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This is the view half-way across the pool of water from the down
climb
point into the upper part of the Left Fork of North Creek. The water on this
day was over crotch deep and a good introduction to the joy of getting
wet constantly as you traverse this drainage.
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This is the kind of dry streambed we encountered between the drop-in
point and the first obstacle.
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As you approach the first obstacle the boulders in the streambed get
larger and more difficult to get around or over.
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This is the approach view to the first obstacle - a maybe 20 foot
drop to a pool of water. The streambed is completely choked with
car and larger sized boulders. It takes some effort to climb over
these boulders - there is no easy route. Scale figure was preparing
to rappel into the pool below.
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View looking down to the bottom of the first drop. There are
four routes down. To the right against the side of the canyon wall
- very awkward and you need a rope. All the way to the left through
a hole and similar gap that descends to the pool bottom. Rappel from
the anchor location in the previous image or just edge out as far as
possible on this rock and jump into the pool. We jumped off
this rock - probably seven foot drop into waist deep water.
(Not a
recommendation but that is what we did.) The hole to the left is the best
route.
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View from the top of the rock. Eric edging out and down.
If you go through the hole to the left you can simply crawl down to the
edge of the pool and as long as you hug the canyon walls you will only
need to wade waist deep around the circumference of the pool.
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From the bottom looking back at the first obstacle. The drop
never looks as bad when you are looking up from below.
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First view of undercut canyon walls. Not far downstream from
the first obstacle.
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Another view with good color in the rock of the canyon walls as you
continue downstream.
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The stream bed narrows at this point and from now on there are
multiple pools of water that must be crossed.
Some of the water is ankle deep and other pools are over your head or
too far to jump - you just have to get wet.
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Good example of a waist deep pool of water along the route in the upper
section of the Left Fork of North Creek.
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Typically the streambed is this wide or slightly wider. It's a
great adventure to go through this drainage.
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Another view downstream. You could probably traverse the streambed
on the shelf to the right in this section but once you are wet what
difference does it make if you get more wet.
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Example of a very deep pool of water. The rock is kind of slippery
so sometimes it's hard to climb out of these holes until you can grab
something solid.
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Amazing rock colored frogs. Did not even see them right away
because they are very well camouflaged by their color. Ravens
patrol this drainage by flying downstream about ten feet above ground
level.
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Continuing downstream.
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Tree limbs lodged into the narrow deep passage at this point.
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Two hikers passed us at this spot. This pool was about chest deep.
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Absolutely beautiful passage.
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Good color in the streambed.
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From this point on the canyon walls
are higher on either side. There is a ledge visible on the left side of the canyon wall that allows a very sketchy passage to a high trail around the next three
water obstacles. We continued from this point through two of the
water obstacles. We did
not pass the third or bowling ball obstacle because two logs were jammed underneath and we
could not see how to get around. We backed up to this point and
traversed the ledge.
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This image shows the extent of the very exposed ledge that we crossed to
access the high trail that passes the bowling ball. If you slide off the ledge you
can clearly see from this image what you are going to drop into.
The ledge is sloping, sandy and with alternating wet patches every three
feet over its entire length. The overhang is constantly snagging
your backpack as you crawl jamming your knees into the rock for dear life. You probably could not rig a rope but if you could
it would be a good thing. Not a passage I care to do again.
Certainly memorable.
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