East Fork Indigo Creek

The EF of Indigo Creek was small, we knew that going in but had still hoped for more water than we had.  Oh well, we are pretty used to taking what the Siskiyou gives us, and were excited to be there with enough water to float our boats and headed downstream with smiles and optimism.  

            The creek at the beginning was nondescript with some wood issues from a recent fire.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

While it is typically faster to simply portage a log jam like the one below, sometimes we can't help but try to open up a path and get to paddle through instead.

                                             Sometimes the small victories are the sweetest.

Photos: Priscilla Macy

The stream eventually started to consolidate, with larger boulders and bedrock outcrops lining the bank. While wood was certainly present, we were spending more time in our boats than out, and starting to get hints of the beauty that lay downstream.

Photos: Zach Collier

While I was really enjoying being on the EF of Indigo Creek, I was having an internal dialogue with myself about water levels.  We often find ourselves paddling obscure runs at low flows.  The reason is I'd prefer to error on the side of low water than high, because it's easier to deal with hazards, catch eddies, and move around at water level when the flow is low.  I was wondering if that mentality had been too prudent lately, as we had run a few creeks that season that would have been more fun with better water levels and there hadn't been any reason why we needed low water.  

Photo: Priscilla Macy

Here we were again, on a creek that seemed like it would have been enjoyable with double the flow, and I was feeling like I was going to need to re-evaluate my preference for low flows when we came to the crux of the EF of Indigo, and all those low water trips were validated in a one hundred yard stretch as the creek got serious in a hurry.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

The crux of the EF Indigo Creek, and the reason I would not put in on this tributary again, is Indigo Montana, a walled in crack drop.  Here the creek is between high vertical walls, maybe there was a way around above the gorge, but I didn't see one.  The first drop was a nice 5' boof, but that boof fed into a boulder pile, under a log, then into a twisting crack with a recycle.  Initially, we were unsure what to do but ideas started to float and Joseph decided to get a closer look at that bottom crack to see if we could figure out something clever at water level.  He was able to jump most of the way across the creek and grapple out onto the other side (attached to a tether), and was able to get down to the crack to inspect.  It looked to him from his new location like our hopeful plan to walk across the log and seal launch into the crack would work.

Obviously, a plan like this does not work at what would be considered conventional kayak flows, making us grateful for the low water.

Photo: Zach Collier

First though, we had to get to where Joseph was.  And we would be able to paddle there, by way of a nice boof, before a person on shore hauled us up onto land.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

Getting out of the water, then over to the launch point was a process, and the seal launch proved tricky. Ben went first, followed by Joseph and the two of them helped the rest of us through.  The third person had an exciting time in the crack, prompting Priscilla, Zach and I to instead attach ropes to our boats, throw them into the crack, then have Ben (who was holding the other side of the rope) pull them through.  Joseph and Yann then corralled them and placed them on shore.  After the gear was through that just left 3 people, so Zach, Priscilla and I each took our turn jumping into the crack holding onto a rope and swimming through to our gear on the other side.  Because of Indigo Montana, I would not return to EF Indigo, but I was so glad we did it this once, and what was waiting just below was one of the major reasons.

This Cave was immediately below Indigo Montana on Indigo Creek, and I haven't stumbled upon anything quite like it before.  Stalagtites and many colors .

Photo: Priscilla Macy

Close up

Photo: Yann Crist-evans

The creek continued to stay narrow with gorge walls, we proceeded cautiously, hoping not to find anything as committing as the narrow drop upstream.  Fortunately only finding runnable rapids or readily solvable portage-puzzles.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

The creek continued to be remarkable for some time, narrow and intimate.  We were doing a lot of looking around, while trying to maintain downstream progress.  We were glad we had planned the trip as an overnighter, so we did not have to rush through here too quickly.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

The creek opened up after the gorge section, with views of an arch on a prominent ridge.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

After a benign section of the creek, the whitewater picked back up into bouldery rapids for the last couple miles to the confluence with the WF of Indigo Creek.  Many of these were boat-scoutable, but plenty required getting on shore to take a look.  Many of the lines were tricky, and required thought.  This section required the most team-work, communication, and trust.  The whitewater was not classic, but was engaging.   The stand out moment was a boulder garden that ended in a slot with a rail-slide.  Everyone made it over except the last person, who flipped upstream about 3-4' onto their head, fortunately avoiding any rocks.  They were able to stay in their boat and roll up off a rock in a bad spot, but stayed calm and the team was able to extract them.  

