Woodward Creek
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| | Raps:8-10, max ↨45ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Optional 20min Vehicle:High Clearance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 19 Jun 2024
"First time checking out this canyon. We scouted it as a potentially good canyon for beginners, so we drove to the top parking area and dropped into t |
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| Best season: | April-June, BEST in May-June
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45.6640, -122.0596
45.6646, -122.0584
45.6475, -122.0588
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Introduction[edit]
Woodward Creek is a quiet drainage on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. The creek sports a number of short drops between 1000’ and 2000’ elevation. This is another good creek for training and practice, but requires more work to reach (-i.e., it's a high pay-to-play). Woodward is similar in character to Duncan Creek next door, but has a lot more creek-walking. The approach and exit require bushwhacking.
Update: May 2020: In shuttling up to the top, we ran into a bunch of new "No Trespassing" signs along the road about 0.5mi up from the end of pavement and a hostile local. We've been using Kueffler Road to access the falls for years, so barricading the road is of dubious legality.
Update: May 2023: While walking the road, we met a couple of friendly locals (Torbin and his mother). They encouraged us to drive the road and use the trails as they are getting overgrown without use. The "hostile" is known to the neighbors as the local curmudgeon and is harmless. If driving the road, please pass his home (bus) slowly, minimizing dust, and keeping noise to a minimum. If confronted, we were advised to smile, wave, and keep moving. If anyone in the area asks questions, we were told to say: "We are friends of Torbin."
- It used to be possible to bushwhack up the west side of the creek from below to run the main technical section (best part of the creek). As of 2023, the bushwhacking is quite thick and navigation is required. Not recommended.
- Water catchment: 1.25mi^2.
Approach[edit]
Lower Trailhead[edit]
From SR 14, follow Woodard Creek Rd ~2mi to an intersection. Turn right and follow the somewhat overgrown road downwards 0.5mi to small pullout just before a bridge over the West Fork. There's room for a few vehicles here.
Shuttle[edit]
From the lower trailhead, backtrack to Hwy 14 and continue east 1.7mi. Just before the Park HQ building, turn off left/north on Kueffler Rd (signed). Follow Kueffler Rd upwards for ~4mi. Park on the shoulder at a location where the road swings north. One-way drive time: ~20min. There may be a cairn marking the location to drop into the creek.
Special Notes:
- At the end of the county road (end of pavement) is a sign stating that unauthorized vehicles are not permitted further. This sign is bogus. The road beyond is a publicly accessible Forest Service road regularly used by locals, loggers, four-wheelers, hikers, rock climbers, waterfall hunters, etc. On one trip we saw a police officer up here and he just waved at us. The sign was likely installed by locals to keep out the riffraff as there's a few private homes further up. Respect all private property signs and all will be well.
- Google Maps does not show Kueffler Road accurately.
- An alternate route is to take the old Russ Jolley Trail west to Woodward. This trail does not get hiked very frequently and may be brushy / difficult to find.
Hiking to the Upper Trailhead[edit]
From the lower trailhead: cross the bridge and bear right on the gravel track. The track heads south, then swings back north, emerging into a powerline corridor. Follow the powerline east to approximately UTM 10 573849mE 5055197mN where an old logging grade crosses the corridor. Watch carefully as the grade angles back sharply left / northwest; it's easy to miss. This grade is not hiked very often and may be brushy. Follow this track (now trail) northwards, then east. Once you get going, the old grade is easy to follow. It eventually reaches the east fork of Woodward Creek. Boulder/log-hop across at the old bridge site and scramble back up to the grade. Follow the grade upwards past a burned-out car and continue following the grade to the left which will end at a gate at Kueffler Rd. Turn left and follow Kueffler Rd about 1.8mi to the upper trailhead. The hike takes about 1.5 hours. Total distance: ~3mi, 1200ft gain. As of 2023: the hiking route was a little overgrown, but passable.
