Lake Fork Gunnison

**June, 2009: Safety Warning:**There was a fatal accident here around June 6th. The accident occurred at the big waterfall. At this time some of the details are unclear but please be aware of the seriousness of this drop and the severity of the gorge in general. My thoughts are with the loved ones of the young man who was lost here.

We do not know how deep the pool is below this huge waterfall. Additionally, with the mining debris loose in the creek, the large timbers behind the falls, and the unstable rock of this gorge, there is a real possibility for something (man-made or natural) to be in the landing zone of this drop. Be advised.

Cinnamon Gorge: Where the upper Lake Fork Gunnison flows between 14,000 foot massifs Sunshine Peak and Handies Peak the rugged Cinnamon Gorge hides a giant waterfall; commonly known as 'Sherman Falls.'

Gordon Dalton and Jeremy Laucks ran this section in the summer of 2005 after being tempted by a vague tip 'received in an unmarked brown envelope in a dark alley in Silverton.' Scouting from the high road on river left reveals only a deep, dark cleft in the earth with occasional basso-profundo rumbles and a light mist rising from the abyss. Sketchy (very sketchy) scrambling to the edge of the canyon reveals only the top of a falls emerging from an ominous slot canyon; looking a bit like Adrenaline Falls on acid. The run is mainly consistent IV+ and V- drops with Colorado's usual suspects of wood and mining debris in the mix.There are lots of four or five foot long C-shaped steel rods lying in the creek. They must have been part of a sluice that ran along the creek. These things are ever-present throughout the latter part of the run and are a hazard, along with the other debris. Ironically, the biggest drop of the run - a very hefty waterfall tucked away in the heart of the canyon - also appears to be a remnant of the mining days. Whatever its history, this drop will have your heart pounding at the l

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