Freeman Creek
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a2 III) Raps:3-6, max ↨150ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 7 Sep 2024
"This canyon held its water levels well. The shorter days put the exit in the shade and we were grateful for that. Also someone else used TP as trail m |
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| Best season: | May-Oct
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36.1123, -118.4598
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Nearby photosIntroduction
A surprisingly scenic and accessible canyon just up the road from Seven Teacups and Peppermint Creek. This canyon makes a great weekend option when paired with Teacups. There are plenty of well-situated natural anchor options suitable for different flow levels (BYO anchor materials). The descent consists of a pleasantly vegetated low gradient stretch of pools and small falls, a steeper section of slabby granite waterfalls, and a more confined gorge-like section just before the Kern River.
Approach
Park a cars at the exit, less than a mile from the cattle guard (there is tape marking the trail on the road). Then drive to the cattle guard and park. From the cattle guard on the road follow the old barb wire fence down the hill and into the tributary. Before too long you will approach a 80ft high colorfully stained bedrock slab that can be easily bypassed on the drainage's true right. After only 10-15 minutes you should reach Freeman Creek.
Descent
The first 0.4 miles of the canyon is non-technical with potential slides and shallow pools. The scenery is great and the vegetation is pretty open (very minor poison oak, easily avoidable).
The technical section begins at an obvious bedrock horizonline where the canyon drops more precipitously with great views. The granite patio on the true right is a nice place to don the wetsuits (if you haven't already), hang out, and snack. If enjoying potholes before R1, be aware of pour over & slippage risk.
Rappel 1: LDC: 100' from an aspen in a grassy pothole; a dead pine tree in the pothole is visible from the granite ridge. To approach this anchor, climb down or traverse LDC to it over the granite dome. A slung manzanita or tree could be used as a rappel or traverse line to protect the climb into the pothole (this avoids the risk of slipping into the falls). This rappel takes you into a hanging pothole about 30ft down; this pothole could hold a hydraulic but is (2024) filled in with sand. Climb out of the pothole or avoid it all together & continue the rappel to the channel at the bottom. Be prepared to swim to the shore here.
Rappel 2: LDC: 150' from chockstone in water-carved crack. Back this anchor up from the secure granite pockets up canyon. (Present--2024). In higher water, the slab is NOT down climbable and rappelling is recommended to avoid fall risk.
(There might be another anchor LDC using a large boulder which is in the grassy area. Rappel to the top of the large fanning, slabby waterfall about 40ft. From here rappel in the main flow on your back as a controlled slide (still on rope). The last 15ft you can disconnect from the rope and slide into a shallow pool (check depth first and warn all members of your party).)
A strolling section follows with some pools or bypasses on bedrock benches on the right. There can be some fun water to play and down climb in if the canyon is running higher.
Rappel 3: RDC 60' from a tree at water's edge. The current anchor if off a large pine tree.
Through the gorge and around the next corner you'll hear and see the Kern River.
Rappel 4: RDC 80' from a boulder on the cliff side. This is good for higher flows and will allow you to avoid the hallway; the pull is clean. There is a sieve with a risk for inversion ~25ft down the final rappel that cannot be avoided. LDC: a tree could be slung or ghosted to stay in the water course; there are a pair of trees that could work for this. This anchor is not established and this rappel would be advisable by only experienced canyoneers in higher flow since there is entrapment risk in the hallway & final falls sequence.
As of 2024 (post fire), the final falls (R4) is NOT jumpable. It is now a walk off rappel and holding (even with flow) ~4 ft of water.
Exit
Once at the Kern River follow a narrow and loose trail on a rocky slope on RDC over to the next drainage (south facing; head 'down river). Follow deer and social trails through open forest and scrub along the GPS track marked. Long sleeves and/or mosquito repellent are highly recommended for the forest in the warmer months. The ash & sand in the initial ~250ft are the hardest slog to leave the drainage and take a rounded ridge (note: don't try and stay left in the drainage but start to climb out once you see the boulders). The remaining bushwhack is less challenging If you stay on the rocks and open ground. If you are getting cliffed out, you are off track.
Red tape
Beta sites
Trip reports and media
Rappel 2 (optional):
Background
First documented canyoning descent by Nic Barth, Alden Anderson, Scott Merrill, Pete Bohler, Sara Gallagher, and Celia Hoffman -- May 24th, 2015 (low flow conditions: Kern River at 250 cfs) Scott Merrill provided the GPS track for the exit.
