Conditions:Summit Creek Canyon-20230724193321

Latest:	23 Jul 2023 (1 yr, 10 mos ago)

Reported by:	Briwellman (76 reports)
Quality:	Great
Waterflow:	Moderate
Wetsuit:	Thin wetsuit
Water temperature:
Difficulty:	Normal
Time:	1 hour

Team: 5 people with experience level Beginner to Advanced

Trip report URL:

Comments: This is an excellent waterfall to rappel. My favorite way to run this creek is to walk down the road from the campground, exit the road on a trail just after the road bends to the left. Find a good tree and rappel line near the top of the elevation gain. I rappel into the canyon here. Swim around the corner and you will arrive at the 15 foot jump/rap. Descend that and you are at the top of Thunder Falls. The single strand of anchor webbing is bouncy, watch out it doesn't damage your rope. I'll replace it with a long quad strand when I return to reduce that bounce.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
23 Jul 2023	Great	Moderate	Thin wetsuit	Normal	1 hour	5 people Beginner to Advanced	Briwellman (76 reports)
Comment: This is an excellent waterfall to rappel. My favorite way to run this creek is to walk down the road from the campground, exit the road on a trail just after the road bends to the left. Find a good tree and rappel line near the top of the elevation gain. I rappel into the canyon here. Swim around the corner and you will arrive at the 15 foot jump/rap. Descend that and you are at the top of Thunder Falls. The single strand of anchor webbing is bouncy, watch out it doesn't damage your rope. I'll replace it with a long quad strand when I return to reduce that bounce.
28 May 2023		Very High					Coops (121 reports)
Comment: Checked out the flow after camping nearby. Very high still. Photos attached.
5 Sep 2022	Great	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	3 people Intermediate	Sri (30 reports)
Comment: Did the middle section. It's lovely. R2 is a jump, I jumped from DCR. Anchors and webbing all in good condition. The thunder falls rap is spectacular
28 Aug 2022	Good	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Easy		4 people	Coops (121 reports)
Comment: Gorgeous route with great pay:play ratio. The group did two laps of the middle section from the campground. R2 bolts are still flattened, but seemingly sound (we replaced the webbing). If someone is passing nearby with a bolt kit, replacing R2 bolts would be a great (and not very time consuming) idea.
11 Sep 2021	Amazing	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal	1 hour	2 people Intermediate to Beginner	Briwellman (76 reports)
Comment: We set a ghost anchor and dropped in just upstream of the Middle Section, R2. We skipped R1 because it's a downclimb and wanted to eliminate the creek walking. We jumped R2 and rappelled R3. Thunder Falls is one of my favorite waterfalls. Love it!! This is a great place to camp when running creeks as well.
20 Sep 2020	Great	Moderate Low	Full wetsuit	Normal	1 hour	5 people Intermediate to Advanced	Mads (61 reports)
Comment: Hangers at R2 and R3 have been almost completely flattened by seasonal flooding. I have not seen anything like it. Neither wiggled and we rappelled with no issues. We cut and packed out the old webbing for the bolt and knot chock at R3 DCR as both were in ragged condition and the quicklink was badly rusted. Next group that wants to do the DCR rap will need to bring materials to rebuild the anchor. The DCL rappel was fun and very photogenic.
6 Sep 2020	Great	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Normal		5 people	K arc (376 reports)
Comment: Combined nearby Panther Creek in MRNP with the middle section of Summit for an all-around fun day. We dropped in just above the bridge on the south side. Small shallow jump just below the bridge. Below this, there's a short creek walk before action begins. Some great geology and huge fractured blocks with deep pools between. Found a dumped computer that was full of rocks. Finale is rappelling down Thunder Falls which is spectacular and photogenic. Just below the final downclimb, look left for a mossy gully and climb up the user trail (steeep!) to the canyon rim.
19 Aug 2020	Great	Moderate	Thin wetsuit	Normal	1 hour	4 people Intermediate to Advanced	Willow (15 reports)
Comment: Ran the middle section. All the anchors are in good shape. Sad to see the campsite has been decommissioned.
4 Aug 2018	Great	Moderate Low	Thin wetsuit	Easy	1 hour	3 people Beginner to Advanced	Willow (15 reports)
Comment: Ran the middle section. Replced the webbing on the two bolted raps. Flow was low enough that you could rap in the water course if you wanted.
25 Jul 2017 Trip report	Great	Moderate	Thin wetsuit	Normal	3 hours	2 people Intermediate	Kshell25 (5 reports)
Comment: Gorgeous canyon!Water was great. We only descended the middle section. Flow appeared higher than we thought so we elected to rappel out of the water on Thunder Falls. Never did see the exit trail and bushwacked straight up a very steep hill to the road.
19 Jul 2015	Great	Significant	Full wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	2 people Intermediate	Tiffanie (139 reports)
Comment: We descended the middle section. It's a scenic/great little section that can be done in a few hours and will be good for Class C beginners when the flow is low/moderate low.
11 Oct 2014	Great	Significant	Thick wetsuit	Normal	2 hours	2 people Intermediate to Expert	Lucach (75 reports)
Comment: Very nice canyon. Did it right before the rain started, then went up to Mount Rainier for some idyllic stroll in the rain/snow.