The enjoyment in this stretch of whitewater was piecing the puzzle together and moving safely downstream, rather than the quality of the rapids.

A typical scene for us on the lower portion of EF Indigo, everybody patient in an eddy, waiting for beta to make it's way from the front of the group to the back.

Photo: Zach Collier

By the time we reached the confluence with WF Indigo, we were ready to be there.  It had been a long and enjoyable day, but we were tired and ready to let go of the focus we had needed for the day.  When I had been looking for camping potential on maps in preparation for this trip, I had noted that at the confluence there looked to be a small bench of land on river-left.  It had looked like the only potential spot until much lower on the main stem of Indigo, so we were banking on that hunch being correct.  Fortunately, it was, and we had just enough flat area to make a comfortable camp with only a spattering of poison oak plants.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

We were pretty happy with the day we had, boating through a pristine and captivating portion of the Siskiyou.  We noted that the West Fork contributed more water than the East Fork, and that we might have a nice flow tomorrow if levels didn't drop much overnight.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

The next day we paddled the main stem of Indigo Creek, which was one of, if not the best paddling day of the year for Priscilla and I.  

You can read about that section here: Mainstem Indigo.

Mill Creek (Yamhill Drainage)

Beta

7 miles (or less) // Class III-IV

Stream:  This creek has been locked behind a Weyerhaeuser gate for many years.  When I went to college at Western Oregon (2008-2013) the creek would have access during hunting season, but that went away for awhile.  Now it's open and accessible anytime there is enough water to paddle it (only closed during fire season).  

Priscilla and I were interested in the run as it's only 30 minutes from Salem, and runs after most significant rain events.  I had run the full creek in college once with Anna Herring and Michael Freeman during hunting season, and hiked up a ways on my own a couple times when the gate was locked.  Though I didn't remember much, I did recall that there was a fun section near the top and a slow section in the middle before picking back up to class III near the bottom.

This creek is full of quality class III-III+ whitewater, ledgy with plenty of bedrock and some easier floating.  There are also 3 class IV rapids, one of which would be difficult to portage.  It reminded me of Butte Creek in Scotts Mills, but prettier.  There is always going to be wood in the creek, but our trips in the Fall of 2020 yielded only one portage.  Iv'e had a few trips in the years since and often there have been no portages.

We put in, turned the corner and were immediately upon a log jam.  We didn't want to portage so moved some wood on river right so we could scoot over.  This can be scouted before putting on.  We were wondering at this point if we were in for a long day, but it turned out to be only one of two spots where wood was a problem.  

Looking downstream at one of the first rapids below the put in bridge. 

Below the first corner was the first fun class III-III+ bedrock rapid, this led to a section of bedrock with a couple fun ledges.  This set the tone of the run, which consistently alternates between quality bedrock rapids and easier floating. 

When you get to this ledge, you are just a couple small ledges above WUB. 

The first significant rapid is WUB (Water Under the Bridge), the lead in to this rapid is shortly below the ledge pictured above.  If you want to portage, it is possible to get out at the spot pictured below and portage on the road before the lead in.

WUB is easily scouted during the shuttle, and it's worth taking the time to do so. 

There is an eddy or two on the right that allows for a river level scout of WUB. 

 The line is pretty obvious, and plenty of fun when the rapid is free from wood.

There is about a mile of easy floating below WUB before the second fun class IV, a set of small twisting ledges the guidebook calls "Triple Drop" that can be scouted from either bank.

Just downstream from Triple Drop, the creek pools up and turns left, entering a straight-away (seen in the next photo from below).  This straight away has a couple small ledges before it veers right and enters The Gorge, containing the final class IV.   The gorge is marked by another sign on river-right, the rock outcrop just below this sign creates an eddy on the right at the start of the straight-away. 

