Mountaineer Creek

Mountaineer Creek offers a handful of rappels down a cliff face. Its close proximity to Cunningham Creek is likely why it often appears on beginner canyoning lists. When paired with Cunningham, it adds a bit more adventure to the end of the valley after driving up CR 4. Mountaineer Creek can also be descended in combination with the nearby Cunningham Creek route for those looking to extend their day.

Drive: from W 12th and Greene St in Silverton, drive 4.4 miles East out of town on CR 2. Turn South at Howardsville on CR4 for another 4.5 miles and turn Right at the fork just before the Highland Mary Lake Trailhead. Park at 37.78258, -107.58054 for easier road conditions. From the parking location, hike 2/3 a mile uphill on a rougher dirt 4x4 road. Continue beyond the final parking opportunity on the path another 0.3 miles to where a small lake comes into view directly to the south. Turn south off trail to intersect Mountaineer Creek just downhill and follow the creek downstream to the headwall and waterfalls.

R1: 100' from a tree on Canyon Right R2: 100' from a rock horn on Canyon Left