Conditions:Black Star Canyon-20240204031415

Latest:	27 Jun 2023 (1 yr, 11 mos ago)

Reported by:	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Low
Wetsuit:	Rain jacket
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Normal
Time:	2 hours

Team: 1 people

Trip report URL:

Comments:

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
7 Jun 2025	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	4 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: This trip finished up path access to the NEW R0 and thus completed the new Bike and Hike version of running Black Star (special challenges). The water flow is really getting low at this point (see pic). Lots of people were at the main falls on this Saturday, but not super crowded by any stretch.
5 Jun 2025	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	3 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: My "special challenges" was trim down through the NEW R0. (see pics)
31 May 2025	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	4 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: My "special challenges" was to restore the direct hike-up trail from the Black Star Canyon Falls sign. MTB riders have restored most of the trail, but not the steep direct climb finish. That was not part of their effort since they drop down from a much flatter trail that leads off in the wrong direction for hiking up. Look at the satellite view and it becomes clear. Since it was HOT, I jumped in the pothole inside the cave which is 5 feet deep! (see pic). Also, I found pools along the creek to stay cool and wash off any poison oak that I might have bumped on the creek exit hike.
21 Mar 2025	Good	Low	Rain jacket	Special challenges	4 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: I started worked on a special project which took about 2 hours, thus "special challenges". Flow is down, but still nice (see pic).
7 Mar 2025	Good	Low	Thin wetsuit	Special challenges	3 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: My special challenges involved rappel down a new bolted line off the rock tower DCL (side with the huge oak tree), and pruning poison oak that has gotten in the way to climb up and down the center canyon. Water flow was "low" (see pic).
3 Mar 2025	Good	Very Low	Rain jacket	Normal	5 hours	2 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: The canyon was "Normal", but the extra time was spent on a BIG "project". R-bonus still has the cheap Home Depot rope for the anchor. R0 webbing is gone. R1 only has bolts for fixed gear.
15 Feb 2025	Great	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Special challenges			Willie92708 (1000 reports)
25 Jan 2025	Ok	Dry	None	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: Black Star was dry except for stinky puddles in the tunnel.
4 Jan 2025	Ok	Dry	None	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Mikeatran (84 reports)
Comment: Canyon conditions were pretty good. R0 was intact with red webbing off of the tree dcl. It might be spicy for some folks to downclimb from the split shown in the map to approach R0 so take it slow as it seems pretty exposed. Main rappel was set up with a toggle. Ended up bringing 2x 200’ to run the canyon. Used the barkless tree as my anchor for an easier toggle pull. Exit hike out was fine; some hand lines throughout and it’s helpful to have the track to get back into the creek to follow back up to the bike. Ended up guiding a couple out to the fire road which ate some time. Canyon is completely dry but likely to change in a few months (hopefully). Took the long bike ride up; fire road is in good shape, but with a heavy pack and using an untuned bike along with it being a hard tail kinda killed my back. Would recommend full suspension if you’re carrying a lot of rope and gear. A little over 2 hours car to car; definitely a strenuous ride more so with the weight of the gear, but doable for those with ghosting skillsets and any kind of mountain bike (as the ride is non technical).
5 Oct 2024	Ok	Dry	None	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: The water flow has completely stopped (see pics), except for the tiniest flow in a few spots. The pothole at the bottom of the main chimney is still full of water though. Also, I need to replace the R-bonus anchor, because I forgot my 100' pull cord so I untied that webbing to add to what I had to have enough pull material.
20 Jul 2024	Good	Very Low	None	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: The flow is getting pathetic (see pic), but hey, there is still water coming down the main falls and the pool at the base is full. The bonus was seeing salamander in the big pool (see 2nd pic)!
17 Jun 2024	Good	Low	Rain jacket	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: Flow is still amazingly good (see pic), and there where no biting flies. That is a BIG plus compared with front range canyons right now. Someone did swipe the anchor for my (beta R extra) R2 though.
2 Jun 2024	Great	Low	Rain jacket	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: Waterflow is holding in there (see pic). The poison oak is growing like crazy, but still is avoidable, however it will need trimming soon.
8 May 2024	Good	Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: Water flow was on the high side of "low", like touching class C (see pic)
27 Mar 2024	Great	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	1 people	Willie92708 (1000 reports)
Comment: Water flow is holding class C status (see pic), and totally clear. Since the PO has been trimmed back, moving through the canyon and the bypass trails is less "scary". Much of Black Star road is rougher than normal because it was muddy and many people walked on the mud, which made for a bumpy MTB ride back downhill on my hardtail bike.

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