Canyon Rating System
Canyoneering in the United States is currently (mostly) rated based on the system defined by the American Canyoneering Association in the early 2000's. It is imprecise, and in my humble opinion, not well suited to the types of canyons generally seen on the Colorado Plateau.
The Rating System
Example Canyon Rating
3
B
II
PG
Technical
Water
Time
Risk
1. Technical Difficulty
1 Not technical. A hike suitable for most.
2 Scrambling involved. No rope work, but falls could be serious.
3 Technical. Requires rappelling and anchor skills. (Most common)
4 Advanced. Difficult anchors, keeper potholes, or multi-stage rappels.
2. Water Level
A Completely dry.
B Still water/pools. May require swimming or wetsuits depending on season.
C Flowing water. Requires specialized swiftwater skills. High exposure risk.
3. Time Designation
I Short (2-3 hrs)
II Half Day
III Full Day
IV Long Day (Pack a headlamp)
V+ Multi-day trip
4. Risk Designation (if needed)
This helps define difficulties like high-off-the-deck stemming or technical climbing where the consequence of a fall is high.
⚠️ Important Safety Warning
Any canyon with a risk designator requires sound judgment. NOT SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS EVEN WITH COMPETENT LEADERSHIP.
PG / PG-13 Serious consequences, but within experienced abilities.
R Range Dangerous consequences. Experts only.
X Range Very dangerous. Experts only that understand and can manage the difficulties, exposure, and consequences.
Climbing Ratings (YDS)
Example: 3B II R 5.6. The 5.6 denotes technical climbing level using the Yosemite Decimal System.
Note on Reliability: Canyon climbing ratings vary widely. Movement in a slot canyon is very different from traditional rock climbing; one person's 5.6 might feel like a 5.10 to another. I would consider these ratings as a very rough estimate.