Kromona Creek
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| | Raps:13, max ↨70ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 27 Jul 2024
"Great day with pretty low flow. Couldn’t find some bolts. If you want a backup, bring a Petzl Pulse. There aren’t any backup bolts placed yet. R13 |
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| Best season: | Summer to Autumn
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47.9367, -121.6234
47.9462, -121.6249
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Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
An easy 25 minute drive north from Highway 2, Kromona Creek was an unexpected find. The canyon has numerous interesting mid-sized drops & features, many of which resemble mini versions of raps from other famous PNW canyons. Access is straightforward, as is exit. It's largely low-commitment with many opportunities to bypass features, but in places slots-up to arm-span wide. Features are evenly spaced down its length meaning there's no large sections of creek walking required either. On a sunny day the pools come to life with a glowing green shimmer.
The creek is unnamed on maps, but intersects the old forest road to Kromona Mine (cool video), hence the adoption of the nomenclature.
Anchors[edit]
Most of the anchors currently consist of a single 8mm Tebylon combined hanger & ring. Some have an additional hole for a removable 8mm Petzl Pulse used as a backup. Beware there are not many opportunities to do meat anchor backup due to the geometry at anchors. These anchors are made from 316 stainless steel and are rated to 26kN. Due to their design they might flex a little, however they have been thoroughly break tested (video).
Catchment & Flows[edit]
The catchment is large compared to a number of surrounding creeks, this is reflected in the creek's flow. Conveniently USGS's South Fork Sultan River Near Sultan water gauge is located very close to the confluence of Kromona Creek.
This canyon is recommended to be descended between 35 and 100 CFS. Different flow changes the nature of some raps so its worth doing at ~45 (Moderate) and around ~90 (high).
Approach[edit]
The KML is a rough approximation of the route. In the forest a route has been marked with pink flagging, but there are no major hazards to avoid on the ascent, so it's not necessary to strictly follow it.
From the bridge, enter the forest and climb uphill alongside the creek. As the creek gently bends away to your left (east), continue climbing straight up the forest until reaching the disused Kromona Mine trail.
Follow the trail a little way east before entering the forest again (at pink flagging) and climbing initially to the south-west, then heading south-east towards the creek. You should hit the creek at or close to R1.
The Kromona Mine trail leads to the creek between R3 & R4, and provides an easy way to check the condition of "Mini Davis".
Allow 1.5hr for the ascent at a moderate pace.
Descent[edit]
All lengths are estimates, and need to be confirmed on subsequent visits.
R1 - DCR 50’. Single bolt & 8mm pulse backup. Bolted to be in the flow.
Stemming down-climb.
R2 - Boiling pool with DCR single bolt, down ramp. Rope-slide, control speed but nice landing into shallow pool.
R3 - DCL 65' - Single bolt & 8mm pulse backup. Long mid-angle waterfall. Mini rooster tail mid-rap. Last few feet can be a short slide into medium deep pool.
Narrows to washed out bridge on Kromona Mine trail.
R4 - 10' DCR. Single bolt down into t-slot below. Can be bypassed down-climbing DCL using a hand jam crack on left.
R5 - aka Mini Davis. Single bolt & 8mm pulse backup DCL to be in the flow. Or a dry rap from tree anchor DCL 70’.
Optional jump: The pool below Mini Davis is deep in the center & along the far wall. Climbing up and launching from the slope opposite the waterfall makes a fun ~15' jump - just don't overshoot and land near near the base of the falls.
Beautiful narrows.
R6 - DCL single bolt above large log. 50' Steep ramp down to DCL corner. Foot entrapment DCL at bottom. Flow can concentrate as it goes down and around the bend, can be surprisingly technical.
R7 - nuance rap, from webbing around root high-up DCR.
Bypassed log jam by going DCL, reentered below to shallow-jump or slide into pool.
Slot with rock fin on right, bypassed over fin and down climbed.
Slide into 6’ deep pool, or shallow jump ~ 12ft from high DCL.
Down-climb out of pool.
R8 aka Roll the Dice - 30', from single bolt & pulse backup on right of a cube shaped rock. S-shaped carved shoot, with mid-way pool.
Mid-shallow pool, can be jumped from water’s edge.
R9 - 25' from DCR bolt, with pulse backup set back.
R10 - aka The Triple Drops
- 1. 6' from bolt DCR.
- 2. Bolted DCR at lip to allow for easy stemming. Pulse backup 2ft back for anchor manager.
- 3. Bolted DCR. Pulse backup 1ft back for anchor manager.
R11 - aka Hardhat use single bolt DCL to cross rocky pool and protect access to lip of main falls. Single bolt & pulse backup on DCR, 25' to bottom. Named after discovering a modern hard hat in an otherwise pristine creek.
R12 - Nuisance rap mid-flow from log.
R13 - aka Mini Big - 70' off single bolt & pulse backup on left side of rock prow in center of canyon. Drops canyoneer into the mayhem at the foot of the falls. As some canyoners have pointed out, a bolt DCL would be much more suitable in moderate to low flow to prevent erosion.
Down-climb slabs and exit DCL at any point you feel like. Short walk through the forest back to the road.
Exit[edit]
Exit DCL at the flow check and walk 5-10 minutes back to the car.
Red tape[edit]
Visitor registration is required as you enter the Lake Spada area. However the creek itself is on DNR land (Morning Star NRCA).
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Photos from the first partial & full descent.
Background[edit]
First partial descent 19th June 2024 by Adam Bercaw & Hereward Cooper. We returned for the first full descent on a sunny 4th July 2024 with the addition of Kevin Clark & Simon O'Gorman.