Stephanie and Todd invited me down for their annual fall trip to Deer Creek, AGAIN. And I signed up, again, and surprised them by actually showing up! Other victims were Tom Gendron and John Hart. Deer Creek is at the bottom. Of the Big Ditch. As in 5000 feet down, and 5000 feet up to get out. Aaaargh. This is why you wait for fall, so the weather is somewhat reasonable.

After an 8-hour drive, I arrived at the trailhead just as the gang was packing up. We started by going down the Bill Hall Trail to the Esplanade, then over the edge to Surprise Valley, then over a shallow pass to Deer Creek.

The surprising thing about starting the 5000-foot descent into the Canyon is the uphill slog to get started. Wazzup with that? Here’s the trail, ASCENDING through a burnt-over Juniper-Pinon forest.

Staring into the Abyss. Is there something wrong with starting down a 5000 foot, dry, south-facing hillside at 1:00 in the afternoon?

Bridger Point from just-getting-started-on-the-first-descent.

After climbing to Monument Point, the trail drops 2000 feet to the Esplanade. An hour of hiking across the Esplanade leads to another 2000 foot descent down the Redwall Limestone to Surprise Valley. I made such good time across the Esplanade, that I caught up with the gang that started an hour earlier – NOT! They were kind enough to wait for me – or perhaps concerned by my pallid face and profuse sweating.

This is the Thunder River Trail, quite an amazing piece of work. Stephanie heading down.

John Hart at the base of the Redwall, starting down the steep scree into Surprise Valley. We’re going over that pass in the background.

Deer Creek is spring-fed, so the water level is the same year-round. Here’s the source of one of the side-forks – clear, clean water just gushing out of the wall. We nearly perished getting here, and it sure felt good.

Cactus.
There’s a short section of nicely vegetated camping-type area before Deer Creek drops into the gorge. We camped there.

Next day, we gear up and walk the 15 minutes to the Gorge. The route starts by walking around and avoiding a short waterfall by downclimbing this ramp. Bit of a drop at the bottom – we sequenced and then counter-weighted.

The gorge starts with some little waterfalls and a bit of downclimbing.

Between the five of us, I think we had SEVEN cameras going. Gendron was shooting video, Hart his double-take set up, etc. It took fetchin’ forever to get down the initial section.

Todd hiking down. Film at 11.

Tom, Tom and Todd hiking down.

Another little waterfall in the gorge.

Couple of swims in there, too. Photo: John Hart.

The rarely-seen rapping the fourth-to-last rap. After a few short raps and a bit of walking, we come to the final rap sequence. This is a two-stage rappel next to two waterfalls, with a bit of a swim in-between.

Tom Gendron rapping the third-to-last rappel.

Uh, what? You wanted pictures of the BIG RAPPEL?

Not yet. We head back to the top for a little lunch and to cut another lap through the canyon.

That’s better!

The Emperor rappelling the big falls. (Photo: John Hart) There is a wonderful view platform next to the waterfall.

Closeup of me!!! (Photo: John Hart)

And a really bad scan of Todd Martin rapping the final falls. Length: about 180 feet. Right next to the waterfall – very European.

Okay, two laps is good. Now all that’s left is to get out!
We cooked dinner and hung out until two hours before dark, then started the hump out, camping in Surprise Valley.

Got up really early and started walking. I ran out in front, and promptly got lost, refinding the trail and losing an hour.

Partway up the final hump, Esplanade below, the real canyon below that.

First glimpse of the cars. Remember that hike uphill to start? It means you have to hike downhill and across the edge a long way to get to back to the trailhead.

Closer. Up steeply in the hot sun.

And across the ghost forest. C’mon, they could have built the road out here.

And finally to the cars. Yeah!

Actually, I had a full quart of water left at the car. Okay, hop in the car, drive dirt roads for a bit, stop at the Lodge for a Ice Cream Shake. Then a wee little drive to North Wash for Yo Fest.