East Fork ZigZag Creek
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| | Raps:6-7, max ↨130ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 6.4mi Vehicle:High Clearance Rock type:Basalt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 19 Apr 2025
"The approach took us through the valley of the shadow of death with bones and elk remains. More bones were found in the creek. The exit trail had lot |
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| Best season: | Winter
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45.5144, -123.6625
45.5126, -123.6590
45.4962, -123.6668
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Introduction[edit]
A tributary of the Wilson River, located on the west side of the Oregon Coast Range near Tillamook. While you have to work for it a bit (expect significant bushwhacking), East Zigzag is a surprisingly nice canyon outing with beautiful cascades and quality rappels. If an alternate exit could be found, this would easily be a four-star canyon destination (for the Coast Range).
- This creek is likely best on a sunny day in the winter. Visiting later in the spring may see water levels drop, and the bushwhacking may become heinous after the vegetation leafs out. You have been warned.
- Watershed: 0.28mi^2.
Approach[edit]
- Update 2025: There appears to be active logging going on in the area. Use caution when driving up to the top.
From the parking area, walk down the short spur road to its end, then plunge off the north side of the ridge. The going is exceedingly brushy at first, but stick with it, overcome your skepticism & self-doubt, and it soon opens up (okay, relatively). Cross a couple of overgrown road grades and, eventually, drop into the creek wherever is easiest. The upper drainage was brushy with a number of fallen logs. Head downstream a short distance to R1.
Descent[edit]
- R1: 12ft from fallen log across the creek. Another tributary (with short waterfall visible just upstream) joins DCR at the bottom.
- R2: 65ft of rope from thin tree DCR about 15ft back.
A short walk to the next rappel.
- R3: 60ft of rope from thin tree about 25ft back DCR.
- R4: 110ft from thin tree DCL immediately at the bottom of R3.
- R5: 130ft from tree DCR. Find a good place to land at the bottom and carefully downclimb bedrock ramp below. (Some groups may wish to rappel further for safety.)
- R6: 125ft from tree high DCL.
- Several short downclimbs in quick succession. It's a short walk to the next rappel.
- R7: 140ft from tree DCR at the brink. Two stage. Very photogenic.
Exit[edit]
The last 0.25mi of the described exit is on private land. Future teams should endeavor to find a better way out.
From the bottom of the final falls, head downstream a short distance, then jump up DCL onto an old road grade. Follow human (waterfall hunter?) and elk trails south about 0.35mi until the grade ends and you have to re-enter the creek. Head downstream wherever is easiest for the next 0.4mi. Occasionally, you may find faint trails crisscrossing the creek. At about 0.75mi from the final falls, the southern east fork of Zigzag Creek enters. From here, it's a final 0.5mi to Hwy 6 following an old road grade.
Red tape[edit]
The last 0.25mi of the exit following the creek out to Hwy 6 is on private land. It would be better to find another way out. Unfortunately, this might require the unpleasant task of following old road grades up and out of the drainage. Alternatively, possibly the land owner could be contacted for permission.
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
https://youtu.be/g-OOc17XKAk March 2025
Background[edit]
First descent team is unknown. First documented descent in January 2025 by Kevin Clark, Wade Hewitt, Eric Rutz, and Alex Danielson.
