2018 River/Steam Crossing Reports

[maverick]

Please write up any difficult crossings you encounter while out on you backpacking trips. Please write the location of the the crossing and the date in the subject box. Thanks

[Wandering Daisy]

Emigrant Wilderness

Crossing of West Fork Cherry Creek (6/11) on upper trail (Piute Lake to Gem Lake) mild flow a couple of inches above my knees at 2PM. Crossing Buck Meadow Creek at the trail crossing (noon 6/14) same depth but fast flowing (about at my limit). This one was at my limit and serious enough that I kept on my hiking shoes for fear of Crocks being unstable. Crossing between Buck Lakes (9AM 6/12) mid-calf and easy.

[kpeter]

Lily Creek and Piute Creek on both the upper and lower trails were crossable on stepping stones or shallow wading.

W Fork Cherry Creek on the lower trail at the official crossing was knee deep and visibly dropping over the three days we camped by it.

Buck Meadow Creek the day after WD did it (6/15) was slightly higher than knee depth and swift in the very center, but I thought it was a little easier than when I did it two years ago at roughly the same time in June. We crossed at 9am and then crossed back at 3pm and I did not notice a difference. However, my friend and I did it dayhiking with light packs. I did it in Crocs, faced and leaned upstream, maintained 3 points of contact at all times, and had no issues. I am 5'7".

[CAMERONM]

We met some people on their way to Garnet up the Middle Fork Trail who did not feel they could cross the San Joaquin for the trail to Garnet, and were therefore forced to hike up to Thousand Island and then drop back down to get to their destination. I was not specifically looking fro crossings, but here is indeed a lot of water coming down that way.

[LightBulb]

West fork cherry creek by bourland meadows 6/12 with gauge data ~2.7 feet difficult but doable. North fork cherry creek only crossable in a two places between 5 acre and confluence with strong flow (6/14 ~2.6 feet) and east fork was crossable at confluence. By 6/19 flow had slowed down significantly, everything now will be easily crossable.

[MountainMinstrel]

Crossed West Fork Cherry Creek at the same area as LightBulb no problems at all ( and i hate stream crossings).
Louse Creek at the outflow of the last hanging lake before the confluence ankle deep...easy peasy.
Piute at Studhorse Meadow almost dry.

[levi]

SEKI still says Bubbs Creek is flowing too high to cross at the East Creek/Lake junction, but it's actually a doable wade from the meadowy area west of the trail. We easily waded (thigh deep) in the morning and ended up maybe 50 ft away from the bear box and campsite that's just west of the trail, south of the crossing. Don't bother with the logs further upstream, they are quite sketchy.

[Love the Sierra]

In the morning, moderately fast, knee height, safe, easy crossing if you have proper shoes and hiking poles.
In the afternoon, moderately fast, thigh high, safe, easy crossing if you have proper shoes and hiking poles.
In the afternoon crossing, my dog didn't want to swim in the middle, took a mighty leap towards a boulder, and knocked me down, completely into the water. (I was able to get up quickly enough that the gear in my pack remained dry.) She could have swum it safely on her own, off leash, but I had not been sure exactly how fast the current was before we entered the water so I kept her on leash just in case she would need my help. She is about 50 lbs and a pretty strong athlete. I am writing this so that those of you with dogs can assess it better than I did.

[EDHhiker]

Just got back last Saturday from a counter clock-wise route of Raes Lake Loop. The NPS still has a warning on their web site that crossing could be dangerous; they need to update that post. The bridge is still out crossing the South Fork of the King's River, however you can cross easily by wading in 1 to 1-1/2 feet deep of gentle current just downstream of the washed out bridge.. Reportedly, there is a log jam about 1/2 mile down stream that can be crossed; that was not necessary for our group.

[maverick]

Hi EDHiker,
Welcome to HST! Thank you for sharing that information,