Convict Creek Stream Crossing next week

[ccessna]

We have a permit entering Convict Creek for next week, with intentions to get up to Lake Mildred, Dorothy, etc. It sounds like the stream crossing at around 3.5 to 4 miles in might be a very significant challenge this year. I have not been up Convict Creek on a normal year, so I don’t have much to compare it too, but have heard it can be challenging without the 2023 over the top snow and snowmelt. We are a group of 4 experienced backpackers with moderate confidence with stream crossing, but it sounds like this year is on another level. I’m curious if anyone can speak to current conditions of this crossing, or draw from past experiences here. In searching this forum and others, this crossing gets referenced as sometimes difficult, I just don’t want to get ourselves into an impossible situation. Any info would be helpful (and snow conditions as well).

[giantbrookie]

There is no bridge there? There wasn't in 1972 and 1976 my first times there but there was in the 1984, 1987, and 1991, when I was last there. If there is no bridge there I think the creek would probably be uncrossable or unsafe to cross at that point given what promises to be BIG runoff conditions with the thaw accelerating with warmer weather headed into next week. Based on my trips last week, even minor streams you usually don't even worry about are difficult to cross, let alone those that are normally borderline at this time of year (such as Convict Creek).

I remember crossing the stream without a bridge in the summer of 1976 which was a dry one and it was an athletic boulder hop that had one of the three of my group falling in. The runoff will be immensely greater than what my group dealt with in 1976.

[dbargaehr1]

There is no bridge there? There wasn't in 1972 and 1976 my first times there but there was in the 1984, 1987, and 1991, when I was last there. If there is no bridge there I think the creek would probably be uncrossable or unsafe to cross at that point given what promises to be BIG runoff conditions with the thaw accelerating with warmer weather headed into next week. Based on my trips last week, even minor streams you usually don't even worry about are difficult to cross, let alone those that are normally borderline at this time of year (such as Convict Creek).

I remember crossing the stream without a bridge in the summer of 1976 which was a dry one and it was an athletic boulder hop that had one of the three of my group falling in. The runoff will be immensely greater than what my group dealt with in 1976.

It's made trip planning interesting this year - i've never really had to plan around stream crossings before.