Ross Creek
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| | Raps:8-11, max ↨190ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 45 min Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Granite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 28 Jun 2025
"Full Disclosure: I dont expect this canyon to take anyone 12 hours in the future. Its a beautiful canyon with a great shuttle and fun, classic Sier |
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| Best season: | May - Jul
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37.2355, -119.3522
37.2321, -119.3529
37.2190, -119.3385
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction
Ross Creek is a good early-season canyon for when the rest of the Sierras are running too high. It features tight channels which make for challenging footwork, complemented by some slippery, wide cascades.
Be warned that Ross has foot-grabbing cracks, strainers, and rope pinches on many rappels, especially the upper half.
The canyon has a convenient shuttle option when the San Joaquin is navigable. Groups attempting this canyon when the river is high should be prepared for a steep bushwhack hike out if the exit proves unsafe.
Approach
From the parking, head north along the access road, then drop into the drainage around where it starts to get cliffy. Dropping in later saves some sections in the watercourse which could be inconvenient to impossible depending on flow.
Descent
R0: ~50’, fiddlestick off of buckeye tree DCR to drop into drainage. In moderate-low flow, you can just walk into the drainage and climb your way down the crack.
Once in the creek, there is an approx. 20' drop that beginners may need assistance/meat anchor for. Webbing could be rigged around a chockstone DCR.
R1: 30' DCR webbing around a pinch. Not visible from the edge of the rappel, climb around a boulder DCR to find the anchor.
R2: 100'? DCL off a single bolt. Rope line takes you through the crack. Only drop to the middle ledge, watch for strainers and foot grabbers, especially near the next anchor. Bypass this series in moderate flow or above.
R3: 50'? DCL single bolt
R4: ~30’, single bolt DCR
R5: ~60’ webbing around a pinch DCL.
R6: 190’ off a boulder pile DCR. This rappel might be able to be rigged shorter if your rope doesn’t reach, and can be bypassed entirely DCL, but is fun the whole way if you have the rope length for it. Watch out for a foot-grabbing crack halfway down.
R7: 80' Webbing around a chockstone DCL. In moderate/low flow, this is a mostly dry rappel into a shallow pool. This could be rigged to rappel in the flow through the slot DCR.
A creekwalking section follows, including the diversion dam and road deliniating the upper and lower canyon sections.
R8: 170' Webbing off a small tree very far DCL. Getting to this anchor requires strong downclimbing skills - climb DCL past the lip of the waterfall and down the face (see image, anchor tree outlined in red). If bolted or slung with webbing at the top of the falls, this rappel would be closer to 200+' and a more difficult pull.
Shortly thereafter there's a short drop to a shallow pool which can be slid with care in the dry section depending on sand levels.
R9: 90' off a single bolt center-left, on the bushy ledge below the rim. If there is a lot of greenery, this can be tricky to find unless you climb onto the ledge and search around.
R10: 60' off a single bolt DCR.
R11: 130' off a single bolt DCL. The final lip before the pool is especially rope grabby, rap and pull with care. It will not look or feel like it during the rappel, but it will grab your rope.
Exit
You're at the San Joaquin river! If the river flows are particularly low, it's possible to float the flatwater sections and walk the banks at any rapids to get back to the powerhouse. If you can see a walkable bank DCR when you get to the river, it will be safe to take the river the rest of the way to the powerhouse. Please don't swim in this river if you aren't whitewater safety trained and don't know how to judge the risk. If the flow is too high to walk the bank don't risk going for a fatal swim; shed a tear, turn around, and work your way up the ridgeline DCL of Ross, which will eventually return you to the creekwalk section.
Once you hit the powerhouse there's no more banks to walk. In the last flatwater section before the powerhouse hydraulics, stay DCL and float or walk in the river until you see a small pebble beach under the bridge. The currents here are pushy, but right next the bank you should be able to stand. Follow an animal trail/footpath from the beach up to the road, and hop the small powerhouse fence to get back to your car.
River flows ~7 miles upstream can be found here: https://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/day.096.php. There is often significant hourly variation, complicated by the time it takes the flow to travel from the gauge to the exit section. This is in addition to power demand varying the outflow from the Mammoth Pools Powerhouse at the bridge.
Red tape
Minarets road is sometimes closed for repairs without updating Caltrans or Google Maps. Before leaving, consult the USFS and look for a map of closures under alerts and warnings.