 It is possible to scout The Gorge from this eddy by walking 100 yards down the bank to the corner.  At flows below 2.5 small eddies exist downstream and allow for a shorter walk, but the higher the level the harder to stop.  Once past the straight away, the creek veers right and scouting becomes impractical. 

Past the point of no return in The Gorge.

I went down to a small eddy on the left our first time, and crawled out onto the bank. This eddy is not an option at 2.5 or higher, and committed us to running the rapid.  At those higher flows, scout from upstream on the right or from the road before putting on (scroll to the very bottom of this page to read how to scout The Gorge from the road during the shuttle).

Looking upstream at the straight-away lead in to The Gorge, from the last change eddy on the left.   At 2.5 or above this eddy is impractical to catch.

 From there I could see through the rapid and that it was clear of wood, so sent Priscilla through.  This would be a tricky one to portage from the eddy .  It is a flume style rapid, and awfully fun.  

Priscilla in the somewhat committing rapid within The Gorge.

Below The Gorge was a stretch of easy floating that lasted for awhile.  We hunted for surf waves, took a lunch break and breathed in the scenery which was better than I am accustomed to on these logged streams.  If you want to put in below the class IV, you can put in along this stretch for a III-III+ day.  Instructions for how to do that are at the bottom of this page under "Notes".

We passed beneath another bridge and things picked back up.  The rapids down here were more open and high quality class III with some more ledges, slides and hydraulics.  Some of the rapids had fun slalom moves too.

A final bridge is passed and the creek enters another narrow bedrock section as the whitewater picks back up into a final class III just above the take out.

Priscilla makes The Twist.

If you do the run, be sure to scout your take out from Mill Creek Park while setting shuttle.  Downstream of the take out the creek goes into a class V rapid that has had wood problems in the past and is not easily portaged.

The cracks are filled in at high water.

  
Flows:  There is a painted gauge on the highway 22 bridge.  We had fun at "1.5" on our first trip, but another local boater ran it later on at "1.5" and felt it was too low (he broke his boat).  Yet another boater was there at "1" and called it "the minimum level".  We returned again at "2" with some friends in a shredder and all had a good time.  "2-2.5" seems like a fair flow to shoot for on a first go if you consider yourself a class III-IV boater.   It can definitely be paddled a good bit higher without feeling high (3.4 is still a padded medium), but the eddies to scout the gorge start getting smaller so for III-IV boaters it will require extra vigilance as flows increase.  

For a guesstimate flow using the online SF Yamhill @ Willamina gauge:

• About 8,000 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Jan 13, 2021 equated to "9" in Mill Creek ("high, class V").
• About 7,000 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Nov 12, 2021 equated to "7" in Mill Creek ("high").
• About 3,000 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Dec 12, 2021 equated to "3.4" in Mill Creek ("padded med").
• About 2000 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Dec 26, 2020 equated to "2.5" in Mill Creek ("medium").
• About 2500 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Dec 23, 2020 equated to "2" in Mill Creek ("chill level").
• About 1750 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Jan 9, 2021 equated to "2" in Mill Creek ("Friendly medium").
• About 1500 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Dec 17, 2020 equated to "2" in Mill Creek ("Not low").
• About 1500 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Nov 20, 2020 equated to "1.5" in Mill Creek (low runnable).
• About 1500 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Feb 25, 2021 equated to "1" in Mill Creek (minimum).
• About 1150 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Nov, 2021 equated to "1" in Mill Creek (minimum).
• About 1000 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Dec 29, 2020 equated to "1" in Mill Creek (minimum).
• About 750 cfs in the SF Yamhill on Nov 26, 2020 equated to "0" in Mill Creek (too low).
• About 700 cfs in the SF Yamhill on March 5, 2021 equated to "0.5" in Mill Creek (too low).
• About 600 cfs in the SF Yamhill on December 5, 2021 equated to "0" in Mill Creek (too low).

