Close call creek crossings

[thegrandstand]

I'm wondering if any of you have ever had a "close call" while crossing a creek in the Sierra? What happened? What would you do differently next time? And how did it change you?

Here is my story:
https://www.the-grandstand.com/home/201 ... ings-8m7xa

Robinson Creek seemed even higher and stronger than it was a few days earlier. A couple days of warm weather had most likely caused additional snowmelt; ahead of us, the trail disappeared into a cauldron of white water. Perhaps we should have listened to our gut that told us not to cross, but we did anyway. It wasn't really a discussion.

Chris went first and Alvin stayed behind. Then went Joel. Chris came back to retrieve Alvin, and I watched what happened as if in slow motion: holding our dog in his arms, Chris started to keel over. I could tell that his priority was keeping Alvin above the water, arms outstretched, but both of them were hanging on by a thread against the freezing stream. They were no longer moving forward, but trying desperately to stay up above the water and prevent it from carrying them away. Chris was able to grab onto a rock, but from what I had read previously, it was unclear to me if rocks could potentially save you or work against you as a strainer. You could get flushed against them and drown.

Our friend Joel knew instinctively that pulling Alvin out of Chris's arms would help Chris lift himself up again, so he forded the creek and grabbed our dog, losing his Nalgene in the process. Made it. Alvin was on dry ground. Chris, having the use of his arms again, stood up and walked swiftly to the other side.

[bobby49]

I was leading a group trip in Yosemite. Our normal trailhead was blocked by snow, so we went in via an alternate trail that I did not know. Then we got to a stream crossing soon before we got back onto the regular trail. This was a tough crossing. It was too fast and too deep to wade it. I had some rope, so I set up a pendulum from a tree and managed to swing across the stream. Then we tied off both ends. I clipped one carabiner on so that other hikers could grab it for support while making the long jump across, and we used that to move the backpacks separately from hikers.

[kpeter]

Stream crossings are by far the most dangerous feature of backpacking, with lightning strikes, falls, and internal illnesses all distant seconds. I spend more time researching and worrying about stream crossings than any other aspect of safety.

That said, I have never fallen on a crossing or been in serious danger in the Sierra. But I did have a very close encounter in Idaho.

I was crossing Johnson Creek below Pat's Lake in the Sawtooth WIlderness area. The creek was almost trivial--there was a moderately deep pool on my right and the creek flowed out of it to my left, and was no more than six inches deep where it flowed out of the pool. In fact, there were a series of stepping stones that allowed me to cross without even needing to take off my boots and wade.

WRONG!

One of the rocks was coated with algae and I did not notice in time, I slipped and fell backwards--free falling completely out of control. I went into the pool with the back of my head first and went underwater. Miraculously, the water broke my fall and I did not hit any part of my body on a rock. Had the pool been shallower I might have hit my head and drowned.

I was able to stand up in the pool and slosh to the bank. My camera was destroyed, but nothing else was damaged, and I continued my trip.

This crossing was not about high water at all. It was actually quite low water, but had the angle been a little different and my head hit a rock it would have been the end.

Since that day I have always taken the time to take off my boots and wade. I generally refuse to use logs or rocks to cross unless they are completely dry.

Your story (well written, by the way!) is very cautionary, since it describes a very scary situation where 1) you have to cross to retreat and 2) the crossings are getting worse as snowmelt accelerates. What time of day did you cross on the way out? And by the way, I noticed that the maps show two crossings over Robinson Creek. Was one of the two crossings worse than the other?

[John Harper]

Since that day I have always taken the time to take off my boots and wade.

I thought that was not really advised by most folks.

John

[Jimr]

I do it a lot. It depends on the composition of the streambed. If it's sandy or gravelly, then I go barefoot. If it's cobble, I use camp shoes, if it's talus, the boots.

[kpeter]

Since that day I have always taken the time to take off my boots and wade.

I thought that was not really advised by most folks.