Descent[edit]
Suit up on the road, then follow a faint user trail down easy forested slopes into the upper eastern tributary of Woodward Creek (2min). Go downstream. There are a few minor downclimbs before the first rappel.
Upper Woodward[edit]
- 10ft down climb or rappel into shallow pool.
- R1: 15ft.
- R2: 25ft. Pothole falls. Anchor DCR on living tree.
Below, downclimb two rock steps (8ft, 10ft). From here, it's 0.25mi downstream to the next rappel, passing the confluence of Woodward's two northern tributaries along the way.
Main Technical Section[edit]
- 10ft. Climb down and slide into the pool. (Or rappel.)
- R3: 20ft.
- R4: 20ft from tree DCR. (Anchor requires about 50ft of rope SRT as the tree is set back).
- R5: 35ft. This is the crux of Woodward where all the water in the creek is funneled through a narrow channel with a hanging pool. Anchor on a small tree DCL probably best as a traverse line in higher water to DCR lip. Rap anchor currently around a large bush, DCR as previous tree anchor fell over. May 2023 cleaned several strainers and logs out of the drop.
- Warning: Halfway down the falls is a small 1ft-diameter natural arch (Only visible in low water.) Be sure to throw your rope well clear of the falls.
- R6: 15ft. Anchor DCR on a tree in the middle of a small cascade above the drop. (R6 and R7 can be chained with a 60m rope.)
- R7: 20ft.
Walk/slide downstream a short distance and downclimb into narrows above R8.
- R8: Two stage: 15ft, cross a pool, then 8ft. Anchor DCL on large boulder.
Downclimb DCL (easier than it looks) to top of R9.
- R9: Rappel a short slot (~10ft) with a final 5ft drop into a swimmer. Anchor is on a dead tree creek center. Drop can by bypassed DCR.
Exit[edit]
The Slow Exit[edit]
Continue downstream 0.5mi. Pass the confluence with Little Woodward and eventually reach the bridge. It will probably take ~30min. Lots of creek-walking.
The Fast Exit[edit]
Requires some off-trail navigation and bushwhacking. There wasn't much left when attempting this route in 2023.
- Just before the end of the bedrock, watch for a minor tributary entering DCR. It may be marked with flagging. Head up the gully to locate a faint game trail running down the ridge between Woodward & Little Woodward. The trail comes & goes. Make your way down the ridge wherever is easiest to a nice grove of old growth cedars at the confluence with Little Woodward.
- Drop into Little Woodward just above the confluence. Look DCR for a large old-growth cedar on the bank. Immediately to the right of the cedar is a "root ladder" allowing a scramble up the bank. It does not appear feasible until you're right next to it. Scramble up and locate a continuation of the faint trail heading south which parallels the creek below. The trail eventually descends into a swampy area beneath some powerlines. Cross the swamp to the south side (may require wading).
- At the south end of the swampy area, look for an easy spot to climb out DCR underneath a big fallen tree. May be marked with tape. On the far side of the tree, follow a faint trail directly to the lower parking area.
Red tape[edit]
See introduction above per dealing with hostile local when shuttling.
Beta sites[edit]
CanyoneeringNorthwest.com (archive.org) : West Fork Woodward Creek- Super Amazing Map : Woodward Creek (West Fork)
Trip reports and media[edit]
- Karl Helser's NW Adventures : Woodward Creek Canyoneer 6-11-16
Background[edit]
Creek was first descended by Kevin Clark and Karin Mullendorff in August 2014.
Other Explorations[edit]
The upper western tributary of Woodward Creek has been explored, but has less water and a lot of woody debris and blowdown. Two waterfalls have been found: one at about 1700ft (15ft) and another at 1650ft (~30ft). Not really worth the price of admission.
Woodward's eastern fork has been partially explored, but appears to hold few waterfalls. The falls shown on the USGS maps at 2100ft is about 30ft high, and passes through a small area of interesting rock formations.