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: | 21 Jul 2025
"All anchors are solid and serviceable. We did about a dozen raps. Getting to the rebelay at the big drop was tricky at the current water level. The |
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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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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.
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.
Note: Early season slippery or higher water conditions will change many late-season downclimbs to short rappels.
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]
Main Fork
R1: 130' from a tree up a small slope DCL. Some suggest creeping the rope to mitigate sharp edges. The rappel is free hanging.
R2 & R3: 150' from a tree DCR for both drops, or
R2: 25' and R3: 15' in quick succession from trees or deadman anchors. R2 & R3 can both be bypassed DCL, but it is not an ideal path through the brush and causes erosion.
R4: 50' from a tree root DCR for a low angle rappel just above the confluence with the South Fork.
South Fork
SF R1: 170' from a tree DCR
SF R2: 100' from a tree DCL
some downclimbs including a short rappel SF R3: 20'
SF R4: 55' from a tree DCR
Confluence of South Fork and Main Fork
R5: 80' from a tree DCR for two tiers
R6: 200' direct from bolts DCL or Preferred: 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 to take photos).
Because this canyon frequently flashes, the floor level at the bottom of R6 tends to rise and fall, which may impact rope lengths to be 190-200' for R6 direct.
DC or R7: 20' from a small tree DCR. This U-shaped, low-angle, greenish falls can be downclimbed in lower water conditions.
The narrows section before the North Fork enters DCL has been downclimbed in lower water and non-slippery conditions, using a meat anchor and partner assist for the 10 foot belled-out drop. However this can all be protected with a rope as R8.
R8: 120' from a deadman anchor to rappel the 10' belled-out drop and final falls before the North Fork enters. Bolts were placed the wall DCL, but damaged in a 2024 flood. These may still be used to set a handline for these short drops. This is a reminder that the whole corridor gets scoured when Corbett flashes, making this a poor location for bolts.
A downclimb DCR around a large boulder signals the start of the Red Cutler Sandstone layer.
R9: 90' from bolts DCR down three turning tiers of this Corkscrew Rappel into a deep chamber below.
R10: 65' from bolts higher DCL right around the corner just downstream of R9. The waterfall is only 25'.
R11: 20' from a rock pinch DCR.
R12: 45' from a large rock or rock stack in Canyon Center to protect a slippery downclimb into a stunning little narrows with a spring-fed small waterfall joining DCR. 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 DCL.
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