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A Day in West Vancouver’s Canyons with Explorer, Chris Segers

A group of people dressed in canyoning gear give a thumbs up in a car park before starting an adventure

Credit: Chris Segers

After months of unexpected downtime that came with the first phase of 2020’s pandemic, by summer, many folks were eager to get back on track with their adventure plans, albeit closer to home. Here in British Columbia, we’re lucky to live in a place where ‘staying local’ also means having a plethora of immersive adventures in our own backyard!

So when local explorer, Chris Segers, discovered canyoning adventures accessible close to his home in Vancouver, giving it a try was a no brainer. As soon as it was safe to get outdoors with his equally adventurous friends, they were in luck! The water levels in the canyons were perfect to begin the canyoning season. Here’s what happened when he and his buddies set out for a day with Yervana Local, canyoning guide, FX Gagnon!


A Day in the Canyons

Guest post by Chris Segers

Months ago. Pre-covid, a buddy and I were roaming around at the Vancouver Outdoor Adventure Show, and came across an adventure way too good to pass up. A full day of guided canyoning with a few of our good friends. Repelling waterfalls, navigating river canyons, and getting the opportunity to see parts of the local terrain that most folks will never get the chance to see. Fast forward to June 2020, and the opportunity finally opened up. A challenge to navigate this kind of activity at the best of times, imagine throwing in how to maintain social distance and safety into the mix.

A person rappelling on a dry rock in a wooded area

Credit: Chris Segers

We started our day with a rope and harness/ repelling tutorial, followed by some repelling practice on the smaller bluffs of Cypress Falls Park before digging in to the real adventure. In all there was myself, my buddy J of whom had made all the arrangements, my cousin Ryan and his wife Julia, and our other mate Seb.

Along with our 2 guides and a handful of courage we were off. We hiked up to our entrance point to the canyon, and descended down into the water staring down the edge of a raging waterfall. I think it was safe to say at that point we realized we had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into. One by one we got summoned to the edge and clipped in. It was as if we were about to jump out of an airplane. Loud, fairly overwhelming and super intense, we took our final instructions from our guide and then like a punch we were throttled by the waterfall as we lowered our way down into the pool below.

A Group Of People Wearing Canyoning Gear Eat Lunch Around A Log

Credit: Chris Segers

Holy Hell! That was intense. We regrouped and continued on. With the high water levels it was a series of navigating 25-45ft sections and allowing for everyone to safely make it downstream.

For some of the group, it was an opportunity to get over fear of heights, for others, an opportunity to try something new. For me, it was an opportunity to get out and explore again. To feel some normalcy through all that is going on in the Covid world. To share these kind of experiences with friends again. It was an amazing full day of canyoning, and our guide FX and his crew were amazing. A truly unique experience. If this is up your alley, here’s the link to the canyon experience.

Written by Chris Segers (originally posted on chrissegers.com)

Chris is a local adventurer from Metro Vancouver. Growing up so close to the mountains has always allowed Chris to explore the peaks and valleys of the North Shore for the 20 years. He’s always in search of the next adventure!
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