Day Trips
Waterfall Canyoneering

Adrenaline-filled day in the rugged Catskills!

Break out of your comfort zone on this exhilarating day of waterfall canyoneering in the Catskills!

These peaks are not for the meek. Our day will be filled with scrambling over 3rd and 4th Class terrain, rappelling down multiple cascading waterfalls and dropping 1500 feet over less than two miles. This is all about adventure and exploration!

Our hike in will be over a steep trail that will require the use of hands and sturdy hiking boots. As we reach the falls, our instructors will set up the anchor system, gear us up and give us thorough instruction in the skills we will use to rappel down the falls. There are five falls nestled in a dramatic valley. You will feel a world away from the city on this adrenaline-filled adventure! You will get soaked, and love it.

Our guides are the best in the business; an AMGA-accredited rock-climbing school based in New York’s Shawangunk Mountains, affectionately known to climbers as “The Gunks.” This company was created to help aspiring climbers learn how to climb safely while fostering a sense of awareness about the natural environments that climbers visit.

Our climbing guides provide an introduction to the vertical environment for beginners, and help experienced climbers hone their skills and pick up a few more. Our guides are highly experienced professionals licensed by New York State. They have climbed extensively throughout North America as well as in some of the finest crags around the world. 

What is Canyoneering?

Canyoneering is a technical descent — those that require rappels (abseils) and ropework, technical climbing or down-climbing, technical jumps, and/or technical swims.
Canyoneering is frequently done in remote and rugged settings and often requires navigational, route-finding and other wilderness travel skills.
Canyons that are ideal for canyoning are often cut into the bedrock stone, forming narrow gorges with numerous drops, beautifully sculpted walls, and sometimes spectacular waterfalls. Most canyons are cut into limestone, sandstone, granite or basalt, though other rock types are found. Canyons can be very easy or extremely difficult, though emphasis in the sport is usually on aesthetics and fun rather than pure difficulty. A wide variety of canyoning routes are found throughout the world, and canyoning is enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels.
Canyoning gear includes climbing hardware, static ropes, and helmets (all provided).
Please review the Pack List Tab, above for items you need to bring.

This trip is the most rugged and wild of all our adventures. If you have gone rock climbing or rappelling before, you have some idea of what to expect, but this setting is off-trail and hazardous. Participants need to be sure-footed, strong and ready for scrambling on the hike in and out. We pay the utmost attention to safety, but participants need to be capable, fit and able to hike on loose, steep and challenging terrain.

Event Details

• Departure 7:15 AM. Please arrive at 7:00 AM for check-in.
• Departure/Return Location 73rd Street and Broadway, NE Corner (in front of Apple Bank). 1, 2, 3 to 72nd Street, walk 1/2 block north.
• Return Approximately 6:30-7:00 PM
• Bring Please review the Pack List Tab above. You need to have your hands free: small packs only. The technical gear is provided: harness, ropes, and climbing hardware. Bring a ziplock bag for your phone/PDA if you plan to have it in your pack. You may want to bring fingerless gloves.
• Water At least two liters, more in hotter temps, in a plastic bottle(s).
• Snacks Energy bars, sandwiches, trail mix, something that can be eaten on the go.
• Money If you have a great day, tips for the canyon guides are greatly appreciated. We recommend each client tip $20 to be pooled for the guides.
• Please note: There are no refunds or credits for this trip. The trip will run rain or shine.

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Pack List & What to Wear

Do not wear anything made of cotton. This includes socks and base layer. You are going to get soaked today, and cotton is the worst thing you can wear: it gets heavy, loses all its insulative properties, and keeps you cold and wet.
Top: Wear a layering system of polypropylene, Capilene, Dry-fit, polyester; any technical wicking fabric. Base layer and mid layer recommended.
Do not wear anything made of cotton. This includes socks and base layer. Bring a rain jacket and hat.
Bottoms: Hiking pants made of synthetic material; no cotton! No shorts--we will be hiking through brush.
Feet: Polyester or polypropylene hiking socks
Shoes: Sturdy hiking boots or trail runners--your footwear must fit your foot well and have an aggressive sole. Nothing will ruin the day like the wrong footwear.
Pack: You must have a good backpack that securely holds your lunch, water and extra clothes. You must have your hands free for this trip. Pack light; pack exactly what we tell you. Bring a ziplock bag for your phone/PDA if you plan to have it in your pack. You may want to bring fingerless gloves to prevent abrasion on your palm as you rappel.
Even if it is “hot” in the city, we are going to a deep canyon at higher altitude, and it will be much cooler there.

Change of dry clothes for the ride home: anything comfy that you wish to bring, including dry shoes. (Yes, it can be cotton.) The dry clothes will be left in the van.

Intensity Levels

This event or trip is Intensity Level 4.

Experienced, Fun & Qualified Guides

From cycling across the United States to leading horse treks through New Zealand to scaling Nepalese peaks, Outdoor Bound guides have real-world outdoor experience. Collectively, they have hiked, biked, climbed and kayaked tens of thousands of miles around the globe.

Whether their professional backgrounds are as teachers, personal trainers, artists, environmentalists or business leaders, they all have an extensive knowledge of the natural world and local history. Each guide has also passed a rigorous guide certification program and is trained in wilderness first aid or as a Wilderness First Responder.

Diverse & Interesting Groups

There is no typical Outdoor Bound participant. While ages typically range from 20 to 50, those who come to experience outdoor adventure range from singles to couples, from lawyers to waiters. They are a mix of women and men. While the group is always diverse, you will certainly feel welcome. Our guides go the extra mile to make the atmosphere of each trip social and fun. Many people in the Outdoor Bound community have forged lasting friendships as a result of our trips.

New Experiences

Skydiving, ice-climbing, hot-air ballooning, skiing and hiking every weekend are just a few of Outdoor Bound’s year-round adventures. These trips are accessible to everyone, including the novice, who might feel a little uneasy, the young urban professional trying to get away and even the adrenaline junkie looking for a new rush.

Environmental Awareness

“Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but pictures,” is the Leave No Trace motto embraced by Outdoor Bound. From purchasing bamboo T-shirts to printing with soy-based inks on recycled paper, Outdoor Bound strives to create the least environmental impact possible while on trips and in the office.

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