After a beautiful run on the IV/V goods above the dam, our crew took the Duffy back toward Lillooet, stopping just shy. A short hike took us to the bottom of a teardrop canyon - the natural path of Cayoosh Creek. I had originally ventured into this slot in the Earth in 2007 after chancing upon a grainy photo on the wall of a pizza restaurant in Lillooet. Upon inquiry the restauranteur gave us directions to what up until this week I had known only as 'Enterprise Creek', a deep crack in the earth barely a boat's width at its narrowest.
The small dam diverting Cayoosh Creek, and the entry into the Chasm. Image: Sam Tregenza
As you approach the chasm from below, a water pipe emerges from the rock hinting at the gradient hidden away upstream. Until the dam was built this would have been inaccesible due to the flow of water, but now the Cayoosh has been cut back. Of course, should something fail in the mechanics of the power station, the Cayoosh would surge from 36 cfs to 1200 cfs in seconds, flooding the chasm instantly. We had been happily denying this distracting little nugget of knowledge until a worker ventured onto the dam wall to explain it to us in no uncertain terms. At the time I was scouting the upper drops, perhaps 15 metres from the steel door holding back the flood. I hastily retreated and we set about rigging our escape route downstream.
Sean Boz scouts the bony 'S' bend prior to the 36 - 1200 awakening. Image: Sam Tregenza
During the original 07 inspection we had concluded that ropes would be needed both to enter the chasm at the top, and for extraction above the last unrunnable fall. Closer investigation however quickly ascertained that entry was as simple as chucking your boat in and jumping the 40 feet after it. Once beached and emptied, our kayaks would be quickly entered and relaunched so as to begin making progress downstream as soon as possible. The less time in the chasm the better.To make it all happen we had lured Alpine specialist Brad Winter away from home with promises of beer, gas money and enviable photo angles.
Looking upstream into the exit of Cayoosh Chasm. Image: Sam Tregenza
With Brad hovering at the lip ready to rappel into the pool should assistance be required, Lachie Carracher and myself jumped into the chasm and made our way to the falls proper. One small ledge was all that seperated the entry pool from the only portage, a marginally runnable twisting two stager that almost looked like a waterslide ride, but that would probably smash you on the wall. Picking our way own on river left we seal launched the remaining 7 or 8 feet. The resulting boom from my flat landing here startled the crew downstream and had them wondering if the gates were opening. A sweet and easy 6 footer then dropped us into a caved out room in much the same style as the next two falls.
Pooling gently to allow for easy scouting, Cayoosh Creek then falls somewhere around 35 feet further into the chasm. With such a vast volume of water naturally flowing through the canyon, pools and caves have been carved out that dwarf the features of the river at low flows. As a result, there are huge smooth walled rooms at the bottom of each bigger drop that are remarkably friendly.
Two years waiting, two seconds of action: Sean Boz takes his first descent of Cayoosh Chasm Falls. Image Sam Tregenza.
The lip's a bit funky, with a shallow left shelf being the best option for your kayak, taking advantage of a small curler that envelops you on descent. Tucking gently is the way to go here - sudden movements will throw you over the handlebars... or worse....
not as sore as one might reasonably expect him to be... Image: Sam Tregenza
After the main attraction you're in the bottom of the deepest section of the Chasm. Below the plunge pool was the narrowest bottleneck, all plugged up with boulders. We had originally set up a 120+ foot ascent, but after running the section above, the idea had little appeal. Climbing out onto the chockstones Lachie and I peered into the siphon and began to talk strategy. With Sam's help scouting from the left wall, we had soon enough decided the best option was actually to try and boof hard with a left stroke to pull you away from the wall and just run the final 12' drop.
Dropping into the siphon to exit the Chasm. Image:Sam Tregenza
There was a rather large cave behind the fall but it was so big that you could roll up and paddle around in it. A slot on the left of the drop drained it of all it's water, meaning that Lachie and I both ended up bouncing off the wall halfway down after grounding out during the boof attempts. As I watched Lachie wipe his face on the wall from the eddy, then waited while he got himself out of the cave, I began to rethink the prussik ascent.
Lachie re-emerging from the cave. Image: Sam Tregenza
Common sense prevailed of course and I paddled off and into the wall myself, managing to keep the elbows out of the way at least for round one. Eventually Sam styled the line, but not before it had smacked me down on my second attempt. Hindsight once again providing the wisdom far too late: if you are hiking in and forget your elbow guards... go back and get em!
Started out nicely... Image: Sam Tregenza
Lachie and Sean relax with Brad after the siphon boof. Image: Sam Tregenza
We handed Lachie's SLR to Brad on the high rope at the lip and Sam accompanied me into the chasm for a second run, proceeding to stomp the 35 with clinical precision.
Sam Tregenza showing us the stylish line. Image: Brad Winter
Set up a little too early on round two... Image: Brad Winter
If you've got some experience with ropes, and you don't mind rolling the dice with the power generation mechanics, and you've got a day to spare, then you'll have some fun in here. There are two or three unrun marginally runnable drops to look at but it's the 35' that makes it all worthwhile. A wee bit more H2O would make things nicer: the hit at the plunge pool certainly left us all with stiff necks.
If you're stuck and can't find it, head to the 2 for 1 pizza shop heading west on the Duffy from Lillooet. On the wall in there you'll find a photo, and I'm sure someone can give you all the info you'll need.
Happy Chasming!
Sean Bozkewycz
Sean would like to thank H2O Paddles and Kayak4Play.com.au for their support.
