Falls Creek (San Jacinto Mountains)

This is a fabled forbidden canyon with a long history of access problems. The lower section of the canyon lies within DWA private property (purple zone in the map) and therefore is forbidden. However, the upper section of the canyon lies outside of the DWA domain and can be accessed without breaking the law. The water is very cold, so waterproof jacket and pants and thick gloves are recommended. Wetsuits are not required since all swimming pools can be easily avoided. Best time will be Spring and Fall. The hike up would be brutal in summer. Days may be too short in Winter. This canyon is NOT FOR BEGINNERS. The approach and return routes are strenuous and require strong navigational skills. If you attempt this adventure you should probably have an early start but be prepared to exit in the dark. This canyon may flow strong in spring after a big snow winter, so make sure you check the waterflow before attempting a descent. Falls Creek is gauged, so you will know EXACTLY how much water is flowing.

The upper section of the technical canyon starts near the isthmus of Fall and Snow Creek. Other beta recommends a mountaineering approach to access this area, we include it in the map but advise against using it. Section 28, which is open to hiking, offers a ravine that provides a more direct access to the crest. The base of the ravine can be accessed by paved road or by a sandy wash. I recommend to walk the wash for the approach because it is shorter and more direct but to take the paved road for the exit because it goes by a water fountain and a paved road will be easier to walk on after dark. However, feel free to change the options to fit your timeframe and preferences. The climb up the ravine is steep, but is without exposure and fairly easy. Once you reach the first Vista Point you may see cairns marking the way up to the crest. From the Vista Points you will have a fantastic view of the 400' monster waterfall, which sadly lies within the forbidden zone. Once at the top of the crest the progression is mostly flat traversing across boulders and brush all the way to the isthmus. In the vicinity of the drop in point you may choose to do the extension, which will add 6 rappels and a few more hours to your journey.

Upper Extension: Upper Section: Lower Section: (this section is in the forbidden zone, please respect the closure) Bing Maps has very high resolution Bird View aerial pictures of the area that allows to properly identify some of the waterfalls. You can see the Bing Map of the route at http://www.bing.com/maps/?mapurl=http://ropewiki.com/images/3/3c/Falls_Creek_%28Snow_Creek%29.kml