Access:  First, I recommend making sure access is still open before heading to Mill Creek.  It was open for all of the 2020/2021 boating season outside of fire season, and that has been the case all the way through 2026.   This information can be tracked down from Weyerhaeuser using their hotline or on their website. 1-888-741-5403

 Take Highway 22 West out of Salem.  In a touch over 20 miles you cross over Mill Creek in Buell (Buell is marked on maps but has no notable buildings).  Check the gauge at the bridge, then drive upstream on Mill Creek Rd about 2.5 miles to Mill Creek Park, this is the take out (44.987987226941286, -123.42496411845802).  Walk over to the creek and scout your egress options, downstream is a class V gorge without good portage options.

To get to the put in (44.96639283038925, -123.54468676634407) continue upstream on Mill Creek Rd about 5-6 miles along the signed mainline (it does leave the creek for a bit) until you reach a bridge with the obvious, ledgy class IV WUB is visible ending below the bridge.  Scout WUB, and if it has wood scope out your exit from the river and portage options along the road.  From here, it is another 1.7 miles upstream to the bridge where Priscilla and I put in.  Or, there is another bridge less than half a mile above that one.

Notes:  To scout The Gorge during the shuttle, set your trip meter at the gate.  About 3.75 miles past the gate look for these two reflectors on the side of the road (the first one has 3 yellow dots).  

From the road reflectors you can see the tail water from The Gorge.  From about where the vehicles are in the photo above, schwack down through the brush to creek level to see the rapid.  44.965405930529144, -123.49591763882351

*I prefer to just scout from the creek.

If you want to put in below the class IV, you can do that and have a III-III+ trip.  To go that route, set your trip meter at the gate, drive upstream 1.8 miles and you will find yourself at a bridge crossing from river-left to river-right like seen below.  

Make a hard right onto MC 300 (rather than following the mainline like you would to get to the normal put in).  Go a hundred yards and put in before the road veers away from the creek.

***The roads are active logging roads, so be cautious of large vehicles that you need to yield to.  Any accidents or altercations could jeopardize kayak access, so be on your best behavior.

Gladiator Creek

AFTER ALL THE TRIPS I DID ON THIS CREEK THE ACCESS HAS CHANGED.  BOATERS MUST NOW PURCHASE THE BLACK ROCK ACCESS PERMIT FROM WEYERHAEUSER TO RUN THE CREEK.  LAST I CHECKED A VEHICLE PERMIT WAS ABOUT $350, AND A WALK IN PERMIT WAS $75.  ANY REFERENCES TO FREE ACCESS ON THIS PAGE ARE NO LONGER CORRECT.

WEYERHAEUSER PERMIT PAGE

 Photo: Adam Edwards

Gladiator Creek is my favorite run in Oregon's Coast Range.  It's been on ongoing project for me since my first year at Western Oregon University in 2008.  This was one of a group of three creeks in the Valsetz area of the Coast Range that laid the foundation for what boating means to me, through the challenges they presented both on and off the water.  Iv'e written about the different sections of Gladiator Creek a few times on this site, but this is the page that puts them all together.  Access is both straight forward and tricky, linked below is a story from the superstars of Oregon exploratory kayaking detailing the challenges they faced paddling the lower section for the first time in the early 2000's

Oregon Kayaking: Commando Creekin        

**ownership has since changed and there is no longer a legal barrier to running this creek.**

Photo: Priscilla Macy

It's not a typical PNW creek.  The creekbed is sandstone, and seems like something you would find on the East Coast.  Also like the East Coast, flows can rise and fall quickly.  This means the best laid plans can be laid to waste if a storm you are counting on the night before drops too little or too much precipitation overnight.  For me, the rewards have been worth the consternation.  While the 7 waterfalls stand out as highlights, it's the numerous class fun rapids between them and unique setting that keep me coming back.

