Kolob Creek Waterflow

[Bootboy]

Just out of curiosity, is it it possible to do it that high if you have the skills and its just dangerous or is it certain death no matter who you are? I ask because I have almost no experience with C class canyons and judging when its safe to enter. The one and only time I've been in Kolob the flow was probably <0.5 CFS.

Having done Kolob a few times, I'd say its suicidal to do it when flowing that high. There are a few places with either log jams or narrow spots where you could get pinned by all that water in a hurry. There are a few anchors that would be unapproachable with the water that high as well. You'd flushed over the edge just trying to get to them.

[TommyBoy]

So how much would it have to drop before it became "safe" to do? Half that, more, less, I wanna do it in high flow, but I also wanna survive the experience.

[bhalvers2002]

I can't speak from experience, but from some guys I know who have done it at 5 cfs that is the high end of comfortable. One of my friends, a very experienced canyoneer has done it around 9 and that seemed to be the upper limit for him and that was pushing it. From my video and my estimation, it would need to be at least 1/2 this or lower before I would consider it. Others on the blog have more experience measuring actual cfs, so you have to get that right first.

I think Bootboy's point on unapproachable anchors is a significant issue at higher water levels. I would start with the rule that if the creek leading in looks like an irrigation ditch, worth considering; if it looks more like a canal, go find something else to do.

[ratagonia]

So how much would it have to drop before it became "safe" to do? Half that, more, less, I wanna do it in high flow, but I also wanna survive the experience.

In a couple places, the entire flow funnels through a V, and you would need to be there too, on rope. Therefore, to survive the experience, you would need to be about to stand and rappel with the entire flow pushing against you.

One would also want considerable Class C experience before dropping in with considerable water flowing.

Tom

[TommyBoy]

In a couple places, the entire flow funnels through a V, and you would need to be there too, on rope. Therefore, to survive the experience, you would need to be about to stand and rappel with the entire flow pushing against you.

One would also want considerable Class C experience before dropping in with considerable water flowing.

Tom

I do have a little exp, not considerable but a start. I've done two in Ouray, with plans for more, one of them had a flow at least as high as in that video maybe even a little higher, but in the few spots where it really slotted up there were no log jams to work around. Special care was needed on approach to the rappels as well as on the rope though. My point is that what constitutes a dangerous flow in one canyon can be "safe" in another, and I'm just trying to get an idea of where the "safe" threshold is for Kolob. Most important, I'm not planning to do it right away, I do understand the need for experience first, but I want to ask the questions now so that when I do have the opportunity to do it I'm not scrambling for info that I might not get in time.