Quartz Creek (San Juans)

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Difficulty:‌3C2 IV (v4a5 V)

Raps:‌12, max ↨180ft

Metric

Overall:	12h	⟷9.3mi
Approach:	4h	⟷5.2mi	↑2280ft
Descent:	6.5h	⟷1.1mi	↓1290ft
Exit:	1.5h	⟷3.1mi	↓890ft

Red Tape:‌No permit required

Shuttle:‌None

Vehicle:4WD - High Clearance

Rock type:Volcanic Ash

Location:

37.3546, -106.7125

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Condition Reports:

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Weather:

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Waterflow

Best season:

Jul-Sep

winter				spring				summer				fall
Dec	Jan	Feb		Mar	Apr	May		Jun	Jul	Aug		Sep	Oct	Nov

Regions:

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Introduction[edit]

A high alpine descent with some narrow hallways and interesting narrows in a chossy tuff layer.

While this is technically an unnamed tribtuary of Quartz Creek on map layers, this canyon descent is listed as Quartz Creek because it utilizes the "Quartz Creek Trail" and Quartz Creek itself doesn't form equivalent waterfalls.

Approach[edit]

Driving:

From US Hwy 160, drive 9 miles on East Fork Rd (USFS 667), past parking for Silver Falls to a turn off to the south for Quartz Creek Rd (USFS 684).

While the East Fork Road is listed as 4WD / HC, depending on road conditions, AWD vehicles with good tires or 2WD / HC may be just fine. The Quartz Creek Rd however, requires 4WD/HC and starts by crossing the East Fork of the San Juan River.

Continue another 3 miles to the Quartz Creek TH.

Turn off to Quartz Meadow from East Fork Rd
Quartz Meadow and TH

Hiking:

Hike south for 5.2 miles, +2,280'. The trail parallels Quartz Creek with a gentle uphill grade for 3 miles to the bottom of the technical section.

Cross the creek to the south and proceed uphill in a gully to the right of a prominance. A view of R12 will soon come into view. The trail is identifiable throughout and follows the old USGS trail some of the time and a baselayer for Gaia/Trails Illustrated trail some of the time and neither of those maps the rest of the trail. Download the GPS file.

Once the saddle is reached, descend downhill a short ways into the larger creek and proceed downstream. Downstream leads directly to R3, but another two rappels could be done by climbing a short hill. Trend right as soon as possible to go after R1 and R2. Follow a game trail initially to hike up the hill on rappeller's left.

R12 from the trail
R12 from the trail
one of many downed tree obstacles on the trail

Descent[edit]

R1: 170' from a small tree on Canyon Right

R2: 120' from a log in the middle of the stream

R1 & R2
R1
R2

Streamwalk a short ways downstream to the narrows containing R3 and R4.

R3: 25' from a slung rock on Canyon Right into the narrows

R4: 90' from a slung rock on Canyon Left for the 50' waterfall

R3
R4
R4
downclimbs below R4

The next sequence of three rappels starts shortly after a tributary comes in from the right.

R5: 70' from a tree on Canyon Left

R6: 35' from a tree on Canyon Left

R7: 40' from a tree on Canyon Left

R5
R6
R7

R8: 160' from a tree high on Canyon Right. An anchor that worked was to use a tiny tree on the Canyon Right ridge as the anchor with a fiddle stick and wrap the rappel line around the blocky chossy wall on Rappeller's Left of the flow. The fiddle stick line was then thrown to someone who had been already completed the rappel.

R9: 65' from a tree up the slope on Canyon Left below R8

R8 climbing up to the anchor
R8 wrapping the corner
R8 from the anchor

R8 on rappel and at the anchor
R9

Another tributary enters from Canyon Right.

R10: 180' from a tree on Canyon Left for several short multistage drops

R11: 30' from a small tree on Canyon Right next to a rooster tail in the creek

R10 from the anchor, R11 in sight
R10 long rope, several short drops

R11
R11
Corridor after R11

Continue down a narrow corridor. The canyon opens a bit and an escape back to the approach trail might be had to Canyon Left.

R12: 150' from a small pine stump for 100' waterfall. Because the geology is chossy and blocky and the waterfall turns abruptly, the rope pull on R12 is challenging. If a rope is stuck, it is possible to upclimb the gully on Canyon Right back to the anchor immediately downstream from the R12 bottom alcove. This may not be a good candidate for a fiddlestick because high flow would batter/pummel the fiddlestick line.

R12
R12
nearing the end of the technical section

Continue downstream through the final high-walled section and reconnect with the approach trail.

Exit[edit]

Follow the approach trail 3.05 miles -890' back to the trailhead.

Red tape[edit]

Beta sites[edit]

Trip reports and media[edit]

4Jun2022: Identified by Andrew Tanasescu; Explored by Ira Lewis, Wayne Herrick, Matthew McArthur, Andrew Tanasescu & Kati Wright. Many downed trees were across the trail -- not insurmountable, but a slow down for the approach. Higher water in early June caused a slower descent. June 2022 was a low snowpack year (16% average). Generally, July may be a better month to start planning a trip for Quartz.

Background[edit]

Credits

Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

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