canyoneering season.

You know a guy is getting old when you hear him constantly referring to the "good old days". Well, back in the good old days of the American Canyoneering Association, if you took one of our courses they were all taught directly by the ACA. Your instructor would have been me, Charly Oliver or Dave Black and you would have paid only $195 for a 3-day course. Our progression of course levels was simple and we encouraged students to retake courses free or dirt cheap to make sure they absorbed and retained the skills. We scheduled regular practice sessions and rendezvous to provide more opportunities for skills retention.

I miss those good old days. Life was simpler. Canyoneering was less commercial. But the one constant in life is change so we learn to adapt. 

Among the many blessings in my life have been the opportunities I've had to share my passion with thousands of students around the world. I also feel blessed knowing that a number of my proteges have adopted a spirit of given and are sharing their passions with new canyoneers in various locations. Makes a papa proud.

Prior to the pandemic we started a program called Canyoneering Karma. We have a Meetup group and a Facebook group that bear that name. It was intended to be a network of like-minded individuals, guides, instructors and companies who share a passion for canyoneering and feel inspired to share their knowledge and experience with others. 

Life seems to be getting a bit back to normal now and I have been busy preparing for a re-launch. In 2023 you will see me and others scheduling more courses, practice sessions, rendezvous and skills assessments. You will also see me offering more online learning resources and virtual classroom events. 

So please check out the following pages and make sure to bookmark them:

Canyoneering Karma Meetup Group

Canyoneering Karma Facebook Group

FREE ART of RopeWork Knowledge Base

Canyoneering Karma Support Page

AND ... be sure to download your free copy of our new Canyoneering Competencies Checklist

I do hope our paths cross something in the coming year, preferably in a canyon or in a course.

Until then .... Have Fun. Be Safe.

Rich