Canyon Creek, Washington
Location - Southwestern Washington
Difficulty - Class IV+ Length - 4 miles
Level - 850 cfs Date - 12/3/2006 and 2008
Difficulty - Class IV+ Length - 4 miles
Level - 850 cfs Date - 12/3/2006 and 2008
In the middle of December a group my friends from Eugene and I
headed up to Canyon Creek in southwestern Washington to run a fun
class IV+ river draining the lower slopes of Mt St. Helens. Canyon
Creek is only an hour from Portland and is run frequently owing to its
phenomenal scenery and fun whitewater. We were not disappointed
despite having a fairly low water level on this chilly day.
Canyon Creek starts off with about a quarter mile of warm up before
the river plunges over its first horizon line and enters an extremely
narrow canyon that is two or three hundred yards long. The river
right drop falls only five feet but leads into a fair sized hole and swirly
water between cliff walls only ten feet apart. The run out from this
stretch is interesting and although the river opens up a little it is still
contained between basalt walls ten to fifty feet high set at the bottom
of a gorge that is perhaps three hundred feet deep. While climbing
out of the river may be possible, it would be a very trying experience.
Once on Canyon Creek you need to realize that you should be self
sufficient as help is not easy to come by.
headed up to Canyon Creek in southwestern Washington to run a fun
class IV+ river draining the lower slopes of Mt St. Helens. Canyon
Creek is only an hour from Portland and is run frequently owing to its
phenomenal scenery and fun whitewater. We were not disappointed
despite having a fairly low water level on this chilly day.
Canyon Creek starts off with about a quarter mile of warm up before
the river plunges over its first horizon line and enters an extremely
narrow canyon that is two or three hundred yards long. The river
right drop falls only five feet but leads into a fair sized hole and swirly
water between cliff walls only ten feet apart. The run out from this
stretch is interesting and although the river opens up a little it is still
contained between basalt walls ten to fifty feet high set at the bottom
of a gorge that is perhaps three hundred feet deep. While climbing
out of the river may be possible, it would be a very trying experience.
Once on Canyon Creek you need to realize that you should be self
sufficient as help is not easy to come by.
Another boulder filled section follows and the river moves around a few corners before running up to an obvious horizon line with mist rising from below.
This is the start of a stretch of river known as "The Drop Zone" where Canyon Creek drops about forty feet in three drops. The first falls is the big drop
and it plunges almost twenty feet into a boiling pool set in an amphitheater carved into the bedrock. The best line is on river right where a flake kicks
you into an auto boof. The drop seemed pretty easy, but both sides of the amphitheater are deeply undercut with a good bit of current flowing below
them. You can scout this one all day from above, but there is no reasonable way to portage and get back to the river unless you want to throw your gear
off of the cliff and jump into the river. Everyone in our group ran a nice line over the falls.
The "punch bowl" style pool below the big drop empties around a corner and Canyon Creek pours over two closely spaces ledges of ten to twelve feet.
The first drop of this combo is called Champagne Falls and the wide ledge can be run anywhere, with center left seeming to be the best option. A small
moving pool set between vertical walls leads to the next drop where the water funnels to the left before going over The Hammering Spot. The best line is
to drive right and boof into the eddy at the base to avoid being hammered in the shallow and unfriendly looking pocket on the left. Getting right here is a
little trickier than it looks and a few members of our group underestimated the move, but managed to surf out the hole at the bottom without swimming.
This is the start of a stretch of river known as "The Drop Zone" where Canyon Creek drops about forty feet in three drops. The first falls is the big drop
and it plunges almost twenty feet into a boiling pool set in an amphitheater carved into the bedrock. The best line is on river right where a flake kicks
you into an auto boof. The drop seemed pretty easy, but both sides of the amphitheater are deeply undercut with a good bit of current flowing below
them. You can scout this one all day from above, but there is no reasonable way to portage and get back to the river unless you want to throw your gear
off of the cliff and jump into the river. Everyone in our group ran a nice line over the falls.
The "punch bowl" style pool below the big drop empties around a corner and Canyon Creek pours over two closely spaces ledges of ten to twelve feet.
The first drop of this combo is called Champagne Falls and the wide ledge can be run anywhere, with center left seeming to be the best option. A small
moving pool set between vertical walls leads to the next drop where the water funnels to the left before going over The Hammering Spot. The best line is
to drive right and boof into the eddy at the base to avoid being hammered in the shallow and unfriendly looking pocket on the left. Getting right here is a
little trickier than it looks and a few members of our group underestimated the move, but managed to surf out the hole at the bottom without swimming.
