Gurney Canyon
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| | Raps:11-12 rappels + 1 jump, max ↨100ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Watercraft:Yes Rock type:granite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Mid to late September
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49.4853, -122.5299
49.4686, -122.5146
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Nearby photosIntroduction
Introduction
Gurney Creek is a gorgeous canyon with towering granite walls. Within its depths, shimmering turquoise pools greet you at the bottom of rappels and become even grander and more beautiful as the canyon continues. While these pools may not always be jumpable from the rappel stations, there are numerous options to find the perfect jump into the deep turquoise waters.
Accessing Gurney Creek is a multi-sport adventure requiring a watercraft, overnight camping gear, and canyoning gear. Your trip out to Gurney may consist of the following components depending on your plan:
1. Park: Park at the Pitt Lake Boat Launch. During business hours, there will be parking attendants where you can pay for overnight parking (credit card is accepted. ~$11 USD per night)
2. Paddle to Camp: Depending on your watercraft, wind, and current, plan to take 3-5.5 hours to reach the campsite (10.3 miles/16.5km)
3. Camp: Camp at the Osprey Provincial Marine Park. This camp is only accessible via watercraft. There are several small beaches for docking and ample camping options on the beach or within the woods. The campsite has a vault toilet, impromptu picnic tables, and plenty of logs for seats and tables.
4. Paddle to Canyon: Paddle 2.1km(1.3mi) to the base of Gurney Creek.
Approach
Walk up Gurney Creek until you reach an area with granite breakdown DCL (~20 feet after passing a culvert(?) where the water resembles a pressure washer). Make your way up the steep slope side paralleling the creek for 0.7 miles. You may encounter occasional pink flagging and rope during the approach.
The alternate approach via an old logging road has not been confirmed.
Descent
CAUTION:
*There are multiple traverses in the canyon which require 2x Petzl Couer pulse anchors (8mm). Traverses should be rigged for retrieval via self-belay or team belay techniques. Do not leave fixed lines in the canyon.
* This canyon utilizes unlinked bolt anchors to help reduce potential damage by debris during floods. If you find two bolts side by side that are unlinked, do not add webbing to them. Groups should be familiar with rigging unlinked anchors.
R1: DCL 35' from single bolt or 40' jump from platform DCR
R2 + traverse with intermediate point DCL
- Traverse line: 10'. The beginning of the traverse requires 2x Petzl coeur pulse anchors (8 mm). The intermediate and rappel anchors use permanent bolts.
- R2: 50' from a single bolt. Be mindful of foot entrapment
R3: DCL 40' from a single bolt
After R3, down climb DCL or walk along a large log and jump 6'.
R4: DCR 75' from unlinked double bolts
R5: DCR 100' from a single bolt. There are many falls named Twin Falls but this one accurately represents what Twin Falls should look like.
There is a large rocky area after R5 to enjoy a lunch break while admiring Twin Falls. Beware of wasps along the sides of the walls.
R6: DCL 70' around a large tree. This rappel is out of the flow.
After R6, there is a small dam where a portion of water is diverted to power the houses surrounding Gurney Creek. Carefully walk down the dam to continue the canyon.
R7: DCL 100'from two unlinked bolts
J1: DCR 10'
R8 + traverse DCL
- Traverse line: 6'.The traverse line requires 2x Petzl coeur pulse anchors (8 mm)
- R8: 80'from a single bolt
The ending sequence of the canyon is more narrow and the flow is more concentrated. Be wary of rock and log strainers and approach and protect pour overs with caution.
R9: DCR 15' from a single bolt. This is a nuisance slippery rappel that starts the final sequence of the canyon. The rappel line will land you a drier area DCR. Avoid the DCL portion of the landing area as there is a strainer.
R10: DCR 20' from a single bolt
R11: DCR 15' from a single bolt. R11 is perched up on a slippery ramp close to a narrow pour over. Consider protecting the first person who swims out to R11 as well as subsequent team members who approach the pour over. At the bottom of R11, it may look tempting to swim underneath the chockstone. Avoid the siren call of the emerald waters and climb DCR to an upward sloping ramp.
R12 + traverse DCR: Both the traverse and rappel (if rappelling) require 2x Petzl couer pulse anchors
- Traverse line: 5' up a slippery ramp.
- R12: Jump or rappel 8' into the final pool
The last pool offers an optional 35' foot jump by "deep water free soloing" up the canyons walls DCL
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Background
The canyon was first descended on September 16, 2023 by Madeline Hwang, Joe Cruikshank, Andrew Humphreys, Kevin Steffa, Jake Huddleston, and Tiffanie Lin. The team used 3 different forms of watercraft to get to the canyon -- canoe, double kayak, and xcat multi-sport catamaran. The canoe and kayak completed the paddle from the boat launch to camp (and vice versa) in 3-3.5 hours while the xcat took 5 hours due to lack of winds.
