This is a bit of a weird one because it is so subjective but people ask me all the time so I’m caving in.
As stated ranking a canyon based on quality is extremely subjective. A canyon that is full of sunbeams and stunning light on one trip might be dull on another.
Some canyon trips are thoroughly enjoyable simply because of the mood I was in or a weird humour in the company.
Some canyons such as Dalpura are absolutely stunning in the right light but can be a little bland on a cloudy day. Others, like Danae, can be the bee knees with the right amoutn of water but a bit ho hum if dry and death when pumping.
I’ll try to take into account a few factors when offering my rating.
- Depth, length, and beauty of the constriction (for sandstone slot canyons)
- Bang for buck (it might be the prettiest 100m of narrow canyon ever but if it is a 10hr scrub bash to get there it will drop down)
- Fun factor. Slides and jumps bump the rating up a bit
- Interest of abseils. Some abseils are fun or have unique challenges, others are just sliding down a rope with a wedgy
I’m rating each element out of 10.
The total will be out of 40 for canyons that contain all 4 elements or 30 for the ones where constriction is not applicable, eg Kanangra Main, or that don’t have abseils, eg Rocky creek. both of which I consider high quality but would be let down if I maintained a strict score out of 40.
