Signals and Communication

Why Communication Matters

Canyoneering is a team-based activity where effective communication is essential for safety, efficiency, and overall group coordination. Whether ensuring a belayer is ready before a rappeler starts their descent, warning teammates of a potential hazard, or calling for assistance in an emergency, clear and reliable communication can prevent accidents and misunderstandings. However, communication in a canyon environment is often more challenging than in other outdoor settings due to factors such as distance, noise from waterfalls or wind, and limited visibility in narrow sections. Because of these challenges, canyoneers rely on three primary forms of communication:

• Verbal Commands
• Hand Signals
• Whistle Signals

Each of these methods has strengths and limitations, and they must be used appropriately for different scenarios. Verbal communication is the most direct and effective method when it can be heard clearly. When verbal commands are impractical due to noise or distance, whistle signals can bridge the gap. In cases where even whistles are ineffective, such as in roaring whitewater environments, hand signals provide a vital alternative but the rely on line of sight. Since there is no universal standard for whistle and hand signals, it is crucial for every canyoneering team to establish and agree upon a shared communication system before entering a canyon. Failure to do so can lead to confusion at best and serious safety risks at worst.

Issues

Canyoneering often presents challenges that make verbal communication impractical or ineffective. In these situations, whistle or hand signals provide crucial alternatives for maintaining coordination and ensuring safety. Unlike verbal commands, which follow a standardized system used across outdoor activities, whistle and hand signals are not universal and different organizations and canyoneering groups use varying signal patterns. Because of this, each team must establish and agree upon a shared set of nonverbal signals before entering a canyon. Failure to do so can lead to confusion, inefficiency, or even dangerous misunderstandings. Additionally, individuals with experience in whitewater sports, maritime operations, or industrial settings such as crane signaling may be familiar with different sets of whistle or hand signals. Because of these variations across disciplines, canyoneers must not assume prior experience in another field translates directly to canyon communication. Instead, each team must establish and agree upon a specific set of signals before entering a canyon.

Another challenge is that many people entering a canyon--both experience and inexperienced--do not know any whistle or hand signals at all. In some areas where non-verbal signals are less relied upon canyoneers may fail to even carry a whistle. Because of this, it is important to not only establish a system before the trip but also ensure that all team members are familiar with and have the necessary tools to use it.

Verbal Commands

These are the common verbal commands in English. Similar commands are used in other languages. Verbal communication operates as either commands or as a call-and-response between individuals. These commands are fairly standardized but variations do exist.

Rappel/Belay Call and Response

The standard calls and responses are as follows:

1. On belay? – The rappeler asks this question to confirm that the belayer is ready to manage the rope.
2. Belay is on. – The belayer responds when they are actively providing a belay and are prepared for the rappeler to begin descending.
3. Rappelling! – The rappeler announces when they are about to begin descending. While a rappeler may call for belay and then take time to adjust their gear or prepare, this command signals the exact moment they begin moving down the rope.
4. Rappel on. – The belayer acknowledges that they have heard the rappeler and are actively monitoring their descent.
5. Rope is free! – Once the rappeler reaches the bottom and has fully disconnected from the rope, they call this out to signal that the rope is now available for the next person. This should never be called until the rappeler is completely free of the rope. (Note some use "Off Rope" but that can sound too similar to other commands to "Rope is free!" is a preferred command.)
6. Thank you! – While not a formal command, it is common for someone at the anchor station to acknowledge hearing "Rope is free!" by calling back "Thank you!" This confirms that the message has been received.

This call-and-response system ensures that each action is acknowledged before the next step begins. Without this structure, a rappeler could start descending before the belayer is ready, or a belayer might assume the rappeler is finished when they are not fully disconnected.

Managing Rope Slack

In addition to rappel coordination, a rappeler may need to communicate with their belayer about adjusting rope slack. This is particularly important when rappelling in areas with uneven terrain or when additional slack or tension is required for a smooth descent. The following commands are used:

• Take! – The rappeler asks the belayer to take up excess slack in the rope.
• Give! – The rappeler requests more slack to allow for easier movement.
• Got it! / Giving! – The belayer confirms the action has been taken.

These commands allow for real-time adjustments, preventing issues such as excessive slack leading to an uncontrolled drop or too much tension restricting movement.

