Archer West Creek
| Rating: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Raps:4-5, max ↨50ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional Vehicle:High Clearance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Condition Reports: | 4 Nov 2017
"Possible first descent? Scoping out a new drainage near Archer that seemed like it had potential. Not an amazing creek, but a nice one. Some cool b |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best season: | Nov-Mar
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regions: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
45.5410, -123.5628
Search nearby locations
Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
Mediocre descent route in the Coast Range which is probably best for Portland-area obsessives who absolutely must run something when everything else is too high. Archer West is less interesting than it's cousin, Archer Creek, next door. Do not expect greatness.
Approach[edit]
Lower Parking[edit]
From Hwy 6, follow Jordan Creek Rd for 1mi, crossing a bridge just before reaching a junction. Continue straight on Jordan Creek Rd, ignoring all other turns until your each a bridge over Archer West Creek. Good place to check the creek for flow. There's a pullout just west of the creek with room for a couple vehicles. Do not block the ORV trail downslope of the road.
Unexplored. If you are not going to do a shuttle, walk east a short distance down Jordan Creek Rd and pick up the ORV trail that leads directly northwest up the ridge. Hike up to about 1900' elevation where you diverge climber's left onto the old logging grade. Hike up probably takes about an hour. Hiking up early in the morning may be best to avoid possibility of encountering ORVs.
Upper Parking[edit]
Archer West shares the same upper parking area as Archer Creek. From the lower parking area, backtrack west on Jordan Creek Rd to the aforementioned junction near the bridge and turn right. Google Maps lies to you here and says the road doesn't go through, but it does. Keep going to a switchback and head on up the ridge on Archer Rd. Road appears to have been recently re-graded as of 2017. High clearance recommended per deep gravel. Road gains a lot of elevation in a hurry. Use caution as the road is narrow and there are a number of blind corners on the road where meeting oncoming traffic could be bad. Keep following the road along the crest for about 3.5mi until you reach Archer Pond. There are parking pullouts both east and west of the creek with room in each for a couple of vehicles.
From the pullout on the west side of the creek, locate an obvious maintained trail climbing over a log. Follow the trail downwards west of the creek. At around 1900' diverge left onto an old, slightly overgrown road grade and follow it downwards. A map and GPS is useful here to keep you on track. Follow the old grade downwards past some old growth stumps. Eventually the grade deteriorates and becomes overgrown. Traverse westwards and drop down wherever is easiest to get into Archer West.
Descent[edit]
Bushwhack into the creek.
- R1: 30ft.
- R2: 20ft from tree DCR.
- R3: 20ft.
- Downclimb series of low-angle bedrock ramps.
- R4: 30ft.
- 15ft downclimb or rappel.
Exit[edit]
Continue down the creek until you reach Jordan Creek Road.
Red tape[edit]
None.
