Corbett Creek
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| | Raps:10-13, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Cutler Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 16 Aug 2024
"We had a great trip during the Ouray Canyonfest. Flow is nice with a few small technical challenges. Webbing was replaced on 2 of the anchors. It f |
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| Best season: | BEST in Aug;Sep
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38.0409, -107.7108
38.0550, -107.6916
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
Corbett is a unique canyon, which carves a deep narrow gorge through the red sandstone of the Cutler Formation. With a few long rappels, several short rappels and lots of good downclimbing, Corbett is deemed one of the best canyons in Colorado.
Note: Early season slippery or higher water conditions will change many late-season downclimbs to short rappels.
Flash Flood Danger: Avoid Corbett when monsoonal summer storms may deliver large amounts of precipitation. This canyon is subject to large flash floods, which move a substantial amount of flood debris. Deadmen anchors may need to be replaced a few times throughout a typical season. Ouray permanently parks construction vehicles at the bottom of Corbett Creek to dig out the road after floods.
Approach[edit]
Drive north on Highway 550 for 2.1 miles form the Ouray Hot Springs Park. Turn Left over the bridge and an immediate right onto County Road 17. Proceed for 0.3 miles to the parking area for the Corbett Creek/ Dallas Trailhead. Note: the parking area moves around over the years based on flood debris from flash floods, which have gone through Corbett Creek.
Hike up the Corbett/Dallas Trail for 2.5 miles. Stay left at the first junction with the Dallas Trail to remain on the Corbett Trail. Once most of the elevation has been gained and just after a stunning aspen forest, stay left at the second junction with the Dallas Trail to continue. Cross the North Fork and continue to the Main Fork. Depart the trail when it is closest to the Main Fork and enter the stream.
A slow hiker will take 2+ hours for this hike. A moderate pace by someone active and living at altitude will take about 90 minutes.
To descend the South Fork, scramble up the south face of the Main Fork Corbett drainage (38.04059, -107.71102) and traverse a short distance to the South Fork.
Descent[edit]
beta updated July 2024
Updated Corbett Creek Profile (2024) reflects changes and corrections to the guidebook Canyoning in the Colorado San Juan Mountains.
Uploaded by the author Ira Lewis. The guidebook contains profile maps like this for all 55 canyons in the book.]]
Main Fork
R1: 130' from a tree higher up a small slope on Canyon Left. Some suggest creeping the rope to mitigate sharp edges. The rappel is free hanging
R2&R3: 150' from a tree on Canyon Right for both drops
R2: 25' and R3: 15' are in quick succession. Deadman anchors vary based on flash floods. These can both be bypassed on Canyon Left, but it is not an ideal path through the brush.
R4: 50' from a tree root on Canyon Right for a low angle rappel just above the confluence with the South Fork
South Fork
SF R1: 170' from a tree CR
SF R2: 100' from a tree CL
some downclimbs including a short rappel (R3) of 20'
SF R4: 55' from a tree CR
Confluence of South Fork and Main Fork
R5: 80' from a tree on Canyon Right for two tiers
R6: 200' direct from bolts on Canyon Left
Preferred/suggested: R6A: 45' to the rebelay station on Rappeller's Right after the small pothole, then R6b: 150' from the rebelay station.
Rebelay Stations are safer as they allow someone manning the station to keep eyes on their teammate while on rappel. (this is also a great place for photos).
Also consider that this canyon frequently flashes and the floor level tends to rise and fall, specifically this is noticeable at the bottom of R6.
A narrows section quickly follows the big R6 waterfall before the North Fork enters on Canyon Left.
R7: 20' from a small slung tree on Canyon Right. This be downclimbed in lower water conditions.
The following set of obstacles can be downclimbed, but a meat anchor and partner assist for the 10 foot belled out drop may be best.
R8: 100' from bolts on Canyon Left damaged in a 2024 flood to be used to set a handline for the three short drops. The whole corridor gets scoured when Corbett flash floods making it a poor location for bolts.
A downclimb on Canyon Right around a large boulder signals the start of the Red Cutler Sandstone layer.
R9: 100' from bolts on Canyon Right down three turning tiers into a deep chamber below.
R10: 65' from bolts higher on Canyon Left right around the corner just downstream of R9. The waterfall is only 25'.
R11: 20' from a rock pinch on Canyon Right.
R12: 45' from a rock or deadman in Canyon Center to protect a slippery downclimb into a stunning little narrows with a spring-fed small waterfall coming in on Canyon Right. This anchor generally needs to be rebuilt based on seasonal flow and floods.
DC 10' in Canyon Center.
R13: 30' from bolts on the backside of a boulder on Canyon Left.
Continue downstream until the canyon opens. Round the bend to the left and depart Corbett Creek for the exit when Corbett Creek turns right again.
Exit[edit]
Continue down canyon until the narrows end, passing a tributary waterfall on canyon right. A minute or so downstream is a large sandy beach on canyon left. Beyond the sandy beach, follow Corbett Creek around the sharp turn to the left and locate a well-worn trail on Canyon Left, which leads back to the trail used for the approach. Hike downhill back to the car for a mile.
Continuing downstream from this exit forces travelers onto private land in direct view of local's backyards. Please abide by the exit trail avoiding the private land below.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
- Current Water Level Assessment from Canyoning Colorado: https://canyoningcolorado.com/canyon-reports
HikeArizona.com : Corbett Creek- Super Amazing Map : Corbett Creek
- Icopro.org : Corbett Creek
- Super Amazing Map : Corbett Creek
Trip reports and media[edit]
8-10-2015. Group Size: 10. Total time: 7 hours. Hiking Time 2 1/2 hours. Time in Canyon: 4 1/2 hours. This was not a fast group. Longest rappel: 190 feet. # of Rappels: 7.
9-3-2017. Group Size: 4. Total time car to car: approx 9 hours. We lost time on the first rap where we got the rope a bit stuck and on the big rap where we used the belay station instead of going in one shot. 2 of the people in the group were very experienced, but we were not in a rush. Great warm day.
2023-07-28 4 people, bolts fixed at the big rappel (R6). Slippery. Water level was high, but workable.
- Candition.com : Corbett Creek
Wikiloc.com : Corbett Creek
