Patterson Creek (Upper)
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| | Difficulty:4B III PG (v4a2 III) Raps:7+2, max ↨390ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Granite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 6 Jul 2025
"Looking up canyon from the Patterson Creek bridge, a massive double head wall looms in the distance. A beautiful, irresistible challenge waiting to be |
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| Best season: | May-Aug
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36.9204, -119.0753
36.9150, -119.0787
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Waterflow
Introduction
This is the obvious double headwall when you look upstream from the Patterson Creek (Lower) parking area.
Approach
From Patterson Creek (Lower) parking area hike downhill on Blackrock Road (paved) 700 feet until you reach a dirt road climbing up steeply on your right. Hike uphill 1.25 miles and 1000 vertical feet to a large open switchback at 36.91923, -119.08259 just after crossing the penstock the second time. If you reach the Penstock building, you have gone too far. At this switchback, climb the steep earthen bank on the East side reaching an old trail that continues to climb up. Follow it up 150 vertical and down to a tributary with some wildly exposed steel access ladders at 36.92100, -119.08104. This part of the approach takes about 1:20 with heavy packs. From here it's a cross-country trek through thick brush with lots of poison oak.
For the FD we climbed nearly straight up for the first 500 linear feet (200+ vertical) trimming brush as we went. Then we traversed another 700 linear feet climbing more gradually (50 vertical) past a benchmark to a large oak overhanging a 80 foot cliff face at 36.92200, -119.07954 (an additional 1:30 from the ladders). Then we realized that we needed to be on the shelf below, so we rappelled off the tree to continue the approach (30 min for break, getting on harnesses, rappelling, proceed). Once down on the shelf, we continue our trimming hack-a-thon through even thicker brush for 1000 liner feet gain 375 vertical feet to our high point at 36.92184, -119.07683, then down hill directly to Patterson Creek at 36.92136, -119.07497 where we spent plenty of time washing off poison oak oil (2:00 addition for this segment). The cross-country trek took close to 4:00 hours! A second trip (even following the same non-optimal path) would take far less as we left a hug swath of cut brush. Once washed off in the creek, we proceeded down Patterson Creek to the pour-over at the first big headwall. Total approach time was 6:00 hours!
Descent
- R0 80' off the tree on the approach
On the DCR side at the top of the 1st headwall find the nice cedar tree:
- R1 30' through 2 small potholes to bolts near the main pour-over
- R2 110' from bolts DCR to top of a tower
- R3 220' from bolts DCL to huge bare granite deck
Proceed down friction slabs following the waterflow and either:
- R4 80' ghost from a nice tree next to a nice pool down low angle next to the waterflow.
or go far right and downclimb. Proceed back left to the 2nd headwall:
- R5 180' from a bush far back DCL from the pour-over (we left webbing here) to a small platform in the water.
- R6 390' from 2 bolts (one extra is messed up and need to be pulled) to a large ledge with a large boulder.
- R7 100' from 2 bolts and webbing around the horn of the boulder.
Proceed downclimbing friction slabs to another:
- R8 80' from a tree / big bush DCL
Proceed a bit further to an optional rappel that can be down climbed in a corner DCR of water course:
- R9 50' from a pinch point in a broken boulder at the waterflow edge DCL
From here there is some easy (but slippery) downclimbing into the thick creek bed canopy of trees. This brush under this canopy is easy to work through, so don't be concerned like the approach brush.
Exit
Head through the brush, hopping boulders and going through a few pools back to the parking area. This takes under 30 minutes.
Red tape
Beta sites
Trip reports and media
Background
First descended by Willie Hunt, Ryan Fontaine, Kris Edlund and Jason Silverman