Geneva Creek
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| | Raps:4, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:4WD - Very High Clearance Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | July-Oct
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39.0921, -107.0820
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Introduction
A mountain half day canyon with great views and a required 4x4 HC offroad adventure.
This waterfall is a confirmed nesting site for the Black Swift, listed as a Species of Special Concern by the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The swifts migrate from Brazil annually to occupy this site from late May until late September, raising a single chick. The swifts are susceptible to disturbance from human activities near their nests, including noise and movement, direct disturbance or destruction of their nests, and trampling of vegetation. Canyoneering/climbing at this waterfall during the Black Swift nesting season (late May - late September/first frost) is likely to cause direct damage to nests, eggs, and young, and disturb adult swifts enough to cause them to abandon their nest and offspring. Click here for more information on the Black Swift.
Approach
Hike GENEVA LAKE TRAIL #1973 from the trailhead parking lot to just before Geneva Lake.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5186838.pdf
The trail will T once the elevation has been gained. Head Left for a short recommended spur to view Snowmass Mountain (14,092') across Geneva Lake.
From the intersection, going Right will quickly bring you to a nice view to suit up and then to the creek itself.
The challenge of this canyon will be the off-road driving to access the trailhead. 4x4 High Clearance is mandatory.
From Marble, the path to the Crystal Mill will be a rougher and rockier section. It's straightforward to the town of Crystal; the roughest section is between the town of Crystal and the trailhead. The easier, less rocky road to Lead King Basin will skip the town of Crystal and the highly scenic Crystal Mill. A double cab, long bed 2011 Tacoma made this drive without much concern.
Descent
Stream walk a few minutes to the top of the first rappel:
R1: 150' tree CR. Get off rappel at the first large flat area 150' down. The rest can be downclimbed.
Work your way through the stream and some willows to the cut through the next rock layer.
R2: 25' tree CR. Crawl behind the tree and rig from the longer webbing loop. Downclimb to R3.
R3: 150' rock center stream. Lay ropes carefully on this 3 stage rappel to avoid sticking the rope. Breaking this rappel up would make for easier rope pulls, but would require bolts as there is little natural anchor material.
The next waterfall can be bypassed on CR. Abundant rocks exist to build a rock anchor if desired.
R4: 200' from a rock pinch higher on CR. This was set to provide a clean pull over willows. 200' is enough to walk off the bottom of the waterfall before the bottom of the cascade.
Stream walk back to the Trail Intersection noted by a large bridge foundation on Canyon Right.
Exit
Take this flat and slightly downhill trail back to the car from Fravert Basin.
Red tape
Beta sites
Trip reports and media
24Sept2017: First descended by Ira Lewis and Lisa Purdy. Photos by Ira Lewis and Lisa Purdy. Identified years before by Pat Dunlap.