Babyshoe Creek

Babyshoe is a short, sweet objective in the upper reaches of the Lewis River Valley. It has 1-2 rappels, and some easy bushwhacking. This is not a major destination.

From the junction of FR-90 and FR-23, follow FR-23 north for 2.7mi to where Babyshoe Creek passes underneath the road in a culvert. Find a good place to park nearby. Follow the east side of Babyshoe Creek for about 0.13mi before dropping in just above the technical section.

When the canyon opens, it gets brushy quickly. Make your way downstream until you can easily exit up the embankment on the DCL / east side. From here, there are several options: 1) Continue downhill through open forest, following the path of least resistance to intersect the Lewis River a few hundred yards above R2. Note that the water will triple or more upon entering the Lewis River. Depending on where you come out, you might need to do a short nuisance rappel into the creek. 2) No shuttle: Hike back up to the road (~0.25mi, +300ft) to your car. 3) Shuttle: Contour east about 0.25mi (+100ft) to the road. Your exit will be near the typical entrance of the Lewis River. From here, it's 0.6mi shuttle back to the top of Babyshoe.