Pilot Creek
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| | Difficulty:3B I (v3a2 I) Raps:4, max ↨50ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 5 Apr 2025
"Water was cold, webbing for R7 appears to have been a washed away, and needs to be replaced. |
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| Best season: | Summer, Fall (avg for this region)
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48.4676, -121.9629
48.4675, -121.9622
48.4706, -121.9660
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Introduction[edit]
A short but easily accessed route. Its main appeal is as a training venue for beginners - both in terms of technical skills & overall canyon experience. It offers a mixture of both wet & dry rappels at moderate angles. Even a little cave to explore too.
Nearby O'Toole Creek is an obvious progression for beginners after this. Both can be done in a single day.
Approach[edit]
- Turn off the South Skagit Highway onto the Finney-Cumberland forest road [48.5055, -122.0142].
- Climb the switch backs up out of the valley, and onto NF-17.
- The road is in decent condition and should accessible with a regular clearance vehicle.
- Leave one vehicle at the exit point [48.4706, -121.9660] and then continue uphill 1km/0.6 mile until a left turning.
- Take the left turning [48.4618, -121.9628] onto a smaller forest road which after 2200ft/700m opens into a clearing, park here (or at a slightly earlier pullout).
- The route starts a few feet away.
Half-wearing your wetsuit is an effective way of staying cool on the first section while minimizing the amount you need to carry down to the creek.
Descent[edit]
From the clearing at the top, a dry slot canyon immediately drops northwest (48.4676, -121.9628). The first 3 raps are dry, and take you to the bottom of the slot.
The route has been bolted to maximize training opportunities. Experienced groups will likely combine the first 3 raps, and/or down climb the last section.
- R1 - 50' From a tree at top of the slot.
- R2 - 15' Bolts DCR with webbing, directly above an overhang.
- R3 - 40' Bolts DCL, below the overhang.
From the exit of the slot continue straight into the forest. Orange tape marks a route north to the creek about 800ft away.
After reaching the creek, walk & scramble downstream until the first major obstacle.
- R4 - Two options:
- Dry: 30' Bolts DCL above rock slab provide a dry option and a good place to practice ascending.
- Wet: Webbing on log DCR provides a wet route, dropping you into a small rain room.
A cave DCL of the rock slab takes you back up to the top, allowing for an easy but highly adventurous method of lapping this rappel.
- R5 - 50' Bolts on the back wall of a pool above an obvious mellow slope. Rap to flat area below still in sight. There is a redirect option DCR to avoid flow if desired
- R6 - 30' Webbing from tree DCR take you down the final slope. Creek then makes a right hand turn toward the north.
Downclimb DCR over a small drop/logjam utilizing the flakes on the rock face.
- R7 - After some potentially slippery slabs, 35' from webbing on a tree DCR drops you over the penultimate waterfall.
- R8 - Very shortly after R7 bolts on wall DCR drop you 50' into the final pool, with the road visible.
Exit[edit]
Red tape[edit]
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : Pilot Creek
Trip reports and media[edit]
- First decent photos https://www.facebook.com/groups/pnwcanyoning/posts/10157260996865789/
- https://youtu.be/fxBr9BWLvxk
