Goforth Creek
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| | Raps:3-4, max ↨50ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 5 min Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 3 Oct 2020
"Parked at the drop-in and descended Go-Forth. Only encountered three rappels. Final rappel into the Humptulips River is very pretty. Water then qua |
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| Best season: | Jul-Sep (avg for this region)
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47.3439, -123.7224
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Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
A nice short technical creek in the Wynoochee Valley on the south side of the Olympics. The creek exits into the East Fork Humptulips River and one can have the fun experience of drifting through a lovely narrows most of the way back to the exit bridge.
- Goforth Creek is easily combined with other destinations in the Wynoochee Valley. It's possible to visit 2-3 of them in a single day.
- Have your flotation dialed for the river float.
Approach[edit]
The lower parking area is the bridge crossing the East Fork Humptulips River along FR 22. From here, hike or shuttle 0.1mi southwest then turn off on FR 2206. Follow for 1.6mi until it crosses Goforth Creek in a culvert. There's a pullout just past the culvert on the right with room for several vehicles.
- The checkpoint is the East Fork Humptulips River from the bridge. Be sure it's running at a comfortable level for you before running Goforth.
Descent[edit]
Goforth Creek[edit]
Drop into Goforth Creek on the upstream side of the road. Make your way through the giant culvert. The adventure begins with a shallow jump out of the culvert into a deep pool. Head downstream. As of 2023 there were a few log jams that are easily bypassed.
- R1: 20ft. Creek divides around a large rocky monolith with most of the flow going DCL. Anchor options: 1) Scramble over the large jam DCL to drop down into a small pool then rappel out of the flow from a tree DCL. There are no good options for log anchors in this area as of 2023. 2) Rappel from any convenient log in the logjam, or 3) climb up over a giant log to a tree on the DCR side of the monolith. The latter is trickier to reach. For extra bonus points, rappel down into a hidden pothole and scramble out through a natural arch back into the watercourse. (The rappel from the tree will drop you straight into it.) Downclimb a short step at the base of the falls.
- 15ft drop behind a logjam. Downclimb DCR behind a giant boulder or rappel from a log in the center of the jam.
- R2: 15ft from log DCL. There is a chamber/room at the bottom of the rappel that is blocked by several vertical logs. In higher flow this is likely a strainer/entrapment hazard.
- R3: 35ft from log DCR into the East Fork Humptulips River. As of 2023 there is a anchor with a long extension from a suspended log. This provides an excellent pull but will likely need to be replaced by the next team as the webbing is aging. A long length of webbing (20 + ft) will be needed to reset this. The rappel is completely out of the flow.
Humptulips River[edit]
Upon rappelling into the river, the water flow level will quadruple if not more. Be ready for it. If the Humptulips River is running high, it might be possible to skip R3 and exit DCR up to the road. This option has not been explored and could be a mighty bushwhack.
Hike / wade / float / swim your way downstream through some nice sections of narrows. If the flow is good, you may be able to float your way most of the way back to the bridge. Beware places in the narrows where it narrows up as the speed of the water will increase. There are several places you can get out to bypass various rapids. Also beware strainers and foot entrapment in high flow. Keep going until you reach the bridge on FR 22.
Exit[edit]
Exit is a dirty grovel up a steep eroded chute DCR under the bridge. There might be a better exit just downstream on either side of the river, but this option has not yet been explored.
There is also the option to exit DCR at any flattish area in sight of the bridge to reach FR 2206 then hike back to the parking area.
Red tape[edit]
None.
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Goforth Creek