Wilson Creek

An incomplete list of difficult places on Wilson Creek...the creek is constantly changing and changes dramatically with flow and weather conditions. At levels below +6' on the Adako bridge gauge there are a few spots that boaters should be aware of.

The referenced photos all have titles that start with 'Warning'.

1. Sieve in creek middle at the 4th ledge (usually run on the right down a slide that finishes in the middle). At -5' (on the Adako bridge gauge) a boat disappeared in the middle slot but was easily pulled out. Word is that a someone was partially sucked into that sieve in their boat and they had a hard time getting them out.

2. Creek Right Sieve in Entrance to Ten Foot Falls – sieve on creek right just below the small drop below the ledge that constitutes the start of the Ten Foot Falls entrance rapid . If you swim or flip going into/over/after the entrance drop then you could be pushed right into the sieve. Empty boats have been caught in that sieve. 'Warning - 10ft Sieve' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.

3. “No Name” ledge between Ten Foot Falls and Boatbuster - many people have not been able to swim out of here on their own...recently one boater was rope rescued and revived using CPR. Downstream of Ten Foot Falls pool there is a boulder garden...”No Name” drop is at the end of that boulder garden...'Warning - No Name Ledge' photo was taken @ +1' on the Adako bridge gauge. Above -5” on the Adako bridge gauge you can sneak it far right...the right side of the main ledge has a very sticky hole because a large underwater rock pushes water back toward the ledge...the left side of the drop also has a sticky hole. It can also be snuck extreme left when there is enough water.

4. Creek Left undercut immediately downstream of Thunder Hole pool – in the “hero” eddy on creek left there is an undercut. Many boaters like to catch this squirrelly eddy but if you flip in there you will likely get sucked into the undercut. 'Warning - Thunderhole Undercut' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.

5. Pin spot in the drop below Thunderhole where there is a man made cement wall on creek left. Refer to the photo titled 'Warning - Slot Below Thunderhole'. When running the right to left slot move avoid hugging the left wall at the end because it gets very narrow...if you get pushed that way you can usually squeeze through by dropping your right side down and skirt drag the rock on the right.

6. Maytag (undercut) - at the end of the pool following Unrunnable Rock Jumble/Fat Lady Squeeze/Bitchslap, Maytag is the second major drop downsream of Triple Drop. Maytag is often termed “the most dangerous place on Wilson Creek”...while in the pool you will notice that the creek left bank is open all the way to the road...this open area is your Maytag reminder. Many boaters get surprised by Maytag. You can sneak it far left of the Maytag boulder above -5” on the Adako bridge gauge. Trying to sneak far right can slide you back into Maytag. 'Warning - Maytag' photo was taken @ -8' on the Adako bridge gauge.