Falls Gulch
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| | Difficulty:3B IV (v3a2 IV) Raps:3, max ↨100ft
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34.2919, -117.7141
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Introduction[edit]
A 4300' vertical descent dropping from Iron Mountain to East Fork.
Approach[edit]
Park at the Heaton Flats Trailhead and take the Iron Mountain trail to the summit.
Descent[edit]
It appears to be possible to enter the gulch from the top without rappelling but on the first descent I traveled north along the ridge and rappelled 100' from a tree to the canyon floor.
The gulch is filled with scree at first with some sliding potential but the pieces soon become too large to comfortably slide. After a while some water flow starts and the cascade becomes increasingly pretty with some interesting downclimbs including one 20 footer that could be rappelled.
Later on plants emerge but the gulch stays open with no bushwhacking.
The final portion of the descent is the best, characterized by beautiful sculpted waterfalls in bedrock. There is a 30' rappel from a tree DCR and a fun slide (which would be a rappel in lower water conditions). Just before East Fork there are two final rappels of 70' and 100', both from trees high DCR. The final rappel drops you directly into East Fork and is shown in the banner photo.
Exit[edit]
Hike down East Fork to the Bridge to Nowhere and then back to the trailhead.
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
2024 first descent notes: Falls Gulch was better than I hoped and I think is among the best East Fork canyons due to its spectacular scenery, playful features, and lack of brush.
