rcwild
10-15-2009, 11:20 AM
A fun wet canyon near Breckenridge that includes relics of mining history and many small waterfalls to rappel.
Rating: 3C II
Time Required:
Longest Rappel:
Permit Information
No permits needed.
Camping/Lodging
Abundant campgrounds and hotels nearby Breckenridge.
Preferred Season
August/September
Water Concerns
Water levels can be high, and the water is cold. High water levels will cover some natural anchors. If that is the case you will have to be creative with anchoring; fortunately you can also bypass most of the drops.
Special Challenges
Equipment Suggestions
One 60m Rope, webbing, and quicklinks. You may need to put bolts in during high water (or better yet, hike around those drops). Full wet suit is a must. Neoprene gloves and socks highly recommended.
Topographic Maps
USGS Breckenridge Quad
Directions to Trailhead
To get there, drive to the ski town of Breckenridge. Continue on Highway 9 (Main Street in Breckenridge) south of town. From the last light in town (Broken Lance, as of this writing), drive 1.9 miles to Spruce Creek Road, in the small residential town of Blue River, on the right. On the left is Goose Pasture Tarn, an obvious reservoir. Turn right onto Spruce Creek Road. After 0.2 miles, you will come to a T intersection. Turn left. Follow Spruce Creek Road for 0.9 miles to the lower trailhead. If you have a high clearance or 4wd vehicle, you can continue. Otherwise, park here.
If you have a high clearance or 4wd vehicle, continue up Spruce Creek Road. After 0.3 miles, you'll reach a Y intersection. Go left. After an additional 1.5 miles (1.8 from the lower trailhead), the road will end at the old dam works. Park here. Pick up the trail and cross Spruce Creek. This is a good spot to gauge the water level.
Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate
Approach
From the lower trailhead: The trail is on the east side of the parking lot. If you start here, it will add 3-4 miles of round trip hiking. After a few miles, you will reach the upper trailhead and old dam workings on Spruce Creek.
From the upper trailhead and the old dam workings, hike up trail (steep!). You will eventually reach a trail intersection. Going straight ahead will take you to Mayflower Lake, which is where we will end up. Turn left for the Continental Falls trail. The trail will wind through old mining cabins. If you want, take a short spur trail to the lower falls overlook - this trail will be a shortcut if you don't want to visit Mayflower Lake. Continue on the main trail as it switchbacks steeply up. On top of a shelf you will reach the site of an old cable hauling system. Some of the gears are still there. Continue up the trail to the shore of Lower Mohawk Lake, at treeline. Gear up, this is where the fun begins.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
Description: Standard Route
This fun canyon descent includes several pretty waterfalls to rappel, short narrow sections, lots of mining history, and lots of water. It is a great spot to practice canyoning techniques, especially since you can escape the canyon at almost any point. The narrow sections are short, and never very narrow.
Continental Falls is also a popular day hike. If you go on a weekend, you will probably have an audience. If you must place a bolt, do so with this in mind - all bolts and webbing should not be visible by those hiking along the rim, or at one of the many overlooks.
Hike to the outlet of Lower Mohawk Lake, and follow the stream down. Try not to pound the willows too hard. Eventually, after you pass a small mine, you'll reach the first technical section - a short, narrow chute with a waterfall. If the water is high, the current in this section could be dangerous, so be careful. There is another waterfall at the end of the narrow section, and you can combine the two rappels into one. Look for a boulder pinch on the right (looking down canyon). After the chute, you'll pass by or rappel several open waterfalls. Most have rock pinches for anchors, though they may take a bit of searching to locate. You will also pass by a shallow mining adit, and a rusting mine cart. After this point, you have a few more open waterfalls that can be rappelled or bypassed.
Then you enter the second narrow chute. If water is low, you can use a rock pinch located in the waterway. If it is high, you might have to get creative. You can combine the next few waterfalls in one rappel. The bottom waterfall has a nasty overhang, so be careful. As with every waterfall on this trip, there are no deep pools at the bottom.
After a short open section, you will reach the third narrow chute. This chute includes two drops which can be combined as one rappel. A tree on the left side (looking down canyon) makes a great anchor. This is the drop visible from the lower falls overlook.
Description:
Variations: For an extra treat, hike down along the river. Below the overlook the river turns northward, and there is a small open waterfall. Skirt around it on the east (right, looking down canyon) side. Hike through some willows to Mayflower Lake. Cross the outlet, and find the trail. Take the trail out, past several old cabins, until it meets the main trail. Follow the main trail back to your car.
Also, there may be some canyoneering interest in some of the inlet streams above Lower Mohawk Lake.
Exit
After you descend the last waterfall (where the lower falls overlook is visible), you can hike out via the overlook spur trail, back to the main trail, which you take back to your car.
Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate
Rating: 3C II
Time Required:
Longest Rappel:
Permit Information
No permits needed.
Camping/Lodging
Abundant campgrounds and hotels nearby Breckenridge.
Preferred Season
August/September
Water Concerns
Water levels can be high, and the water is cold. High water levels will cover some natural anchors. If that is the case you will have to be creative with anchoring; fortunately you can also bypass most of the drops.
Special Challenges
Equipment Suggestions
One 60m Rope, webbing, and quicklinks. You may need to put bolts in during high water (or better yet, hike around those drops). Full wet suit is a must. Neoprene gloves and socks highly recommended.
Topographic Maps
USGS Breckenridge Quad
Directions to Trailhead
To get there, drive to the ski town of Breckenridge. Continue on Highway 9 (Main Street in Breckenridge) south of town. From the last light in town (Broken Lance, as of this writing), drive 1.9 miles to Spruce Creek Road, in the small residential town of Blue River, on the right. On the left is Goose Pasture Tarn, an obvious reservoir. Turn right onto Spruce Creek Road. After 0.2 miles, you will come to a T intersection. Turn left. Follow Spruce Creek Road for 0.9 miles to the lower trailhead. If you have a high clearance or 4wd vehicle, you can continue. Otherwise, park here.
If you have a high clearance or 4wd vehicle, continue up Spruce Creek Road. After 0.3 miles, you'll reach a Y intersection. Go left. After an additional 1.5 miles (1.8 from the lower trailhead), the road will end at the old dam works. Park here. Pick up the trail and cross Spruce Creek. This is a good spot to gauge the water level.
Trailhead UTM Grid Coordinate
Approach
From the lower trailhead: The trail is on the east side of the parking lot. If you start here, it will add 3-4 miles of round trip hiking. After a few miles, you will reach the upper trailhead and old dam workings on Spruce Creek.
From the upper trailhead and the old dam workings, hike up trail (steep!). You will eventually reach a trail intersection. Going straight ahead will take you to Mayflower Lake, which is where we will end up. Turn left for the Continental Falls trail. The trail will wind through old mining cabins. If you want, take a short spur trail to the lower falls overlook - this trail will be a shortcut if you don't want to visit Mayflower Lake. Continue on the main trail as it switchbacks steeply up. On top of a shelf you will reach the site of an old cable hauling system. Some of the gears are still there. Continue up the trail to the shore of Lower Mohawk Lake, at treeline. Gear up, this is where the fun begins.
Canyon Entry UTM Grid Coordinate
Description: Standard Route
This fun canyon descent includes several pretty waterfalls to rappel, short narrow sections, lots of mining history, and lots of water. It is a great spot to practice canyoning techniques, especially since you can escape the canyon at almost any point. The narrow sections are short, and never very narrow.
Continental Falls is also a popular day hike. If you go on a weekend, you will probably have an audience. If you must place a bolt, do so with this in mind - all bolts and webbing should not be visible by those hiking along the rim, or at one of the many overlooks.
Hike to the outlet of Lower Mohawk Lake, and follow the stream down. Try not to pound the willows too hard. Eventually, after you pass a small mine, you'll reach the first technical section - a short, narrow chute with a waterfall. If the water is high, the current in this section could be dangerous, so be careful. There is another waterfall at the end of the narrow section, and you can combine the two rappels into one. Look for a boulder pinch on the right (looking down canyon). After the chute, you'll pass by or rappel several open waterfalls. Most have rock pinches for anchors, though they may take a bit of searching to locate. You will also pass by a shallow mining adit, and a rusting mine cart. After this point, you have a few more open waterfalls that can be rappelled or bypassed.
Then you enter the second narrow chute. If water is low, you can use a rock pinch located in the waterway. If it is high, you might have to get creative. You can combine the next few waterfalls in one rappel. The bottom waterfall has a nasty overhang, so be careful. As with every waterfall on this trip, there are no deep pools at the bottom.
After a short open section, you will reach the third narrow chute. This chute includes two drops which can be combined as one rappel. A tree on the left side (looking down canyon) makes a great anchor. This is the drop visible from the lower falls overlook.
Description:
Variations: For an extra treat, hike down along the river. Below the overlook the river turns northward, and there is a small open waterfall. Skirt around it on the east (right, looking down canyon) side. Hike through some willows to Mayflower Lake. Cross the outlet, and find the trail. Take the trail out, past several old cabins, until it meets the main trail. Follow the main trail back to your car.
Also, there may be some canyoneering interest in some of the inlet streams above Lower Mohawk Lake.
Exit
After you descend the last waterfall (where the lower falls overlook is visible), you can hike out via the overlook spur trail, back to the main trail, which you take back to your car.
Canyon Exit UTM Grid Coordinate