Conditions:Fools Canyon (Olympic Peninsula)-20220926234424

Latest:	23 Jul 2022 (2 yrs, 10 mos ago)

Reported by:	Korey (66 reports)
Quality:	Good
Waterflow:	Moderate
Wetsuit:	Full wetsuit
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Nontechnical
Time:	3 hours

Team:

Trip report URL:

Comments: Flow was moderate, but water still cold. Rapids were easier to navigate around, but the down climb around the dam at the end was still sketchy, but more doable than in high flow. Unfortunately lost the rope and rope bag I'd brought along just in case under a rock in the first pool on the down climb, and decided it wasn't worth risking entering the hydraulic to retrieve it, and decided to go back later when the flow was lower and see it if it had reappeared. Let my mistake serve as a warning that although this canyon is nontechnical, the dam at the end creates some dangerous hydraulics that require caution.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
23 Jul 2022	Good	Moderate	Full wetsuit	Nontechnical	3 hours		Korey (66 reports)
Comment: Flow was moderate, but water still cold. Rapids were easier to navigate around, but the down climb around the dam at the end was still sketchy, but more doable than in high flow. Unfortunately lost the rope and rope bag I'd brought along just in case under a rock in the first pool on the down climb, and decided it wasn't worth risking entering the hydraulic to retrieve it, and decided to go back later when the flow was lower and see it if it had reappeared. Let my mistake serve as a warning that although this canyon is nontechnical, the dam at the end creates some dangerous hydraulics that require caution.
9 Jul 2022	Great	Moderate High	Full wetsuit	Nontechnical	3 hours		Korey (66 reports)
Comment: Approach was easy and short, water was flowing strong and cold. A mellow creek stomp up until the two rivers meet and it drops into the first narrows. A lot of slick scrambles around sets of rapids, but very doable. Water was very cold and I was grateful for my 6/5mm wetsuit. The narrows in this canyon are deep and spectacular and full of deep, crystals clear water. the crux of the trip was the rock and deadfall damn at the end. With the flow as high as it was the DCL down climb did not look like a wise option and I opted for a down climb through and over the deadfall which was its own adventure. Once over that it was an easy walk/float to the end with a great spot to do some jumps from the side right before the canyon totally widens out again. Any sign of an exit trail is totally gone since this canyon is rarely travelled and I opted for a straight up hill bushwhack to the road.
27 Jun 2021	Great	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Nontechnical	3 hours	1 people Advanced	Coops (121 reports)
Comment: Solo trip to escape the forecasted 110F heat. Despite the baking sun, the water was still cold. Not sure this route should ever be done without one! As previously reported the creek-bed rocks are as slippery as hell, and just getting to the start of the canyon proper made me wish for some hiking poles! Given the lack of recent reports, I carried a short rope & harness, which remained in the bag all day. Once in the canyon there were no problematic obstacles to report. Some of the constrictions are pushy (but if I wasn't solo I'd probably call them "fun" instead). All of the rapids can be bypassed. I don't think any of them were jump-able (I lowered myself into some expecting to find a deep pool, but found thigh-deep water instead). However where the water runs slower & deeper lots of the canyon walls looked like great jumping spots. The large land-slide damn is still in place and can be passed easily DCL. I couldn't find the drainage marking the start of the suggested exit route, so bushwhacked directly uphill from the exit of the final pool. A little steep in places, but its not that long until the slope dramatically levels-off to a plateau, with only a short mellower climb up to the road from there. Taking the canyon cautiously, plus exit faff, and hiking the road, was 3.5 hrs total.
19 Sep 2020	Great	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Nontechnical	4 hours	2 people	K arc (377 reports),Norhex (24 reports)
Comment: Easy approach with option to shuttle, easy exit. A fun nontechnical float day. Water was noticeably colder than other canyons in the area the same weekend. Bring extra flotation. Very slick creek walking with ankle biters. Excellent narrows and carved out walls. Some big jump potential. Brought a rope just in case but didn’t need it. Ran this the day after Rock Creek, made a good combo.