Chalk Creek

Original beta by Michael Dallin: This is a stunt rappel — and a very good one. Do not use the ice‑climber bolts high on canyon right; using them keeps you out of the falls, and the traverse required to reach them is extremely sketchy for canyoneers. Chalk Creek Canyon — not to be confused with the more well‑known drainage of the same name that flows off Mt. Princeton to the south — descends from a quiet alpine valley near the massive environmental scar left by the Climax mine. The drainage is mostly open and rocky, but it does feature one spectacular rappel down Chalk Creek Falls. A full wetsuit is recommended, as the water is extremely cold, especially at the main waterfall. The descent is straightforward and typically takes only an hour or two to complete.

To get there, take Highway 91 south from I-70 (at the exit for Copper Mountain ski resort). Drive past large mine tailing dumps to the Climax Mine, at Fremont Pass. Continue down the other side. Exactly 3.0 miles down the road from Fremont Pass, a dirt road turns off to the right. Turn onto this road, and you'll immediately find a sign warning the need for high clearance 4wd to continue. Drive up the road for 0.2 miles. It is bumpy and a little steep, but should be passable for most 2wd cars with normal clearance. After an uphill section, the road turns to the right, and flattens out. Park here. To the left (west) you'll see an obvious rock cut, what was once an old road or possibly a ditch. Now it is overgrown, though there is a foot path through it. If you follow this path for 5 minutes, you'll reach a great overlook of Chalk Creek Falls. Return to your car. Grab your gear and hike up the road. If you want to drive up you can, but you will need 4wd past this point. The road enters a light forest after a quarter mile or so, but opens up again shortly. After it opens up, look to the left towards the creek. Find an easy place to descend to the water level.

Hike and boulder hop down the stream. There are a few interesting cascades, 6 to 8 feet high, but for the most part the stream is open and boulder-strewn. There are some surprisingly deep pools below the cascades, some more than waste deep, but none deep enough to jump. Eventually you'll reach the top of Chalk Creek Falls, and here the real fun begins. Sling a bomber tree a few feet from the edge. You'll need a 50 meter rope for this rappel. Once over the edge, you'll be in the falls - and this waterfall will really pound you, so wear a helmet! Don't try this in heavy water flow. Part of the rappel is free-hanging. There is an alcove behind the falls, and 2/3 of the way down you can stop there and step behind the falls. Continue down to the pool at the base of the falls, which is only knee deep.

The watercourse below the falls is not interesting. Instead, climb up a steep dirt slope opposite the falls to reach the overlook. Hike the faint trail through the rock cut back to your car.