Falls Creek (Dearborn Trib),
|
|
(hike up) 2 miles above Dearborn to Dearborn
| Usual Difficulty |
III-V(V+) (may vary with level) |
| Length |
2 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
150 fpm |
Colorado Chris Running the Big One
Colorado Chris Running the Big OnePhoto of Colorado Chris by David Schroeder taken May 2004 @ 650 Dearborn
Gauge Information
River Description
Falls Creek is a great run, offering drops for those new to creeking and some big falls for the
serious creek boater.
You can put in at the second river crossing, or continue upstream approx. 200 yards to run a fun
ten foot broken ledge and some small bedrock slides.
Below here are enjoyable small ledge drops with a log portage immediately after the first ledge.
This is followed by boogie water and a couple of smaller ledges until you reach the 20 footer. This
drop is great, but has a dangerous boil feeding into an undercut wall. Be wary and set good
safety.
A few more ledge drops lead to the second portage. Find this 12 foot spigot falls (which is fifty
yards upstream of the 50 foot falls) on your way up. Eddys are scarce above this portage. Portage
on the right. I highly recommend paddling back up the chasm after the portage to check out the bowl
and undercut cave. It is sinister in there and the undercut is a jaw dropper.
The fifty footer is just downstream. It has been run clean four times, but is definitely a big
commitment. Portage on the left down the cliff.
Below here are two more good drops. The first has a sticky hole and the second is a broken ledge
slide.
Takeout on river left down by the parking area. Make sure you know where the portages are and the
fifty footer before you put on.
If you come up for this creek, also check out the
Upper Dearborn.
StreamTeam Status: Verified
Last Updated: 2004-07-24 12:44:39
Editors
No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
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*The first substantial drop after the 2nd river crossing on the hike up has a protruding undercut
finger backed up by a piton rock. This is not in play at high med and up, but is potentially nasty
at med and lower. It is in the R line, which is the meat line.
*The 23'er has undercuts/caves behind the curtain and on the R wall. Be careful and consider
hooking up a strong swimmer to go in after them if it becomes an issue. 2 people have found these,
neither had good experiences down there.
*The mandatory portage is immed. after the first substantial drop below the 23' falls. After
running this, you will round a slight R bend and see the gorge with a huge tree spanning the creek.
Get out at the first eddy on the R. This eddy is only good for about 3 boats, so space accordingly.
If you miss this eddy all is not lost, but you'll have a bitch of a time portaging the deadly
undercut spigot falls. Best portage route is to hike up the very steep hillside above said last
eddy, until you hit a road. Take it to the gate, hike down to big falls on obvious trail. To
portage, ferry across above falls, scale down to the last ledge, line boats down, huck your gear,
jump and swim after it.
*Be aware this is grizzly country and they are thick up there.