Sombrio Creek (Upper)
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| | Raps:4, max ↨39ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 40 min Vehicle:4WD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Jun-Sep
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48.5305, -124.2646
48.5206, -124.2677
48.5135, -124.2876
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Introduction[edit]
Upper Sombrio is a great addition to Sombrio Creek or a standalone canyon along the Juan de Fuca. This canyon has features not necessarily found in the lower section with a great introduction some small rappels in flow, amazing large and technical jumps and a few slides.
There are a few mandatory technical and large jumps for at least one team member be prepared as this could stop you in your tracks.
Approach[edit]
Follow Hwy 14 from Victoria toward Port Renfrew. After Passing though Jordan River and into the Juan de Fuca park, after the two small bridges first one going over Lost Creek and the second over Jack Elliott Creek turn right onto Jack Elliott Main. Continue on this logging road for 3km and keeping to the left. at around the 3km mark there's a fork in the road continue to the left and you will end up in an opening.
After parking there looks to the north-east for pink flagging tape a well-defined trail will appear just pass the initial brush. Continue along this trail for 400m to reach a small creek (48.52424, -124.26296). This creek is the middle entrance, and you may proceed down this for a shorter version of this canyon.
If you continue along this trail keeping to the left for another 1.2km. A faith creek will appear on the left at around (48.53023, -124.26249) Follow beside this faith waterway down to the main river around 200m. There isn't an established trail as of fall 2025.
Descent[edit]
After entering the canyon walk down river and you will arrive at the first feature of the Upper Section.
- Jump-1, 9m! First feature is a cascading water fall that can be jump from canyon right jumping towards canyon left. You are required to jump far and land towards the white water of the falls. This section can be rappeled from a large tree canyon right.
- Jump-2, 4M! A small slot canyon section jumped from canyon left aim about 3m out from the ledge and the pool is the required depth.
- Jump-3, 3M A easy jump from canyon right.
- Rappel-1, 12M A small, sloped rappel from a tree on canyon left in flow. Continue along the river to a series of small downclimbs
- Rappel-2, 10M out of flow rappel from 2 marginal trees on canyon left. This leads to a longer river walking section and passes the middle entrance point on canyon left.
If you choose the shorter approach and entered the canyon via the small creek 400m into the hike you'll encounter.
- Downclimb-1, 4M Small scrabble near a few downed trees follow along the ridge near canyon left to navigate this feature.
- Rappel-1, 25M Find the single bolt on canyon right just past the mouth of the cascading falls. A small cascading rappel leads to an 8m free hanging rap at the end.
You now join back into the Upper Section.
Following the 400m river walk. a small series of switchbacks lead to:
- Slide-1, 8M (This optional feature) Enter the slide on canyon right at what is the main water flow. Enjoy the ride to a deep pool. *This feature can be easily repeated or bypassed on canyon right.
- Jump-4, 5M A nice jump from the middle of the rockface. This can also be downclimbed on canyon left.
This leads to a section of small downclimbs and shallow jump for around 400m you'll enter a slot canyon where you'll proceed to:
- Rappel-3, 15M out of flow from a tree on canyon right you'll find a red sling. Take care on the approach as you must cross the mouth of the cascading falls and it is very slippery. You will land in a large pool and this lead directly to.
- Rappel-4, 10M in Flow. The bolt can be found on the front side of the large boulder wedged in the slot of the canyon. Best approach for the lead is to crawl up the back side to rig from the top while the rest of the team waits on canyon right. Directly after you land in a shallow pool this leads to.
- Jump-4, 4M After rappel 4 head towards canyon right and jump into the pool.
- Jump-5, 12M about 20m down canyon you will approach a large bowl feature climb up the slabs on canyon right to a great jump spot into the deep pool. It doesn't get much more approachable than this for larger jumps.
- Jump-6, 4M!! A jump into a shallow pool as of fall 2025 there's an old core shot climbing rope used by gold panners that can be used.
This then leads to a section of river walking for about 500M until you reach a small switch back with a large log.
- Slide-2, 6M a perfect 45-degree slide into a large deep pool to begin the next sequence.
- Jump-7, 12M!! This mandatory jump comes after leaving the large deep pool and following a small downclimb. You'll enter a smaller pool at the mouth of a small falls, mantel out of the pool onto a 60-degree slab on canyon left. Proceed to run down the slab and jump to clear the gap into the pool below. (This has been done with newbies by meat anchoring them down first and last person jumping)
- Downclimb-2, 10M an easy downclimb but somewhat technical down a 10m slab on canyon right directly after the slab jump.
Following this section leads to 600m of river walking until you pass a large red cedar on canyon right. Shortly afterwards you'll find.
- Jump-8, 4M Technical Landing. Or downclimb.
- Jump-9, 5M Similar to Jump 8.
- Jump-10, 10M Walk pass the bowl on canyon left just after the switch back and find a great jumping spot on canyon right.
- Jump-11, Walk onto the large log jammed into the bowl feature on canyon right and have a bit of fun or jump from the rock on canyon left.
Once you cross into an opening, you'll see the highway bridge choose to exit there on canyon left or continue down Sombrio Creek and Join that canyon.
Exit[edit]
Once you've reached the Highway 14 bridge, walk up the loose slope to the road on canyon left.
Red tape[edit]
This area is a mining claim. ensure not to be doing anything that could be seen as extraction of minerals in the area. We currently have a good relationship with the claim owner. You'll potentially run into them mid canyon after Slide 1 and Jump 4.
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
First known trip down the Middle Variation was completed by Alex Thexton, Dallas Hordichuk, Mario Delisle, Tristan Tucker, Nikolay Senilov on July 26th 2025.
The Upper section was added on by Mario Delisle, Tristan Tucker, Tayler Van Hoe, Matt Dayton, and Cassidy on August 25th 2025.
A full run connecting upper down to the beach was completed on August 30th 2025 taking a total of 5:45mins by an extremely experienced team including Alex, Adam, Austin, Dallas, Mario, Nikolay, Quinn, Seth, and Zach.