Kloofing is Afrikaans language for canyoneering; a
recreational activity using ropes and rigging to aid in traveling down narrow
river canyons. A good kloofing day will
include rappels down waterfalls, mandatory swims across short sections of the
river, some small jumps into pools, general scrambling, and scenery that you
can only see if you are kloofing.
We joined Rob Thomas and four of the participants from the
Rigging for Rescue workshop for a day of kloofing down Groot Kloof (great
canyon). Rob is a local kloofing guide and was kind enough to invite us along
for the adventure (the day following the conclusion of the RfR training
workshop).
The kids had previously experienced kloofing in the Ouray
area. However, this particular kloof was
a step up in difficulty with a bigger rappel and some mandatory jumps into
water as well as some cold swims. It did
not seem to slow them down one bit and we all had a great day of adventure
together.
Mike
Kloofing was AWESOME! We were invited to go with Rob and a
few other RfR participants! First, we had to drive to a parking spot to be able
to access the canyon. It was about an hour hike to the descent into the kloof.
Once we got down we harnessed and helmeted up! Then there was this bum slide on
mossy slippery rock. The most nerve-racking part of the day was a 20 meter rappel
over a huge chockstone boulder. I went in tandem with my Dad. At the bottom,
there was a mandatory and VERY cold swim!
We had previously done some canyoneering at Angel Creek
close to Ouray. But none of the rappels were even CLOSE to 20 meters! I was
glad when we finally touched ground.
Audrey
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