Canyoning in the Alps

Overview

The Alps rank high among the world's foremost destinations for canyoneering. This book brings together all the most celebrated descents in the Alpine regions of northern Italy and Ticino in Switzerland, including classic limestone canyons and superb granite-gneiss water sculptures. Divided into five areas, the descents described in the guide present a huge variety of terrain, rock and styles of canyoneering. Route difficulty is split into seven grades, from easier canyons suited to beginners, through to the strongest aquatic and technical challenges, which demand experienced rope skills, physical fitness and a calm head for high water. The guide provides comprehensive background information on equipment, hazards and techniques, as well as details of Alpine geology and the history of canyon exploration. The book also features additional nearby routes in Austria, Slovenia and in the Valais Alps, as well as the climbing, via ferrata and walking options in the surrounding hills and mountains.

Author Biography

Simon Flower grew up in Sheffield, where he spent much of his free time mountain biking and climbing in the Peak District. In 1998 he took up caving at university, before discovering canyoning a year later. Since then he has been canyoning enthusiastically (almost obsessively) all over Europe and beyond, and has claimed a handful of first descents along the way.