John

I use Crocs, always. Never barefoot. Too many opportunities to stub a toe underwater or get a puncture wound. And since I still use boots rather than trail runners I'm not going to wade in them unless the water won't overtop them, so I take the time to change into Crocs.

I know those folks who have converted to trail runners often splash right through without changing and that seems to work for them. But my Crocs are wonderful camp shoes anyway and could even be used to hike in an emergency, and so I am happy to have them along.

In swift streams wearing my boots would be more dangerous than my Crocs--much greater surface area to catch the current. It is difficult to move your feet in a very swift current and having a sodden, heavy club/sail on the end of your leg to catch the current is not wise when you sometimes need precise placement.

[markskor]

Stream crossings...after so many years everybody has a story or two.

Chain Lakes - a log crossing: That old rotten log was the last barrier to Lower Chain. It was a wide log, maybe 20 feet long, one foot above and spanning the outlet stream. It was old and obviously well used - looked sturdy. Placing my right Moab on the center section...punched right through, left leg on the outside, right leg captured. Slid all the way down...boots now under water...the "boys" got a wake-up jolt too. Lots of laughter.

Red Peak Pass. North side coming down, there were maybe 2 miles of solid snow cups ahead. Half way down, (BTW solo), punched through an unseen snow bridge - feet in water, could not touch the bottom, up to my chest in snow. The only thing that saved me was my backpack plugging up the hole. Even though my arms were free, I was stuck like a cork in a bottle. Using my trekking poles pushed through my backpack straps horizontally, so it wouldn't fall down below and loose everything...took off the backpack and somehow worked my way out. Took me a few hours.

[giantbrookie]

Dunno if I could say I've had truly close calls. I remember a scary crossing of Bubbs Creek at Jct Meadow in mid May 1979--ill advised as I viewed in it hindsight not long after, but there was no fall, simply dire consequences if me or my partner slipped.

I took a fall into unnamed stream much earlier on the 1979 trip that put me totally into the drink. No chance of drowning, but total drenching, and very painful hip that took a direct hit on a rock when I fell. The wetness was nice as it was a pretty warm day, so it was a bit refreshing to dry and have the evaporative cooling kick in, but the hip was not so nice. Whatever I did caused shooting pains for the remainder of the trip (overnighter to climb Mt Brewer) and periodic sharp pains in the hip (mostly while hiking with load) for the next 15 years or so.

I had some iffy wades of Bartlett Creek going and coming (Kibbie was pretty bad too but not as bad) in late May 1986 going to and from Edyth Lake from Cherry L. I think my partner banged up his toe really badly on one of them. The conditions of the second (returning) Bartlett crossing I recall were pretty much at my limit for strength of current while wading.

I can also recall simply re-routing trips when faced with a stream I didn't feel comfortable crossing. I think I changed routes to a Plan B for at least 3 trips (one, a dayhike I simply cancelled) when I felt certain streams were running too high to safely cross.

[TahoeJeff]

I use Crocs, always.

X2

[SSSdave]

Did 200th backpack last summer over 4+ decades. A whole lot of solo off trail routes where being foolish is a formula for a short life. But am athletic enough to do things many others ought not. A complex stream crossing on Piute Creek last year, described with images where I had to make some dynamic moves:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/2017_Trip_C ... 17-18.html

Have never had a close call fording streams. Painfully cold experiences yes. Dangerous crossings where a slip could have been very unpleasant, yes. We jump in streams or lakes almost every day we are out in the backcountry regardless of how cold water is so have a lot of experience getting into cold water and that usually means doing such quickly in and out. Also when stream water temps are not that cold, we have often played in stream rapids, especially bedrock areas with potholes. So also have experience getting in whitewater and moving about. Last decades have often used Wiggy's Waders when crossing larger streams. Last summer I bailed after looking at the crossing for Mono Creek over to Second Recess then changed my itinerary. And likewise have bailed from too difficult exposed steep crosscountry routes as I carefully assess dangers. That is why I'm still here as an old guy.