Bishop Creek

Bishop Creek Canyoneering Canyoning Caving

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‌	Difficulty:‌3C III (v3a4 III) Swift water Raps:‌ Metric Overall: 5-6h Approach: 1h Descent: 4h Exit: 15min No Red Tape:‌No permit required Shuttle:‌Required 5 min Vehicle:Passenger
Location:	46.4396, -121.6837
Condition Reports:
Weather:
Best season:	Dec-Mar winter spring summer fall Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Regions:	North America Pacific Northwest  United States Washington South Cascades

46.4396, -121.6837https://ropewiki.com/images/1/1b/Bishop_Creek.kmltopo

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Reference photos

13 Jan 2018: Moderate-Low. A bit low, still fun but not very challenging (class C1- = a4-). Taken from where the water exits the culvert (near shuttle parking)

These reference pictures are used in the Waterflow analysis to predict current conditions. More reference pictures will produce a more reliable prediction.

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Welcome! Canyons in the Pacific Northwest can be different from those you might be used to. Be ready for unlinked bolts, retrievable traverse lines, and challenging aquatic environments. For more on local practices, and the best way to get started in the region, check out the WCC Safety page. Unlinked Bolts - groups should be comfortable rigging unlinked bolts, either temporarily linking them for all but the last person, or using a passive redundancy method. Most importantly, if you find two bolts side by side that are unlinked, do not add webbing to them. Linking bolts designed to be unlinked will likely cause damage during seasonal floods. Traverse Lines - many canyons are rigged to allow traverse line access to an exposed anchor station. This should be done using self-belay or team belay techniques. Do not leave fixed lines in the canyons. Challenging Environments - the highly aquatic nature of PNW canyons can surprise many. Cold temperatures, slippery rocks, loud waterfalls, and strong currents all lead to unexpected problems. Do not underestimate the need for strong team work and technical proficiency. Belays are frequently not possible. Unattended gear will sink or float away. Sliding and jumping is the cause of most major injuries, so it's critical to effectively communicating water depth & submerged hazards.

Introduction

Bishop Creek offers a mediocre experience for those willing to run canyons in the PNW Winter. The slot at the lower section is shallow and unimpressive and creek walking is slow and careful due to the broken rock fragments.

Approach

As of January 2018, the road to the drop in has been washed out. Park the car at the washout and hike on the road for 2 miles. When the road makes a hairpin turn, proceed uphill offtrail making sure not to get cliffed out or you’ll miss the first series of drops.

Descent

The first four rappels are open cascade-like waterfalls. The canyon features a type of rock that flakes off in large sections. There are several loose flakes that were noticed while rappelling R4.

R1: 50'

R2: 20' DCR

R3: 60' DCL

R4: 150' DCR - webbing wrapped around tree root and limbs.

R5+: There are several (5-7) additional rappels ranging from 10-20'. There is an abundance of natural anchors and some rappels are directly in the flow of the water.

Background

Bishop creek was first descended by Doug Hecker, Haruka Clay Lipscomb, Gilly Elor, Jake Huddleston, Brent Roth, Barry Specht, and Tiffanie Lin on January 13, 2018.