| Description: Tucked away in the upper
reaches of one of Washington's most popular creek runs is a great
play spot. The name, "The Wheel" says a lot about about what type of
play feature it is. The Wheel is well known as a powerful and
retentive cartwheeling hole. Many creekers stop by on a run down the
creek to throw a few ends in their creek boats as a way to warm up
before encountering some more exciting rapids downstream.
Though Canyon Creek has been run many times by expert paddlers in
their play boats, this is not a safe practice. The run down to The
Wheel is pretty straight forward Class III white water. However not
long after you pass The Wheel, Canyon Creek starts to get a lot more
difficult and begins to take on its well known Class V nature. So if
your intention was to play at The Wheel it is essential that you
take-out before you encounter Class V rapids at which point hiking
out of the canyon is a lot more difficult.
To get to The Wheel put-in at the Fly Creek
Bridge and look to make sure the water level is appropriate (see
below). Then proceed downstream through a mile or so of Class III
rapids. After you pass a smashed minivan on river left, you know
that The Wheel is just a few rapids ahead. At The Wheel the river
constricts down to its narrowest point on the run so far and a
bedrock outcropping forms a great eddy on river left just behind the
hole. It will be impossible for a play boater to miss the hole at
the right water levels.
Once you are done playing at The Wheel you
have two choices to exit the canyon. The first is to hike directly
up the through the clear cut above The Wheel until you attain the
road about a quarter mile from the bridge at the put-in. If you are
lucky you might find a fisherman's trail that winds its way through
the all the downed trees in the clear cut. This route through the
clear cut is the most direct way to exit the canyon but also the
more difficult option.
The second option for exiting the canyon
after playing at The Wheel is to run a few small rapids until you
pass a waterfall coming down an
impressive vertical wall at a right bend in the river. The
waterfall and the vertical wall clue you in to get ready to exit the
river on river-left before the next rapid which has a slack cable
hanging above it. The ideal take-out is on river-left just before
the river leaves the pool above the rapid with the cable suspended
above it. Here you should encounter automobile
transmission and be able to see a small foot path leading away
from the river. Within a hundred feet of following the this foot
path you should end up on a old road. If you don't find this road
right away after leaving the river double back to the river and try
another path or two until you find this
old road otherwise you will be
bushwhacking uphill through heavy brush, downed trees and thorn
bushes (head high black berries) for the next hour until you make it
back to the road. This old road is almost completely clear of
obstructions like fallen trees and thorn bushes. Follow this old
road until you near a house. Stay well away from the house and
bushwhack a short distance uphill to get back to the road. The
bridge at the put-in is just over a half mile away. |
| Eddy Service: There is a great eddy
that starts almost behind the hole and extends quite a way
downstream along the river-left bank. I have never seen anyone who
was not swimming miss this eddy. |
| Water Levels: Though there is no
official gauge for Canyon Creek most boater's use the down stream
river-left bridge footing to assess the river level. This reading is
taken by comparing the water level to horizontal surface on the
bridge footing (this horizontal surface on the bridge footing is
referred to as "The Unit"). When the river level is just
below the unit to three inches below the unit, The Wheel is in. |
| Gauge: There is no gauge for Canyon
Creek though the Wheel is usually in when the East Fork of the Lewis
is between 1400 cfs and 2600 cfs. Below these levels on the East
Fork Lewis there is little chance to catch The Wheel in. Keep in
mind though after high water events Canyon Creek's water level will
fall much more quickly than the East Fork of the Lewis. Before you
put-in on Canyon Creek take a look at the river-left bridge footing
if the water level on the river isn't five to six inches below this
footing the hole isn't going to be good. |
| Season: Rainy Season, October to May
during or after periods of heavy rain |
| Difficulty: Expert paddlers only.
Playing at The Wheel is only for the adventurous paddler willing to
spend some time carrying their boat out of the canyon possibly while
bushwhacking off trail if they don't find a good trail or the old
road. Running Canyon Creek in your play boat is never a good idea. |
| Driving Directions: From I-5 take the
Woodland, WA exit and then follow Washington Route 503 about 20
miles through Amboy, WA until you get to the Chelatchie Prairie
General Store and Texaco. The General Store is located at the
Intersection of Washington Route 503 and NE Healy Road. Turn onto to
NE Healy Road and head east uphill, just short of four miles until
you get to the Fly Creek Bridge, the put-in. |
| Closest Town: Amboy, WA |
| Closest Services: The Chelatchie
Prairie General Store has a restroom, food, gas and even stocks duct
tape. |
| Other Local Attractions if the play isn't
in: Consider bringing your creek boat too, if the level isn't
right for The Wheel then you will be able to take in one of the
Northwest's classic creeks runs instead. |
| Closest Camping: Numerous undeveloped
campsites are available nearby (even right at the put-in). |
| Local's Tips: Catching The Wheel in
is hard to do and it is a lot of work to carry your boat out of the
canyon just wait for Bob's to come back in. |
| Local Kayak Shops: Alder Creek and
Next Adventure are shops to hit in Portland. |