After many scouting trips, failures, and a few successes on the lower few miles of Gladiator creek, the biggest piece of the puzzle was placed when Ben Mckenzie, Emile Elliott and I paddled the middle section in 2015.  We got lucky with flows and had a great time, with the highlight being perfect levels for the first descents of the ultra clean Vesuvius Falls.  Then in October 2019, a decade after first seeing this creek on a map, Ben Mckenzie, Adam Edwards, Joseph Hatcher and I ran all three sections top to bottom over a two day period with Priscilla running shuttle for us.   After years of work, and many weekends agonizing over levels and access it had finally been put together top to bottom in one push.   With the information gained on these trips, I now feel comfortable going to Gladiator any given weekend the conditions line up, with the logistics as locked in as I could ask for.
And while it's not a run for anybody, now that access is sorted out and no legal barriers are present, despite the effort required everybody who has done it has been glad they did and have been up for returning.

 Photo: Dax Kirkwood

Looking back on the influence this creek has had on my thoughts and decisions over the years, I don't think any other stream has defined kayaking for me more than Gladiator has.  Each time I paddle the creek, I leave thinking there is not another stream in Oregon I feel more entwined with than this one.

Photo: Priscilla Macy

Below are links to descriptions for what you can find on each of the three sections of this creek.

UPPER  (3 miles)
IV-V+

This is the most adventurous section, and if you want to give the big drops a real look, plan on doing this section over two days.

MIDDLE  (3 miles)
IV-V

This section is a contender for the best day of creek-boating you can get in Oregon.

LOWER  (4 miles)
III(IV,V)

While there are only 3 notable rapids, they are 3 of the more unique and enjoyable rapids in the state.

Lastly, the part I paddle most often, with the most bang for your buck.

ROCK QUARRY ACCESS (1.5 miles)

IV-IV+

This run begins part way through the Middle section (below Vesuvius Falls) and gives a good option for those not interested in Vesuvius Falls.  This is the section I'll do any given day, there is plenty of class fun whitewater without the commitment of what is found upstream.  It starts 1.5 miles above the Lower put in bridge.

FLOWS:  The gauge is located at the only place the creek runs along the highway, the creek is visible here through the vegetation if you are looking for it.  This proximity occurs just as you are entering a small town if coming from the east.   There is a guard-rail there, and if you park on the west side of the guard rail (across from the liquor store) you can walk back to the east 75 feet to where some yellow paint is splashed on one of the posts supporting the guard-rail, marking the point along the guard-rail closest to the gauge.  The gauge is just a few wooden shims with numbers on them, glued onto a rock.  It's behind a couple trees adjacent to that yellow paint and about 20 yards upstream of the small riverwide ledge/hole/wave (depending on flow) visible in the photo below.

The visual gauge on Gladiator Creek, and what you might be able to expect based on an approximate correlation to the flow in the Salmon River below Slick Rock Creek Gauge.

Data points

There is more information on each of the section pages about how flows pertain specifically to that section.  There is also more detail and the opportunity to nerd out on this other page where I keep notes on historic flows and jot further notes on levels.

ACCESS:   As of 2020 the private logging company who owns all the land the creek runs through allows walk in access.  Access is detailed on each individual page.

 I have stuck with the moniker given to the creek by Oregonkayaking.net, who were paddling the creek under the radar on the first descent of the lower section.  While the access situation is improving, and currently there is no red-tape or legal barriers to hiking in and paddling the creek, leaving the name off the internet seems like a good way to keep that status quo.  Along that same vein Iv'e always tried to keep a low profile when hiking into and paddling the creek, but smiling at anyone working back there and think that mentality will go a long way towards keeping access from being barred to future paddlers.  I have left enough information about how to access the different sections on their individual pages (linked above) and this one that someone who has the wherewithal necessary to paddle a creek like this will be able to sort it out just fine.  If after all that you think you have the logistics sorted, but end up failing at your attempt and leave this Rock un-turned, you could always give your luck another try at the nearby casino.

 Photo Emile Elliott

While there was a time that driving to the put in was allowed on weekends during hunting season, public vehicle access has since been barred.  This has come at the gain of the public being allowed to hike into the creek on nice gravel roads any day when the fire danger is not high, though I try to stick to the weekends to keep from getting in the way of daily operations or getting skunked if they are blocking the road.   I personally prefer the new situation to the old, given how uncommon it was for this creek to run at a good flow on a weekend during hunting season.  While the hiking is straight forward, the distance is not short (3-6 miles depending on the access point and section).  I typically use these, but a variety of carrying systems have been deployed, even the old shoulder.

