Highest drop 50m
Public access
5hrs
Steep, Low flow canyon, with alternating enclosed and open sections.
There is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS foot entrapment on R11 between the canyon wall and a trapped log. It is difficult to see from above and very difficult to avoid, so until the log is gone, it is better to exit on the TR and rappel from a tree so you descend well away from the log.
This entrapment caught a canyoners foot recently, though luckily he was able to undo his shoe and escape! The shoe is still in there as far as we know! Foot entrapments like this one are perhaps the most life threatening hazard in a canyon, because there is very little that can be done to save someone. The only solution would be trying to raise them with a haul system from above, but that could result in broken limbs.. Without rescue the canyoner would eventually succumb to hypothermia…
Read an article about a foot entrapment fatality in a nearby canyon
BE WARNED!!
Download CanyonTopo for Jubilee Creek
Great trip down Jubilee creek, party of 2, took us 6 hours car to car at a leisurely pace. It took 2 hours for the walk in.
The walk in does indeed require some route finding, the numerous bluffs mean it can be tricky finding the right spot to go down. We went down twice only to retrace our steps realizing there was more canyon above us. We had no gps or means of checking elevation so we were just using intuition. Ignore our tree branch arrow we made, it was not the right spot to start heading down, its much further along. Next time through I will take a GPS and try and get a good track in. Once a good route in is found, it could do with some temporary marking until a single track is worn in.
All anchors were good, although looks as though no one has been through in a long time as many were nearly mossed over.
► The log anchor on R12 was no good so added a single ring bolt on TR, which works great for now but may be out of reach if the log jam collapses. Luckily you can easily reverse from that spot and bypass that section if this is the case.
► The foot entrapment at R11 was no issue, the log looks as though it may have changed position slightly but in my opinion is no issue if you are aware of it. I stopped mid abseil to suss it out but could not find an obvious entrapment. Both of us did not need to step on the log at all, one of us going TL of the log, and myself TR, both ways work fine.
► R6 has a intermittent anchor so doesn’t need to be done as full 50m. The intermittent anchor can be hard to spot (I missed it going down first).
► The abseil off the slung rock is not ideal and could use a bolted anchor or a threaded anchor (drill through the rock fin above). I think its R8.
The lower part of the canyon is the nicest, but overall I think this canyon deserves more attention. It’s a great early season one to do, the water is not as cold as some other haast canyons, and the walk out is 100m of creek until you get to the road. Future parties could just take webbing, its possible to escape throughout most of the canyon.