Quartzville Creek, OR
Location - Northwest of Sweet Home, OR
Difficulty - Class IV-IV+ Length - 5 miles
Level - 1,400 cfs Date - November 2006
Difficulty - Class IV-IV+ Length - 5 miles
Level - 1,400 cfs Date - November 2006
Dan at the bottom of Corkscrew on Upper Quartzville Creek.
A bunch of boaters run through Corkscrew. The stretch seen here is typical of the creek.
Crystal Clear water and big trees combine with classic rapids to make a run down
Quartzville a treat.
Quartzville a treat.
A few easy rapids are framed by old growth spruce on Quartzville Creek.
Quartzville Creek lies thirty miles up a forest service road above Green Peter
Reservoir in the western Cascades of Oregon. The put in is at almost three
thousand feet so for much of the paddling season the road is snowed in,
limiting runs to the fall and spring.
The run features many outstanding class IV and IV+ rapids. The crystal clear
water and old growth trees towering above the river make a run down this
creek spectacular. On our runs down Quartzville this fall wood was not an
issue and everything was run. The very first rapid sets the tone for the day
with a steep boulder garden leading to a nice ledge. Lots of boat scoutable
rapids follow and the run can be lapped easily.
The one class V rapid on Quartzville Creek comes after passing the broken
bridge rapids and it is easily recognized by vertical cliff walls rising above the
river and a horizon line. Double Dip is a double ledge drop with a sweet
looking boof at the top leading to a slot dropping about ten feet into a walled
in hole with a bad boil. The hydraulic is severe enough that most people
carry this drop although I have seen it run successfully at low flows several
times. Still, none of the paddlers I saw run Double Dip made it look smooth
and easy.
Below the upper run Quartzville continues over many class III ledges and the
lower run produces fun big water with one class IV+ canyon at high flows.
Reservoir in the western Cascades of Oregon. The put in is at almost three
thousand feet so for much of the paddling season the road is snowed in,
limiting runs to the fall and spring.
The run features many outstanding class IV and IV+ rapids. The crystal clear
water and old growth trees towering above the river make a run down this
creek spectacular. On our runs down Quartzville this fall wood was not an
issue and everything was run. The very first rapid sets the tone for the day
with a steep boulder garden leading to a nice ledge. Lots of boat scoutable
rapids follow and the run can be lapped easily.
The one class V rapid on Quartzville Creek comes after passing the broken
bridge rapids and it is easily recognized by vertical cliff walls rising above the
river and a horizon line. Double Dip is a double ledge drop with a sweet
looking boof at the top leading to a slot dropping about ten feet into a walled
in hole with a bad boil. The hydraulic is severe enough that most people
carry this drop although I have seen it run successfully at low flows several
times. Still, none of the paddlers I saw run Double Dip made it look smooth
and easy.
Below the upper run Quartzville continues over many class III ledges and the
lower run produces fun big water with one class IV+ canyon at high flows.
Eric nailing the line at the bottom of Technical Difficulties, a boulder garden into this fun ledge.
Photo by Scott Abla
Photo by Scott Abla
Immediately below Technical Difficulties is The Grocker, an easy slide on river left pictures here or
a twisty channel into a great boof that is not in this picture.
Photo by Scott Abla
a twisty channel into a great boof that is not in this picture.
Photo by Scott Abla
Another shot of the Grocker, a fun drop on Upper Quartzville Creek.
Photo by Scott Abla
Photo by Scott Abla
Here I am showing off some terrible technique on a great drop in the really fun first mile of upper
Quatrzville Creek. Photo by Scott Abla
Quatrzville Creek. Photo by Scott Abla