Stream: This is a unique run in Oregon's Coast Range, with fun slides in the beginning (unusual for Oregon) and some boulder gardens in the second half (typical of Oregon). The run starts right where the lake exits into the creek, just upstream from a bridge with the foot gauge on it 44.1617, -123.5707 .
The first 1/3rd of the run is made up of slides and can be scouted from a nice walkway and mini-park at the end of the walkway. This scouting area is accessed by parking here 44.1594, -123.573.
The slides start out low angle, gradually tilting steeper as they approach the only vertical drop of the run (10-15').
The main line on this drop is down the center, what to do after landing is the biggest cause for pause.
When there was still a log in the main line people used to put in on river right at the lip of this drop (missing out on the low angle slides upstream) for a fun hop, skip and splash.
Joe Kemper running the right side of the first drop, back when there was still a log in the main line.
(log gone as of 2016)
Photo: Lucas Rietmann
The runout here is odd, but people bounce their way through. Alternately, boof into the eddy on the left next to the fish ladder to do a quick portage around the boulder pile.
Next is another fun ramp run on the left that ends in a short drop, with a nice eddy to regroup in just below on the left. Good clean fun.
The trickiest slide is next. Here a tough to scout (if flows are up) boulder garden pushes left at the lip of the slide which is not where you want to be. Either make a quick portage of this lead in on the left or stay in control and drive back to the right through a couple small holes to run the final slide center or right and avoid a nasty log and root-wad on river left at the bottom.
Both the paddle and portage routes are shown here.
The slide below, with the log hazard visible at the bottom left.
It is possible to lap one or more of these slides, but generally it is not considered convenient enough to do a whole bunch of laps on all of them. The easiest to lap is the middle slide if the water is lowish.
The pool below the final slide exits into the IV-V (depending on flow) boulder garden stretch, which takes up the middle third of the run and blind parts should be scouted for wood, though the run was portage free in January 2021.
The boulder gardens are pretty steep and considered fun by most Willamette Valley boaters, but not by all. The final drop in this section is the most unique and can provide exciting lines.
Below this airplane move, the last 1/3rd or the creek eases from III-IV down to moving flatwater as it approaches the bridge. Stay on guard here as Iv'e seen a couple hiccups through here and wood is usually still present.
The only thing left to do is reset shuttle and head up for another round. While the first lap can take a couple hours, 20-30 minutes laps are common once the wood situation is known and lines are dialed.
Flows: The definitive gauge is the visual "Triangle Lake gauge" that exists on the put in bridge. The gist with some wiggle room is 7.0-7.5 is low but fun, 7.5-8.0 is medium, 8.0-8.5 is pushy.
- Over 8.5 (water even with the step in the concrete) is high but even at 10' it did not look un-runnable (most paddlers would not run it at that flow though).
- Minimum is users choice, people have been known to slide down a couple of the slides in the Summer. Though most boaters, myself included, would consider flows under 7' too low and 6.5 an un-floatable flow.
To ballpark flows before heading out, use the
Siuslaw Gauge near Mapleton. Look for between 6' and 9' for class IV/V levels, though it goes much higher (looked doable for the elite at 18'). Keep in mind the Siuslaw gauge is far downstream on a much larger river, so is only reasonable for estimation purposes.
If you get there and it is too high for your taste, check out either the
Play Run or
Sweet Creek.
Access: Find Triangle Lake on a map (West of Eugene). The run begins immediately as the run exits the lake on the south side.
There is a gravel parking area near the Blachly Lane Picnic area (44.161891, -123.570914), and path leading upstream to a convenient put in.
The take out is at a bridge about 1 mile downstream (44.147849, -123.582892), after a turn onto Fish Creek road. There is limited parking, refer to the map below.
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Original write-up
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We joined Nate Pfiefer and crew last weekend to check out the section of Lake Creek exiting Triangle Lake. There have been many descents of this section, but up to this point no online documentation aside from a short video from Oregonkayaking.
This section has got a lot of descents this year, and the general consensus is that it cleans up as the water starts to rise, but once the rocks are covered, it becomes hard class V in a hurry. Emile ran it years ago in a playboat on several occasions at 10-12' and said it was good to go, but they did not run the boulder gardens below the slides. There are rumors of it being run even higher.
Here is a video of Kory and I running it in 2015 at about 7.75' on the put in/Triangle Lake Gauge. 0:00 - 1:30
Birthday Boating with Kory Kellum from
PMacy on
Vimeo.
This run is really not to be missed if you are a local, its short, but a blast. 3 good slides and a half mile of 4/5 boulder gardens depending on flow. The river carves through sandstone instead of the usual Oregon Basalt, providing unique rapids.
-Jacob
