Cascade Creek (Upper) (Durango)

Cascade Creek (Upper) (Durango) Canyoneering Canyoning Caving

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‌	Difficulty:‌3C2 III (v4a4 I) Swift water Raps:‌8, max ↨150ft Metric Overall: 7.5-9.5h  ⟷6.5mi Approach: 1h  ↓760ft Descent: 5-8h  ⟷2.9mi  ↓1530ft Exit: 30min  ↑934ft No Red Tape:‌No permit required Shuttle:‌Optional 20min Vehicle:4WD - High Clearance Rock type:Cutler Sandstone, Limestone
Location:	37.7467, -107.8483
Condition Reports:	4 Aug 2024 "A beautiful, unique, and worthwhile route! Approach in was very pretty and easy on an even grade trail. We started from the last two rappels on the Ro
Weather:
Best season:	July-Oct winter spring summer fall Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Regions:	North America United States Colorado San Juan Mountains  Durango

http://ropewiki.com/Canyoning_in_the_Colorado_San_Juan_Mountains_Book

37.7467, -107.8483https://ropewiki.com/images/5/5d/Cascade_Creek_%28Upper%29_%28Durango%29.kmltopo

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Reference photos

17 Sep 2017: Moderate-Low. A bit low, still fun but not very challenging (class C1- = a4-). Looking upstream from the Colorado Trail bridge in late season. No hydraulic issues at this level. Beware spring melt off.

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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Introduction

This Cascade Creek hike by Durango has lots of great press to view 8 impressive waterfalls. It's even better to descend the canyon top down. This is a great day in a spectacular setting.

Approach

From the Durango Mountain Resort, drive FS Road 578 (=Hermosa Park Rd) out of the parking lots to the north and continue as it switchbacks to the west. At the intersection with Elbert Creek Rd, turn north (right) continuing on FS578. Shortly, Hermosa Park Rd turns west, remain straight on FS38. Turn right on FS579 (=Cascade Divide Road, =FS37). Follow this either to the end or drop a car at the top of the Greysill Trail for your return.

HC 4WD will have no problems. HC 2WD can likely get through - nothing is too rough. A Subaru AWD made it with care. To get an earlier start, consider camping along this road the night before.

Descent

From the upper parking lot, hike the connector trail to the Colorado Trail and continue north 2.5 easy miles with great views to the bridge over Cascade Creek. Just past the bridge is a social trail to get below a 15' waterfall to a nice suit up area on rocks above R1.

Approach along the Colorado Trail

R1: 80' we used a tree on CR avoiding the flow. Beware of loose and sharp rocks on rappel. Reassess if you wanted to descend through the watercourse depending on water level.
The following gorge can all be downclimbed. Rocks are slippery until a tributary with water full of calcium carbonate from a limestone layer joins the creek. This will turn the creek from the usual mountain stream dark and clear to an impressive blue tint with whitewashed rocks and logs.

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  15' Falls above R1, walk around CL
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  R1: 80'
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  Calcium Carbonate from limestone causes blue water and an acidic pH causes the orange rocks
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  Calcium Carbonate white washes the rocks and logs

R2: 150' Pitch 1 from Tree CL. Rappel to a nice bench in the middle of the creek. 150 Foot Fall was named by hikers, however your rope lengths will be longer on this multi-pitch rappel.
R3: 70' Pitch 2 from rock pinch CR

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  R2: 150'
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  R2: 150'
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  R3: 70'
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  150 Foot Fall R2 & R3

R4: 75' Tree CR
R5: 70' Tree CR Ice Cream Scoop Fall was named by hikers. This rappel is a great cut through red sandstone and is bypassable on CR
R6: 50' rope length Tree CL Two-Tier Fall Named by hikers. Downclimb a short cascade by a picturesque pool, note the small potholes in the incoming tributary on canyon left, rappel the next 20' drop

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  R4: 75'
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  Ice Cream Scoop Fall R5: 70'
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  Tributary above Two-Tier Fall
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  Two-Tier Fall R6: 50'

R7: 110' Tree CL Behind The Fall was named by hikers. This rappel drops over a conglomerate lip in a red sandstone amphitheater. Pad the lip to avoid rope cuts. Photos are online of people in early season ducking behind the waterfall half way up around snow from rappeller's left.

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  Behind the Fall R7: 110'
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  Behind the Fall R7: 110'

After R7, continue downstream. Note the map, exit canyon left to gain the Cascade Creek Trail for faster downstream progress. Given altitude you might be able to hike this 0.5mile without removing your wetsuit.

J1: 10'-15' Located where the Cascade Creek Trail intersects the Greysill Trail (this will be your exit). Jump back into Cascade Creek and continue 600 hundred feet downstream to R8.
R8: 85' Tree CR 50 Foot Fall was named by hikers, however this rappel requires an 85' rope. Take care to place webbing around a large solid tree away from the edge and be sure the webbing does not extend beyond the brush to keep this webbing anchor obscured from hikers.

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  Jump J1: 15'
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  Fifty Foot Fall R8: 85'
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  Fifty Foot Fall R8

As soon as Cascade Creek opens to a meadow on the left, exit the creek and join the Cascade Creek East trail. Remove your wetsuit for the return hike.

Exit

At Jump J1, head West up the Greysill Trail and proceed uphill 0.9 miles +800ft to your shuttle car.
After R8, gain the West Cascade Creek Trail by exiting after the "50 Foot Fall" waterfall and hiking up the short ridge on social trails on Canyon Right and overland less than a few hundred feet. Hike North, then join the Greysill trail up to your car.

Beta sites

• Canyoning in the Colorado San Juan Mountains Book by Ira Lewis

Trip reports and media

2017Sept17: First known top down descent. Ira Lewis, Lisa Purdy, Andrew Humphreys, Wayne Burns, Frank Phillips