German Canyoning Verein (DCV)
- Website: www.schluchten.de
- DCV was one of the founding members of FIC in 2014
- Founded in 1995
- over 300 members
- offers comprehensive trainings, group events, data base and library for its members
History
Starting back in the 1980s, a small group of outdoor enthusiasts started to go into canyons – most of them being kayakers. One of them was Alfons Zaunhuber. He was one of the first to offer commercial canyoning tours in parallel to kayaking tours. He also published these activities in magazines and television. While giving talks on canyoning, he got to know Peter Neuhäusler and Peter Helmlinger who had first-hand experience in canyoneering.
Let us go back to one of these historic moments in the mid-nineties: The three pioneers meet in a restaurant in Munich and decide to found an association. Following a longer discussion about the name and the goals of the association, the overall direction is clear: It should not be all about adrenaline, but protection of nature, training of members, and joint canyoneering tours. Material should be organized and the trio hopes to reach around 30 enthusiasts in Germany.
On 7th of July 1995 the German Canyoneering Association (DCV) is officially founded and recorded into the German association register. Since these beginnings the DCV has grown to over 300 members – some of them being certified canyoneering guides or coming from other European countries as it has been the only such association in German speaking countries for quite a long time.
Activities
Canyoneering is a sport that requires both physical fitness and skills in climbing, abseiling and wild water techniques. To work on these skills, the DCV offers a broad training program (partly in cooperation with Eddy Hofmann’s German Canyoning School) and many events to practice.
Unfortunately canyoneering is currently prohibited in many German canyons due to laws for the protection of nature. We would like to ask guests from other countries to respect these rules when indicated by signs.
The family camp, one of our most popular events, celebrated its 10-year anniversary this summer. Going into a canyon in a group of different ages from 8 to 80 years is a very positive experience for all participants that gives safety and forms strong bounds between the generations. Many DCV members also organize tours on a private basis and share them on Youtube or Vimeo. One of our most active members is Wolfgang Streicher, often better known as “canyonwolf”, offering well documented canyoneering videos on his Youtube channel. Many canyons located in the northern European alps are well documented in our data base which is maintained by Reinhard Hase. The DCV also hosts a comprehensive library managed by Nobby Fischer.
Our chief of the board, Mrs. Sandra Rauch, was re-elected in November 2018. As a non-profit organization member fees are low and family friendly. We celebrated our 25th anniversary in 2020.