Conditions:Dingford Creek-20200908180703

Latest:	7 Sep 2020 (4 yrs, 8 mos ago)

Reported by:	Blueshade (55 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Moderate Low
Wetsuit:	Thin wetsuit
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Normal
Time: ":20" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.	4 hours

Team: 3 people with experience level Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: Descended with the gauge reading about 150cfs. Still decent flow for "relatively low" conditions. Maybe not "sporty" but still plenty of flow to make it interesting. Just FYI for anyone on the newer side considering dropping in at 300 or 400+cfs. Although it sounds like flows may not be representative of the gauge?

More importantly, this canyon has had a reputation for and continues to be talked about as a fun "waterpark." This is not only largely inaccurate but disingenuous and dangerous. I can attest from personal experience in 2019 going into it with an "everything is play time" attitude and broke my leg nearly at the top of the canyon on a minor drop. Just from what I've heard myself in 2020, there have been at least four minor injuries in this canyon.

THIS IS NOT A WATERPARK. Many of the pools are NOT deep and wide. Boulders and ledges in many pools are numerous and frequent. There are slippery spots. Jumping or sliding in the wrong place or using poor form could easily lead to injury. (And all the more difficult to read at higher flows with more whitewater.) In addition, this canyon has downclimbing that may be difficult and intimidating for newer canyoneers. A slip could be disastrous, especially at higher flows.

Please don't be lulled into a cavalier attitude in this canyon by those not warning of the risks or going in to only maximize fun.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
21 Sep 2024	Great	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	5 people	Coops (121 reports),Kirbside (96 reports),AdamOtter (52 reports)
Comment: Great day in Dingford! Flow was still relatively high for this late in the season. Overall water conditions were moderate but brutally cold. Time includes lapping the big slide 5 times but bailing after the Chunderdome (at which we set up a guided rappel). By the time we finished the Chunderdome rappel we had a party member who was pre-hypothermic so we exited by scrambling up a chute DCR.
2 Aug 2024	Amazing	Moderate High	Full wetsuit			5 people Intermediate to Advanced	Sri (30 reports)
Comment: The flow was somewhat spicy, especially in the chunderdome and the last rappel. No hydraulic dangers to worry about. The flow was about 270cfs at middle fork Tanner.
28 Jul 2024	Amazing	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	3 people	Natureboytimflair (68 reports)
14 Jul 2024	Amazing	Very High	Full wetsuit	Advanced	4 hours	3 people Intermediate to Advanced	Andrewsandstrom (46 reports)
Comment: Big water dropping quickly. This is not a waterpark, there are very specific routes and there should alway be someone in your party who has done the canyon before, because the beta can not be so exact. I am alway open if you need a person. Today, flow 550, all bolts good, but skipped the bottom 4 rappels, due to time and Thrill Vs risk. The waterslides were very pushy, trying to take you over the next lip. Two logs in Chunderdome, One completely sideways at the top, blocking wet route. Whoever removes them need to make sure they do not drop in and block the wet route channel. I reset the webbing up on DCL for dryish route.
27 Aug 2023	Great	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Normal	6 hours	5 people Brand new to Intermediate	Korey (65 reports)
Comment: Great water park of a canyon. Super fun day, even if flow was a bit low. Chunderdome was quite mild.
2 Aug 2023	Great	Moderate	Thin wetsuit	Normal	6 hours	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	Canyonero (4 reports)
Comment: Good run through a great canyon as always. Beta for R13 at the Toaster says not to jump but if you down climb through the tight sections in the flow (highly recommended in manageable conditions) our entire party was easily able to do a short canyon butt flop into the pool below R13 without issue and entirely bypass the rappel. Also recommend not underestimating the Chunderdome if utilizing the “in the flow” rap. It’s impossible to see your foot placements and the volume of water in the rappel line is not to be trifled with. There’s also several foot traps that 3 out of 4 of us found by stepping into them during the rappel. Could easily break an ankle/entrap someone in higher flow. Otherwise all bolts are good and the canyon is still a classic.
15 Jul 2023	Amazing	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	6 hours	8 people Intermediate to Advanced	Andrewsandstrom (46 reports)
Comment: Lost a 1/3 of the flow in one week. Less pushy, everything still good, but less surfing on some of the rappels. Was planning on doing mineral creek, but the road was closed, so did the turn around to here. Fun fun canyon. saw other groups in but they stayed just ahead.
8 Jul 2023	Amazing	High	Full wetsuit	Special challenges	5 hours	9 people Beginner to Expert	Andrewsandstrom (46 reports)
Comment: All bolts fixed and good. All pools look clean, but always check. updated beta for couple new bolts put in last year. Ran the heart of dragon chute and chunderdome. Fun, fun. Great group of canyoneers.
16 Sep 2022	Good	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Normal	7 hours	3 people	Coops (121 reports)
Comment: 120cfs on the gauge, the lowest I've run it. Many pools felt shallow, but constrictions still had force to be weary of. Expected Chunderdome to be much milder, but it still had chunder to it. (Note, despite the gap in trip reports, many 10s of people have run the canyon since July).
25 Jul 2022	Great	Very High	Full wetsuit	Advanced	4 hours	5 people Intermediate to Expert	Tiffanie (139 reports)
Comment: We only ran about 75% of Dingford. Middle fork snoqualmie gage at 574 cfs. This is still extremely high flow and you should only go with those who know the canyon intimately and leaders who are expers in white water canyoning environments (different than just white water rafting or any other sport involving turbulent water). Lots of avoidance, sketchy pool crossings, high risk of getting swept over if obstacles are not properly protected and lots of planning ahead. We avoided the Chunderdome by using the bolts DCR. Make sure to protect any pool crossing!
26 Sep 2021	Great	Moderate High	Full wetsuit	Normal	5 hours	7 people Beginner to Expert	Ecakiryan (12 reports)
Comment: Fantastic day an quiet possibly the last of the season for Dingford. Middle Fork gauge was at 233. The water was on the high side of moderate, but did not cause any challenges, however, we did utilize hand lines using present bolts for two rappels. All the usual jumps and slides were good.
20 Aug 2021	Great	Moderate Low			4 hours	2 people Intermediate to Advanced	Coops (121 reports)
Comment: Back again. Cool & cloudy weather meant we opted to keep moving all day. Ended up completing the whole technical section in 3.5hrs; a total of 4.5hr overall. Gauge at 180cfs. Flows & pool depths definitely lower than earlier in the month, but no impact on the jumps & slides we usually do.
18 Aug 2021	Great	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	4 hours	4 people Intermediate to Expert	Mads (61 reports)
14 Aug 2021	Amazing	Moderate		Normal	5 hours	4 people Advanced	Coops (121 reports)
Comment: Fast trip - 10.15am departure from trailhead, messing around in the final pool by 3.15pm. Great moderate fun flows & great low hassle day, despite the heat & smoke.
14 Aug 2021	Great	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Normal	6 hours	9 people Beginner to Advanced	Andrewsandstrom (46 reports)
Comment: Still a little smoky, Verified a couple rappels can be slides also. Will update Beta. Ran the wet and dry routes with this big group based on each persons preferences. All pulls good. Recovered non floating back pack out of final pool. Great day. Going back in on the 17th

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