Deploying and Dropping Equipment

Verbal communication is also necessary when throwing or deploying gear down a drop. This includes ropes, rope bags, packs, pull cords, etc. The process follows the same command sequence to ensure those below are aware of falling objects and can move out of the way. The standard sequence is:

1. [Object]! (First call) – The person throwing or deploying an object calls out its name once to get attention (e.g., "Rope!", "Pack!").
2. [Object]! (Second call) – After a brief pause of about three seconds, they call out the object's name again as they release it.

This method ensures that those below have time to move out of the way before the object is released. The same process is used whether deploying a rope for rappelling, tossing down a pack, or sending down a rope bag. When retrieving a rope after all rappelers have descended, the process follows a structured approach:

1. Ensure all group members are clear of the fall zone before retrieving the rope.
2. Announce to the group that the rope is being pulled.
3. As the rappel strand nears the anchor and is about to fall, call out "Rope!" to alert everyone below.

These callouts help maintain safety by ensuring that everyone in the group is aware of what is happening and can position themselves accordingly.

Rock Fall

Falling rocks or debris pose a potential risk to people on rope or at the bottom of a drop. The common verbal command is to make one loud, prolonged call naming the object, such as a rock. [Object]!

Whistle Signals

Whistle signals are an effective way to communicate over long distances or in loud environments where verbal commands may not be heard. Their sharp, distinct sound can cut through wind, water noise, and echoes, making them ideal for canyon communication. Unlike verbal communication, there is no universal whistle signal system because whistle signals are purely auditory, and their meanings are arbitrarily assigned rather than naturally associated with specific actions or objects. Different canyoneering organizations, as well as other outdoor disciplines such as whitewater sports and maritime navigation, use different whistle signals, sometimes with conflicting meanings. For example, the American Canyoneering Association (ACA) and V7 Academy, two respected canyoneering groups, use different interpretations of the same whistle patterns.

The table below compares the whistle signals taught by various organizations. This is not comprehensive and is provided to 1) instruct, and 2) show the level of disagreement and confusion.

Whistle Signal Comparison

Signal	ACA	V7 Academy	RopeWiki	Also RopeWiki	FIC	Canadian Canyoneering Association
1 Short Blast
2 Short Blasts	Take up rope (Take)
3 Short Blasts	Lower rope
4 Short Blasts
5 Short Blasts
1 Long Blast	Stop / Attention
2 Long Blasts	Off rope
3 Long Blasts	Help / Emergency
1 Blast		Stop / Attention	Stop	Off / 'K / Done / Yes	Stop	Stop / Attention
2 Blasts		OK	Off Rope	Up rope	OK / Down Rope	Up Rope
3 Blasts		Lower Rope	Give more rope (Slack)	Lower rope	Down Rope / OK	Lower Rope
4 Blasts			Take up rope (Take)		Up Rope	Off Rope / Secure
5 Blasts			"This is Monstrous! Guided rappel!"
Lots of Blasts				Stop / No / Danger / Help / Attention / Don't do that
3 Blasts, Repeated					Emergency	Emergency

Hand Signals

Hand signals are particularly useful when line-of-sight communication is possible but verbal and whistle signals are ineffective due to noise or distance. Unlike whistle signals, hand signals tend to be more consistent across organizations because they incorporate visual elements that often mimic the concept being communicated, making them less arbitrary and more naturally standardized. Instead of one signal meaning multiple things (as with whistles), the issue with hand signals is that different groups use different signals for the same message.

The table below compares the hand signals taught by two different organizations. While there are differences, there are mostly similarities:

Hand Signal Comparison

Action	ACA Signal	V7 Academy Signal
Stop	Hands raised above head forming an X	One arm extended, palm forward
OK? / I'm OK		Fist on forehead/helmet
Take up rope	Index finger pointing upward in a circular motion	Same as ACA
Lower rope	Index finger pointing downward in a circular motion	Same as ACA
Hazard ahead	Hands together forming an upward point	Hands together forming an upward point
Bag / Pack		Draw a square in the air
Slippery		Palms together, sliding back and forth
Clip in		Hooked finger motioning toward harness
Bend knees		Knees bent, fists raised toward face