Jose Creek

Overall pretty easy hiking and down climbing, yet with a big sense of steep drop along much of the distance. The technical sections are plenty challenging and exciting enough to make it a "Canyoneering Adventure". Slightly higher flows naturally increase the difficulty and danger. This is not a large creek, but flows will be too high in the spring of most years.

From Fresno, take highway 168 north to Prather. A couple miles past Prather turn north onto Auberry Road. In Auberry stay right on Auberry Rd. at the Y by the school. A few miles up Auberry Rd. turn left onto Jose Basin road. There is a big sign for the Mono Winds Casino. Stay on Jose Basin Rd till you come to Italian Bar Road. Italian Bar Road leads down to the take out on Million Dollar Mile Road. The starting point is where Jose Basin Road crosses the creek. The distance from Fresno is about 50 miles but allow an hour and 20 minutes driving, at least. Jose Basin Road is paved, but narrow and very twisty.

From the parking area by the bridge, enter the creek under the bridge. DCR offers a quicker, dryer route to the technical section, but there are some interesting potholes and a large dammed pool DCL just downstream of the bridge. The easiest path meanders over the creek a few times, and a crack trending DCL offers and easy descent with about a 6-ft drop at the bottom (an assist here is usually appreciated). Above the first major falls, as the canyon steepens, one can downclimb much further DCR than on the DCL side, though it involves some more exposure. There are two options here: DCR: Wet rappel. Two bolts with chain links are set on top of a rounded granite slope. The drop from here to the last ledge of the falls (above a pool below) is 90 ft, with about 30 ft of free hang in the middle. It's recommended to disconnect from and pull rope from the DCL side of the creek to avoid slipping in the slick bottom of the falls. DCC: Wet rappels in slot. From a natural anchor just right of the flow, rappel into the slot, and continue down into the 2nd half of the slot past the ledge walk-off LDC. The rap ends near the end of the slot, where a 2nd anchor is set up on a chockstone. From here, rap out of the slot into the waterfall. These two rappels are only recommended in low to moderate flow, for experienced canyoneers. The water gets very pushy in the slot, and backpacks and rope bags are difficult to manage. (It is possible that this rappel overlaps with wet rappel option #1 above; we did not see the bolted anchor). This is the most technical, and the most fun, feature in the canyon. We found and replaced a very old webbing anchor for the 2nd rap on Aug 5 2017. DCL: Two dry raps in series to get down to the same location. A BFR is slung DCL of the top of the waterfall well out of the flow. The drop here is about 50? ft down to a ledge. From this ledge, a tree is slung much further DCL to cover the final distance of 70? ft to the bottom of the waterfall. Both of these raps are down bushy cliffs but are dry. The tree sling anchor is a bit exposed. Walk down large open granite slabs until you approach a larger dropoff. Rap 2 was a rock-chock under a large round boulder canyon center (washed away in spring 2017). This goes into a slopey 30?-ft rap that ends in the main flow of the creek. This rap is also easily bypassed by downclimbing a wide flake somewhat DCR of the boulder/rap. From here the creek goes into a crack and down a series of short falls. If the waterflow is low enough, the crack is fairly easily downclimbed DCR of the falls and by crossing the falls just above the last pool or continuing down the crack and out under the falls. There is an optional Rap 2.5 off of a slung tree, reached by climbing over all the cracks that slope into the stream (the tree top is visible from the top of the cascade section). The optional rap is preferable in higher flow conditions where downclimbing by the stream involves more risk. This section can also be bypassed entirely by walking wide DCR- a good option for weaker climbers. Continue below these falls to a sizeable drop-off. Dead Dog Falls wet rap DCR of the main stream flow is a wide pool, with two bolts on top of the dry granite on the downstream side (just above the cliff). In higher flows, a secondary waterfall DCR will leave these bolts on a narrow island atop the cliff, which could become very dangerous. This rap of 150 ft enters the waterfall and continues as a slide down the falls into a shallow pothole and then a very deep hole at the bottom of the falls. Wet rap option #2 Natural anchor on a boulder in the middle of the flow. This puts you more directly in the flow, and avoids using the sketchy bolted anchor. Dry rap A tree was slung well DCR of the falls, off the granite slab. This shorter rap bypasses the water entirely and drops down a grassy slope back into the granite canyon. Wet option a flake DCR (under a large rock outcrop) is slung to allow for a rap right down the waterfall and into the pool below (ending in a swimming disconnect). The flake is somewhat cracked and hollow sounding. The 2nd option below is advised. Dry option a crack DCL of the next waterfall contains a slung chockstone. The narrow crack could make for a difficult pull. There's evidence of several anchor options here to get down the 40? ft to the pool below. A large rounded boulder chocked above the top of the waterfall has been slung in the past, but makes for an exposed clip-in point and very dangerous in higher flows. Above this on the slope DCL are two bolts with SS hangers, which make for a much safer clip-in point, but a potentially trickier rappel. Finally, a pair of redundant knot-chocks in a crack higher, and further downstream DCL of the crack/falls offers another option to avoid the falls altogether. This less desirable anchor certainly makes for a safer rappel in significant flows. All raps result in a swimming disconnect- exit the pool DCR. This final drop of 70 ft into another pool is a slide straight down the waterfall. A convenient underwater rock jughandle just atop the falls makes for a great anchor in a surprising place, though it's practically impossible to find (certainly impossible to expect) in more than low flow. The water flow makes for a very hard pull if doubled. This is a good spot for a retrievable anchor. If conditions make the jughandle unappealing, there are two bolts on the rock ridge immediately DCL of the watercourse. They're difficult to spot before scrambling up on the ridge. A dry option is also rigged here: a slung flake in a crack DCR, a few feet above the pool level. This final rap can also be bypassed by climbing down the rock face DCL of the falls.

After the technical section, a large pool presents one last opportunity for a short jump and a swim. The hike out is straightforward, along gently sloping streambed alternating between wide, smooth granite slabs and rocky sections. About halfway down, Mill Creek flows into Jose Creek. Once you spot the bridge, there's a trail DCR that goes up to the road (Million Dollar Rd). Follow the road to the right for about 400 yds; the exit vehicles are on the other side of the gate.