Catherine Creek Slots
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| | Difficulty:3A I (v3a1 I) Raps:1-2, max ↨90ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 13 Dec 2015
"Amusing way to spend a few hours in on a drizzly day. Hazards: poison oak, barbed wire (need to bring wire cutters next time and drag that stuff out |
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| Best season: | All year, BEST in winter
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45.7152, -121.3632
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Introduction[edit]
Catherine Creek is located about five miles east of Bingen, WA. While the creek itself is not a major canyoneering objective (see Catherine Creek, Upper), the area is notable for a giant free-standing basalt arch located on the east wall of the canyon. Immediately south of the arch are two narrow slots. Objective hazards: loose rock, poison oak, and barbed wire.
Apart from the aforementioned hazards, the slots might be a nice place to practice. Possibly be a good destination for rainy winter days when other creeks are running high. Visiting early or late season to avoid the poison oak. It is often sunny out here when it's raining in Portland.
Approach[edit]
From the parking pullout, walk east down the paved road for about 0.2mi. Upon crossing Catherine Creek, look on the north side of the road to find a cairn and an unsigned hiking trail leading upwards. Follow this path north/northwest, paralleling the top of the scarp until you locate the wooden fence that bars access to the top of the Catherine Creek Arch. The top of the north slot is about 200ft south of the arch. Looking in from above, it’s easily recognized by a large chockstone near at the top. The slot descends in a southerly direction.
The south slot is another two hundred feet or so further south along the rim. This one is as obvious from above, but is marked by several small trees inside a healthy thicket of poison oak. This slot descends in a northerly direction.
Descent[edit]
- North Slot: 70ft from chockstone. Low angle through poison oak and barbed wire (old fence) to reach 25ft vertical section. Push through bushes & poison oak to exit. (In random trivia: an escaped domestic goat was once encountered in this slot. Apparently, they can eat poison oak without harm; who knew?)
- Slouth Slot: 90ft from tree surrounded by by poison oak. Slot is tight, narrowing up to ~1ft across and may require a brief abandonment of dignity to squeeze through. Post-squeeze, the chasm widens and become easier. Beware loose rock.
Exit[edit]
- The easiest way to get back the top of the scarp is to follow the hiking trail north. Continue past the Catherine Creek Arch and head northeast into a lesser side canyon. The trail is obvious and gradually climbs up atop the cliffs. Total distance is about 0.5mi one-way; gain 200ft. Follow the trail back south to locate the fence parking the top of the arch.
- Or follow the trail from the arch south back to the trailhead.
Red tape[edit]
NW Forest Pass required at the trailhead.
Unfortunately the Catherine Creek Arch itself has been closed / fenced off by the Forest Service as a sacred site to local Native American tribes. Please respect the closure. Historically one could follow a user trail up the talus field to a point directly beneath the arch. Once underneath the arch, two additional slots become visible: one to the north and one to the south. Both slots provided a quick non-technical scramble route back to the top.
Closure order: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5352797.pdf
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Catherine Creek and Arch