Does smiling with a kayak strapped to your back count as a lie?

Photo: Dax Kirkwood

RULES

 

There are some rules to be followed if you plan to kayak this creek.

Follow this link to zoom in on the map and bullet points(zoomed to in second graphic).  The areas inside the green on the map are open to walk in access.  As of 2020 the Gladiator Creek watershed is entirely within the green area. You can double check the kiosk near the bottom gate before starting your hike for updates.

Sometimes they leave the gate open for logging traffic and contractors, even on the weekends. 

Be like Alicia, earn your turns and you too can smile knowing your toiling will go towards keeping access un-compromised for future paddlers.

NOMENCLATURE

Jason Rackley started the naming scheme on Gladiator Creek, I tried to stick to the theme he started.


Romulus and Remus: The first couple slides that start the upper run.  Romulus and Remus started Rome, which ended up being the naming theme for this upper section since gladiating occurred most famously in Rome and I ran out of applicable Gladiator terms.

Stout set of 4 drops:   Whoever runs them first can name them. 

Castrum Road:  A castrum was a building, or plot of land, used by the Roman military as a fortified camp.

Triumfallades: A Roman Triumph was a huge parade sometimes given after a successful campaign that passed into the Pomerium (sacred part of Rome behind the walls).  The Triumfallades on Gladiator are a parade of big falls and cascades, passing through two pillars into a place that is as sacred a place as any to me. 

Pomerium: Meaning “behind the wall” in ancient Rome, it was a sacred open space located just past the Triumphal or Pomerium gates.  On Gladiator it is the space past the large bedrock pillars that the Triumfallades pass through, surrounded by massive rock walls and only accessible through the gate. 

The Skirmishes: A long section of continuous boulder gardens starting below the Pomerium and lasting to the middle bridge. The water was low for us during this section and while we only had one wood portage, there were plenty of other struggles navigating our loaded boats as we dodged wood, dealt with route finding, re-routing, rock-dodging, trying to stay studious about communication while keeping our eyes out for each other and downstream, along with pins, flips, traffic jamming, and deflections.

  ---

Vesuvius Falls: Mt Vesuvius was where the first battle of the third servile war (led by 3 Gladiators) happened, it is also the first notable obstacle on Middle Gladiator.  To get down the mountain the slave army had to use ingenuity to create ropes and ladders out of vines, it also takes creativity and involves ropes or a leap of faith to portage this falls.

Ludi: Games in general, and festivals involving games and parades.   These games could be private, public, or extraordinary, all things that are true of this parade of playful rapids that begin at the Rock Quarry access.

Venator:  Venatores were skilled spearmen, usually pitted against carnivorous beasts.  The hole at this drop is of the carnivorous variety, then the whole paddle/spear metaphor seems to work.

---

Arena: Named by Jason Rackley and Pete Giordano, presumably because you can watch the show from the bridge.

Punisher:  Named by Jason Rackley and Pete Giordano, presumably because of the punishment this drop is capable of handing out, especially at high flows like they had.

Coliseum:  Named by Jason Rackley and Pete Giordano, presumably for the high cliffs overlooking the drop on river right.











This stream has been an ongoing project for me, and required many scouting missions and saw a number of failed attempts, these people each helped with a piece of the puzzle:  Rebecca Vogt, Sage Cruser, Tim Brink, Bruce (Ox) Reed, Pete Giordano, Jason Rackley, Rob Cruser, Dan Mccain, Ben Sigler (and his dogs), Bryan Carrington, Rick Cooley, Nate Merrill, Melissa Fowler, Rylie Coiteux, Jake Banta, Victor Repeto, Michael Freeman, Lucas Reitman, Willy Dinsdale, Ross George, Ben Mckenzie, Emile Elliot, Adam Edwards, and Joseph Hatcher.
 
 


  -jacob