siouxon creek factoids

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
querulous
Posts: 39
Joined: October 7th, 2020, 3:11 pm

siouxon creek factoids

Post by querulous » November 14th, 2021, 5:15 pm

A couple of weeks ago, the first clear day after our first extended rainy period, I tried to cross Siouxon creek at the lower trail ford. I got most of the way across, but there was a deeper waist-deep channel against the far bank which I chose not to attempt. With my day's agenda upended, I made my way downstream on the south bank a little less than a mile, to where a big unnamed trib comes in on the north side at a little above the 920 foot contour. The gradient gentles a bit there and I was able to get across just above the confluence; max depth about crotch-deep.

When I got home (after a day of roaming federal and state lands on the north side) I checked out the USGS gauges. There is a gauge on Canyon Creek near Amboy: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/wa/nwis/uv/? ... 0060,00065, which I suspect is highly correlated with the Siouxon's flow. My crossing attempt at the lower ford, and later out-and-back crossings downstream, happened at 500-550 cfs on that gauge.

So here's my suggested rule of thumb: the lower trail crossing is feasible (or attemptable) when the Canyon creek gauge reads ~400 cfs or less. Looking at the multi-year history of that gauge, Canyon creek runs intermittently at or below that level even in the rainiest months (December-January, say). But one had better check before heading out. Mid-fall and spring the odds improve, but one should still check if it's been rainy or if snowmelt might be peaking. During the summer dry season (July through September) an easy crossing is pretty much guaranteed. During our just-concluded big rains, for context, that gauge peaked just over 6000 cfs, and is still running around 1500. It could be a while before anyone gets across.
IMG_2086.JPG
Siouxon creek around the 920' contour: crossable, with effort
Other tidbits, the gate at the junction of FS 57 and FS 5701 is now open, so you can drive all the way to the former "lower trailhead" at the big switchback bend of the 5701 road, Dispensing with almost a mile of road walking. The road is still (by intention at least) closed beyond that point. It's a physically weak barrier, though, and the four-wheeler element would bust it with ease if they had the motivation. It's not clear to me if they do, though: the closure might survive. We shall see.
IMG_2094.JPG
a closure, but a feeble one

User avatar
Chip Down
Posts: 3037
Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: siouxon creek factoids

Post by Chip Down » November 14th, 2021, 5:40 pm

Interesting. I've only been there once, many years ago, memories have faded. I know it was about this time of year, as I recall following a snowy road to a high point. I've often wondered what that high point was. Nothing on the map seems to match my memory. Anyway, my creek crossing was tricky, but no big deal, was a dry-boot affair with a little strategy. But yeah, try that right now and you'll risk getting swept away.

User avatar
Sugar Pine
Posts: 182
Joined: April 28th, 2017, 12:23 pm

Re: siouxon creek factoids

Post by Sugar Pine » November 14th, 2021, 8:15 pm

Good to hear the forest service has eliminated that road walk to the trailhead!

User avatar
sheilakpdx
Posts: 70
Joined: June 3rd, 2017, 6:05 pm

Re: siouxon creek factoids

Post by sheilakpdx » November 18th, 2021, 10:53 pm

We were there yesterday. Just past the gate (which was open) we came to the Upper Siouxon TH where we parked and saw the barricades as shown. We hiked at the start of Siouxon Trail #130 for 3.25 miles to the junction to the old lower Siouxon trail TH. The upper trail was in great condition and unburned. The rest of the hike was in and out of burn (both sides of the creek) up to the junction of Siouxon/ Chinook trails which is where we stopped. The last creek crossing had tree fall, a lot of water and slick/icy rock to cross so we opted to call it lunchtime. On the hike back to the car we saw 3 people. 14.50 miles RT.

In warmer weather and lower water levels, would be interested in seeing how much further we could go to see Chinook falls. I also understand the trail may not be passable/cleared to that point.

querulous
Posts: 39
Joined: October 7th, 2020, 3:11 pm

Re: siouxon creek factoids

Post by querulous » February 13th, 2022, 8:54 pm

Two updates:

I crossed Siouxon creek today at the lower ford, at around 250 cfs on the Canyon creek gauge. It was a hard ford coming and going, crotch-deep and fast in the channel next to the N bank. My previous conjecture was, this ford would go at around 400-450 on the Canyon creek gauge. That seems optimistic. Limit might be 300-350. It's basically a mediocre ford site, since the creek flow concentrates in a channel next to the N bank. A good ford has relatively even flow across the entire channel. As noted, I crossed ~a half mile below this official crossing at 500-550 on the same gauge, more than twice today's flow, a superior ford. There's almost certainly a good one above the official ford as well, if one has the time to scout it out.

The ascending trail alignment on the N side makes sense, and perhaps it wasn't such a lousy ford when they laid out the trail. These things do change over time. Or perhaps they thought of it as purely a summer ford, when these marginal flow conditions wouldn't matter.

Post Reply