What's the deal?
Get up close and personal with a waterfall.
Where's it at?
The sport of canyoning uses elements of swimming, scrambling and rock climbing. The point is to get into places you don't otherwise belong. It's an adrenalin-charged activity that you can find in Quebec's scenic Vallée Bras-du-Nord, in the Laurentian Mountains, 60 kilometres west of Quebec City. Here, you can book a guided excursion with Canyoning Québec ( canyoning-quebec.com), one of Canada's foremost canyoning operators.
After being outfitted in a neoprene wetsuit, a helmet and a climbing harness, you'll cross the Bras-du-Nord River on a swaying suspension bridge, and hike through a lush forest for 45 minutes to a rocky bluff with valley views. Your guide will brief you on how to rappel, make sure you're secure, then send you down the first section of falls – a slippery, 15-metre descent. It is considerably tricky to find footing in the steep whitewater. You'll continue the scramble downward, traversing the creek and rappelling again with your group. The third rappel is the most unnerving: As you descend an overhanging cliff, dangling in space and lowering yourself through the waterfall, cool water pours over your head and down your neck. When you finally touch solid ground, you will never look at a waterfall the same way again.
Who's it for?
Those who like vertical water sports. Canyoning Québec runs trips in Vallée Bras-du-Nord through late October. The cost is $89, including equipment.