Whitehorse Creek (Olympic Peninsula)
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| | Raps:7-10+, max ↨120ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 0.6mi Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 2 Sep 2023
"Ran the main. Flow was low but still great day with a couple beginners. Replaced webbing at several anchors and ended up linking R11 and R12. |
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| Best season: | Aug-Sept
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47.5842, -123.2504
47.5834, -123.2341
47.5805, -123.2479
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Introduction[edit]
Whitehorse Creek is a tributary of the Hamma Hamma River and originates from Lake of the Angels, a high alpine lake in a basin at ~4900ft between Mt. Stone and Mt. Skokomish inside Olympic National Park. The creek passes out of the park, through the Mt. Skokomish Wilderness, and finally ends in Olympic National Forest. This page describes the section of Whitehorse Creek between ~1600 to 2600ft elevation.
Currently, there are two options:
1) Main Section: This is the recommended route. Access is great, the rappels are fun, and this approach gets you right into the best part of the creek. Expect 7-10 rappels to 120ft.
2) Upper Whitehorse: Faster, experienced groups might enjoy this option which starts higher and adds about +6-8 rappels (short, but rapid-fire) in the upper canyon.
Water Flow[edit]
The watershed is about 1.5mi^2 with the highest point being Mt. Stone at ~6400' elevation. Be aware: the upper basin above Lake of the Angels can hold snow well into July. The best time to visit the creek is probably July through September.
- Checkpoint: It's possible to take a look at the creek just off the Hamma Hamma Road west of the Putvin Trailhead. Be aware, the creek down here is large and swampy and this is not a good indicator of conditions higher up. Expect to find considerably more water in the creek. Another option might be to thrash in to take a look at the final waterfall on the creek (~5-10min from the road).
Approach[edit]
Main Section[edit]
Follow the Putvin Trail upwards for 1.2mi (~800ft gain) to meet an old logging track. Follow the track west 100ft to a signpost (~2370ft) where the Putvin Trail continues upwards towards Lake the Angels. Instead of going up, continue down the road to a switchback. This is a good place to suit up. When ready, bushwhack almost due west about 200ft, then descend carefully to the creek (losing about 100ft elevation) on the nose of a short ridge. If you find the right place, you should be able to enter the creek without need of a rope. You will drop in right above R9 as described in the beta below.
Upper Whitehorse[edit]
At the signpost described above, continue on up the Putvin Trail (becomes much steeper and rockier) for another 0.3mi (+300ft gain) to ~2690ft elevation. At the trail's closest approach to the creek, it abruptly turns to the right (approx. 47.58625, -123.25359). Look straight ahead to find a faint user trail (possibly an old climber's trail?) that contours ahead, then drops down through the slide alder into the creek. It was a tad overgrown, but there was zero bushwhacking in July 2021. Suit up at the creek.
- Note that USGS maps do not accurately show the location of the Putvin Trail.
Descent[edit]
From beginning to end, Whitehorse is pretty action-packed. There's barely any walking at all before the next obstacle presents. Depending on comfort and flow, you might do more or less rappels. Bring plenty of anchor material.
Upper Whitehorse[edit]
- R1: 20ft from sturdy slide alder DCL.
- R2: 25ft from log DCL. May need more rope per the horizontal distance. Two stage; first stage is very short can be downclimbed DCR.
- R3: 40ft from log DCR.
- R4: 40ft.
- 15ft downclimb DCL.
- 15ft downclimb DCL. Good place for a human anchor as it's slippery.
- 8ft downclimb.
- R5: 40ft from tree DCR.
- Series of shorter downclimbs.
- R6: 15ft tree DCL over a giant rootball wedged in the drop. Rappelling over the DCR side may be safer. Some big rocks DCL near the edge were loose.
- R7: 55ft from log in the pool.
- R8: 20ft DCL from huge fallen log with downclimb below.
Main Section[edit]
- R9: 40ft from tree DCL. You can redirect the rope around a gnarled tree right at the lip to stay a bit more in the water.
- R10: Photogenic set of twin falls. 65ft from cedar roots DCR. (This drop might benefit from a bolt station.)
- R11: 20ft from boulder pinch DCR. Immediately below is another short drop: downclimb or rappel.
- R12: 40ft from stunted tree DCR.
- R13: 25ft dry rappel from a tree DCR. Avoids a chute of water DCL that the entire creek is funneled through. Descending the chute might be dangerous in high flow.
- R14: 110ft photogenic horsetail falls. Low water: great rappel from a large tree DCL. High water: dry rappel from a tree DCR.
Ahead, the creek narrows up through a series of short drops. Downclimb or rappel depending on your comfort level.
- R15: Whitehorse Falls - 120ft. Low-moderate water: use a two bolt station DCR. Using the bolts in high water could be quite dangerous as it sends you right into the maw of two overlapping rooster tails shooting out in opposite directions. High water: rappel from a tree DCL for a line mostly out of the water.
Downclimb through a short narrows to the beginnings of a chute DCR.
- R16: 40ft. Low-to-moderate water: downclimb or rappel into the pool to reach a two-bolt station DCR. Lovely ramp rappel down to a big log above a deep pool. High water: rappel from a tree DCL (~20ft back from the edge) all the way down out of the water.
Below R16, the canyon swings left and opens out. This is the end of the technical section.
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Exit[edit]
Upon exiting the chasm, exit the creek DCR immediately before a logjam / swamp. Make your way wherever is easiest, heading more-or-less due south to pop out on the Hamma Hamma Road. The bushwhack should take less than five minutes. If you didn't stash a shuttle car nearby, just walk the road 0.6mi back to the Putvin Trailhead (easy and flat). Declare victory.
Red tape[edit]
- Be aware: the creek originates in a Wilderness area, exiting at about 2000ft elevation. Power drills, drones, etc. are not permitted above this point.
- A wilderness permit is required by all visitors (usually filled out at the Putvin Trailhead).
- If you are planning to camp inside Olympic National Park, you'll need a wilderness camping permit.
Beta sites[edit]
Trip reports and media[edit]
Background[edit]
Creek was originally explored by Nick Lonstad, Zack Forsyth, and others.
Whitehorse was first documented in July 2021 by Kevin Clark, Wade Hewitt, Sean Brady, Keith Occena, and Alex MacDonald. A second team returned in 2022 to scout out the lower (and better) entrance.
Future Explorations[edit]
Between the Lake of the Angels (~4900ft) and the avalanche field (~2600ft) are a LOT more waterfalls. Descending all the way from the lake to the Hamma Hamma Road would probably be an epic multiple day canyoning adventure.
