Challenger river crossing.

[Alasdair]

Hey anyone know what the river crossing at the base of easy ridge looks like right now? Is there any log crossing, or othe way of crossing that does not involve wading throught the water?

[AllYouCanEat]

Right now, it shouldn't be bad. The rivers are low and the cool water feels nice.

 

Here it is in early June - 2003. Brrr.

 

Edited August 26, 2005 by AllYouCanEat

[Alasdair]

ok just a little more info about what I need here...

Basically I am planning on goin with someone who has a major issue with crossing rivers due to a scary incident a few years ago involving being pined to a log. She will not cross the river if it is more than about knee deep. I do not want to hike all the way in there if there is no way to get across that is acceptable to her. So if anyones got any ideas it would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Rad]

Rivers are now very, very low so you might get someone who tells you it is knees or lower.

 

Last week I could easily wade across Icicle Creek by the Snow Creek bridge and trailhead. Normally it's 5-10 ft higher and you'd be swept to Leavenworth if you tried.

 

Other options include: Belay her across or have her cross clipped to a fixed line with a runner. Then you'd be schwacking with a wet rope on your back.

[JoshK]

Tie the rope to a tree on the side of the river you start and feed it out of the top of your pack or something so it doesn't dangle in the river. Cross the river yourself and winch it up to another tree on the other side so it is taught and suspended. Have her cross it with a biner to slide along it that is attached to her and she can also use the rope as a handline. Then you can cross back and retreive the other end. Pretty much a pain in the ass, but it would be rather bomber

 

I bet everybody is correct about the rivers being very low now, however.

[Norman_Clyde]

When our party crossed there at the two downed trees on July 5, 2003 the water was low enough that no wading was needed, though we did use the trees to cross. I bet by now it's an easy ford. The big challenge is finding the right spot to cross, since it's not easy to see from the trail. I recall that at least one member of the group had preloaded GPS coordinates, which normally I would consider cheating, but was willing to tolerate on that occasion. The trail up Easy Ridge is likewise not apparent from the riverbank, but not too hard to find: head for the ridge bearing a little right from where you cross the river.

[jhamaker]

If there is half a rope lenth between your two anchors on either side of the river, you can start off crossing like you were rappelling. Once you've crossed, anchored your rope for fixed line/hand line/ tyrolean traverse, and your partner has crossed, simply untie one end of the rope and pull it through back to you.

 

Or you cross w/ one end, partner tied into the other. You go as far up stream as you can, anchor off, and ferry her accross or belay her accross. If she slips, she is forced downstream and onto the correct shore - better than being in the middle of a handline, slipping, and being forced under water and unable to move up the line to shore.

 

Hey wait a minute . . . is'nt there a cable car in that vicinity?

[dmarch]

We crossed it in June, and it was well below knee deep.

[crazyjizzy]

Try finding "Wilderness Search and Rescue" by Tim Setnicka, or"river Rescue" by Bechdel and Ray. Both have good sections on rivers. Belays should be well thought out, because a rope has a huge potential to make things more dangerous.

[dkemp]

I understand about river crossings, I've had a couple issues myself over the years.

 

We waded the Chilliwack just upstream of the trail on our way out of Challenger in late June - it was pooled there and moving slow, approximately knee deep.

 

Or go Eiley Wiley Ridge - its kinda strenuous but boy its scenic - and no river crossing at all.

 

I'm not so sure about belaying across a river - people have gotten into trouble that way cause they cant get loose from the belay and might have been better off swimming.

[dkemp]

Oh, just realized who I'm talking to here I think you've been Eiley Wiley so you know all about that.

[wayne]

The pakistanis taught me a great tric, They join arms and sholder side by side toether and become a multi-legged team. Could believe the stuff they crossed!

[cj001f]

The pakistanis taught me a great tric, They join arms and sholder side by side toether and become a multi-legged team. Could believe the stuff they crossed!

Add a trekking pole on the outside arms for extra traction. If you are solo trekking poles add to the crossing ability as well.

[Buckaroo]

Just crossed Big Beaver Creek at Access creek this past week. Just above knee deep. A long stout walking stick held with both hands does two things. It makes a tripod which is more stable and in murky water you use it to check ahead for the depth of the water. Stand diagonal to the flow with the stick out in front upstream leaning toward the flow and crab walk.

 

Had to search for a place to cross, there were some deep places and no place to get out on the other side. The rocks were round, uneven, and slippery with bare feet.

[Dru]

When crossing any river

 

1) look for the riffles not the pools as places to cross

2) when crossing aim diagonally downstream to the opposite bank if the water is low. if the water is really high face upstream and move sideways using the tripod as described above or using a pre-strung handline.

3) if its really high swim it first before you shuttle the packs. use your thermasrest, foamy etc for extra flotation