Wilson Creek v4a5IV***

Highest drop 17m   (minimum of two 40m ropes recommended)

4-8 hrs

Public access

Very deep schist slot canyon with many beautiful turquoise pools and significant flow. Difficult to gauge the water level: in normal or above normal flows this is a serious undertaking, requiring excellent whitewater canyoning skills. 

Guidebook update

The grade has been revised to a5, as there are currents that can deflect a swimmers path in the water, and committment to IV, since it takes more than an hour to get out of flood conditions.


 

8 Trip reports Log your trip

  1. Matt says:

    Haven’t been down in a few years!
    Still one of the best canyons!
    Water flow was a nice medium with not much working. Walk in as fun as always with afew random tracks around. Easy to go to high if not watching your gps.
    Anchors all good but afew starting to look abit old.

    • Date -21/2/24
    • Water level -normal
    • Anchor conditions -All in good condition
    • Group size -2
    • Time: approach/descent/return (eg: 1hr/4hrs/3mins) -1.45/2.5
  2. Oscar says:

    All anchors are okay except for what has already been mentioned, many pools seem quite shallow

    • Date -10/1/23
    • Water level -lower than normal
    • Anchor conditions -All in good condition
    • Group size -2
    • Time: approach/descent/return (eg: 1hr/4hrs/3mins) -1hr in 2hrs 10 mins down
  3. Patrick says:

    No major changes from previous few trip reports. Note the last major abseil is still sinking lower with a new gap opening up in the false floor. Not long now until access to the bolts may be very difficult or impossible. You could use some bolts further back to make this abseil work as a temporary solution should the false floor completely go. Please let the community know if the false floor does collapse and please watch your step around that area. There is a single bolt to clip into to make this safer when reaching for the anchor high up.

    • Date -24-12-22
    • Water level -lower than normal
    • Anchor conditions -All in good condition
    • Group size -4
    • Time: approach/descent/return (eg: 1hr/4hrs/3mins) -3.5 car to car
  4. Samantha says:

    Approach: No old wooden bridge was seen. Go up ramp on TL of creek to reach trail. Trail was pretty well worn the whole way. Trail goes to about 860 meter contour line (unless our GPS was wrong).
    Canyon:
    1) Julie pool can be bridged by a taller person who can then climb back up and rig a rope off bolts on the TL that shorter people can ascend and then DC safely out of the hydraulic.
    2) The boil. Didn’t need to use pendulum. Instead got off rope on ledge and jumped out through it with no issues.
    3) R7 had 3 bolts. 1 of the bolts was spinning. Just use other 2, they are redundant. The takeoff ledges for the jump was very slippery today.
    4) Last DC 2m and J 3m seemed switched. DC seemed like 3m and Jump seemed like 2m.
    5) Last DC 6m on log was very helpful going down backwards as rock on TR was very slippery today.

  5. PATRICK says:

    We were most likely the first group through this season. All anchors in good condition. Water levels have been quite low, not much flooding going on from last season so rock surfaces are getting slippery (Wilson is usually known for excellent grip).

    R9 is still sinking further with the false floor making the anchor hard to reach, now probably a real tough one to reach if everyone in the group is short.

    Most pools were fine, no change from last season. No new log jams ect either.

  6. Patrick says:

    13-11-20. Wilson Creek anchors are all good, water level quite low today and the temps were warm in the canyon.

    Some small changes to pool depths, especially the one after the first abseil. R9 TL anchors, which have been quite a reach for height challenged canyoners for a few years, is getting more so sorry to say. A fair amount has collapsed under it, you can see and hear the rocks falling as you walk along the log. Best prepare for that section collapsing or becoming inaccessible in the near future. I would recommend it as a ‘walking on eggshells’ approach.

  7. Chucky says:

    08 Feb 15

    Slightly below normal flows. Only a few Hydraulics in action today..

    Fast party of 4 with good prior knowledge of the canyon;

    1h20 access
    2h30 descent

  8. Dan Clearwater says:

    17/12/14.

    Quite low flow for this canyon. All anchors in good condition.

    Party of 5 with good previous knowledge of the canyon.
    1h15 access
    2h45m descent

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