Not far below this classic stretch of whitewater the river encounters one final horizon line. This last ledge has a thin looking line in the left center, but a fatal
pin occurred here several years ago and the ten or twelve foot ledge is most often portaged. River right provided the easiest carry, but some of our group
portaged on the left. A right hand side sneak route looked trashy but possible and a shallow river left boof may have also worked. The deadly pin
happened in the center left line that looks a little chunky but good to go while scouting. This line should NOT be run as blowing your boof could have tragic
consequences. It was nice to be with someone that knew the run as the line looked tempting and the true danger was not readily apparent.
Below this last ledge the canyon opens up and soon flatwater is reached on a reservoir where Canyon Creek flows into the East Fork of the Lewis River.
There is a flatwater paddle across the lake (go left at the fork) to the bridge that marks the takeout. It would be interesting to know what kind of amazing
canyon is below the still waters of the reservoir, but the easy cruise is a nice cool down before the steep takeout on river left. We used ropes to haul our
boats up and out of the gorge.
Canyon Creek is a great class IV run at this level. At higher water I would imagine that some of the holes get beefy and the difficulty would most likely
increase to class IV+ or an easy V. People have run this thing very high, but it would get scary at some point. This felt like a classic run and it is well worth
checking out.
pin occurred here several years ago and the ten or twelve foot ledge is most often portaged. River right provided the easiest carry, but some of our group
portaged on the left. A right hand side sneak route looked trashy but possible and a shallow river left boof may have also worked. The deadly pin
happened in the center left line that looks a little chunky but good to go while scouting. This line should NOT be run as blowing your boof could have tragic
consequences. It was nice to be with someone that knew the run as the line looked tempting and the true danger was not readily apparent.
Below this last ledge the canyon opens up and soon flatwater is reached on a reservoir where Canyon Creek flows into the East Fork of the Lewis River.
There is a flatwater paddle across the lake (go left at the fork) to the bridge that marks the takeout. It would be interesting to know what kind of amazing
canyon is below the still waters of the reservoir, but the easy cruise is a nice cool down before the steep takeout on river left. We used ropes to haul our
boats up and out of the gorge.
Canyon Creek is a great class IV run at this level. At higher water I would imagine that some of the holes get beefy and the difficulty would most likely
increase to class IV+ or an easy V. People have run this thing very high, but it would get scary at some point. This felt like a classic run and it is well worth
checking out.
A few boaters paddle the very bottom of Canyon Creek's first narrow canyon section.
A boater taking the preferred river right line over the big drop on Canyon Creek. This one was really
straightforward at this level.
straightforward at this level.
More interesting canyon scenery below the first few drops.
A boater exiting Prelude and Terminator on Canyon Creek, Washington.
A nice view of Champage Falls and The Hammering Spot. The big drop is just upstream around a corner.
Running the class II below Toby's Ledge, the last drop on the run that contains a deadly pin spot. Portages are available on either side of
the river.
the river.
Below the first narrows the river drops through many fun rapids that are mostly clean. Wood could certainly be an issue and since the geology looks fairly active
rapids can change from year to year. It was possible to scout everything that we wanted to at this lower flow, but at some levels this might be tricky. The crystal
clear water and constant pool drop action make this stretch very fun.
Eventually a boulder garden style rapid is reached. This drop has one deceptively nasty undercut rock at the top and two big holes near the bottom. Today the
last hydraulic did not seem too significant, but it feeds into an undercut right wall and at high flows it is supposed to get mean. We ran this one left to avoid the
possibility of getting surfed.
rapids can change from year to year. It was possible to scout everything that we wanted to at this lower flow, but at some levels this might be tricky. The crystal
clear water and constant pool drop action make this stretch very fun.
Eventually a boulder garden style rapid is reached. This drop has one deceptively nasty undercut rock at the top and two big holes near the bottom. Today the
last hydraulic did not seem too significant, but it feeds into an undercut right wall and at high flows it is supposed to get mean. We ran this one left to avoid the
possibility of getting surfed.
Nate running Big Kahuna at a spectacularly sunny winter day.
Prelude is a fun drop through some boulders or down a fast ramp on river left. Immediately below this first ledge is Terminator.
Steve dropping the big falls on Canyon Creek. Unfortunately, a 2009 landslide has rendered Canyon Creek all but impassable.
Champage Falls and The Hammering Spot provide straightforward drops with few consequences, but as flows creep up paddlers would do well
to avoid the river left pocket at the second drop.
to avoid the river left pocket at the second drop.
Jason sails into Champagne Falls, one of the more picturesque drops in the Northwest.