The Olympic Peninsula has some wild and wonderful canyons. It's a dramatic landscape where snowy peaks and gem-like lakes sit high above lush valleys. Two distinct worlds, alpine wonderlands and mossy rainforests, can be enjoyed in a single day here. And perhaps nowhere is this easier than Whitehorse Creek.

Though a 3 1/2 hour drive from Portland, this creek is well worth the trip. Anyone who loves a lot of waterfall action, and is not opposed to some strenuous hiking to access it, will be enchanted by Whitehorse. Located up the Hamma Hamma Road, it's basically a 2 mile long stream, originating at Lake of the Angels, that sports about two dozen distinct waterfalls. Probably all of these falls could be accessed without ropes by competent bushwhackers, but technically canyoning the stream saves a lot of time and energy.

Though the creek has obviously been enjoyed by hikers, hunters, and local waterfall lovers for decades, up to now there's been little documentation. Waterfall expert, Bryan Swan has made some forays here in recent years, but the most credit, at least for this trip report, goes to my friend and canyon scouter extraordinaire, Nick Lonstad. Last year, he identified the stream's potential via Google Earth, which led us to make several trips to investigate its entirety.

The window for descending it in the water however, is relatively short. Flows can stay dangerously high until mid-summer. While it's not a large stream, there are a number of places where the water funnels that would be incredibly hazardous with anything beyond summer and autumn (and perhaps cold, dry winter) levels.

In addition to canyoners, photographers will love Whitehorse too. And luckily for them, most of its most scenic gems are found towards the bottom of the stream. An excellent, albeit steep, trail basically parallels the creek enroute to Lake of the Angels, making it easy to do abbreviated trips.

After two miles of steep trail-hiking toward the Lake of the Angels, you get your first view of Whitehorse's topmost (and only mapped) waterfall.

view-of-top-of-Whitehorse-from-trail-cropped-in

From this view, the trail weaves up another half-mile before it enters an alpine marsh, dotted by tiny ponds and lined by conifers.

The main path can be difficult to follow beyond this point. There are so many gorgeous camping options in this area, that use-trails have sprung up everywhere. Basically, you'll want to simply choose one leading in the direction of the main stream, and veer cross-country should it begin to meander away.

The slopes above the top waterfall can be a great place to suit up, complete with ski-resort-esque views. Then, once you're ready, the fun begins!

I suggest using at least a two hundred foot rope, in conjunction with a two hundred foot pullcord for this trip. A three hundred foot setup might be even more ideal. If you're planning to stay in the stream, there are so many rappels that doing all of Whitehorse in a day would be a marathon. With a longer rope, you'd be able to combine multiple raps.

Most of Whitehorse's falls are sloping affairs down broken rock. Watch for sharp edges! Following the course of the water is the safest bet, as water has polished the rock a bit, and in some cases, a protective slime layer has developed.

This is the bottom of the first major waterfall complex. After this, the stream ducks into the brush before reaching a delightful ten foot gem just upstream of the next major complex.

What is perhaps the technical crux of the canyon, is just ahead.

Haruka James-Clay Lipsomb navigating one of the most interesting waterfalls on the stream. In higher water, it might be best to navigate around this one. Funneling into a chute at the top, it's a committing rappel. Immediately downstream, this falls complex continues, and anchoring can be an issue. To avoid a sharp edge, we ended up anchoring up the slope. Given the broken, sloping nature of the rock, it's also crucial to thoroughly consider your pull. There are several places where pinches could easily grab your knot, and/or carabiner.

Josh Hydeman photographing Nick Lonstad.

The view down the final tiers of the this complex is amazing. However, it's also deceptive. What looks like a quick jaunt down to the brush choked meadow, actually becomes two fairly long rappels.

After this the stream disappears into a dense brush maze, re-emerging a tenth of a mile later in a gorgeous patch of open forest, where the next waterfalls begin. A hiker use-trail connects this area to the main trail, and there are some incredible campsites near these smaller, forest-enveloped waterfalls.

Soon, the forest opens up, and you arrive at the top of a striking, symmetrical, three tiered beauty.

Turn a corner, and the stream meanders down and back into the woods briefly, before emerging at the next gorgeous set of falls.

The "windows" at various points on this adventure are as amazing as the falls themselves.

At this point, the stream tumbles into the debris of a several-decades-old landslide. Nick affectionately nicknamed this portion of the trip, the "basket of fun."

Carefully tucked into the basket is a surprise falls. Given the dense brush guarding it from all sides, this might be the least accessible waterfall on the entire stream. Getting into this puppy separates the men from the boys.

Once you get here though, it's a mere hop, skip and a jump, to where the waterfalls make their final descent into the forest and what I consider the most scenic stretch.

Lisa Hewitt braving the flow of early summer.

Conveniently, what is likely the most photogenic waterfall on the entire creek, it also its lowest major falls. While there are a few short tumbles downstream, this beauty is the lowest large feature, and one of the easiest to access. This makes it a fun destination to see in various seasons.

From here, the stream cascades down a few hundred feet before flattening out as it approaches the road. Here's a quick video, the very talented Lisa Hewitt put together for a portion of Whitehorse!

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