DFKWA Fact Sheet – Baldface Creek
Geology: Serpentine.
Annual Precipitation: ~120 in.
Gradient: 126 ft/mi.
Rapids: Class IV+.
Notable Fish: Steelhead, coho salmon, chinook salmon.
Notable Flora: Darlingtona, rare serpentine endemics (no comprehensive study exists).
Notable Trees: Port Orford cedar, Jeffery pine, incense cedar, Douglas fir, tanoak, Canyon Live oak, Pacific yew.
Primary Threats: Large-scale nickel strip mines and Port Orford cedar root disease.
Smaller creeks like Baldface are temperamental and fickle in regards to navigability, flow, CFS, etc. What’s possible, what’s not possible, what’s safe, what’s not safe, can and will change, essentially, in lock-step with current weather and temperature conditions—the changes aren’t just immediate, they are, like weather itself, hyper-localized. Late winter and early spring, the most dynamic (dynamic weather = dynamic creek flow) and unpredictable time of year in terms of precipitation, snowmelt and accurate weather forecasting, is the only time of year Baldface is boatable. In this regard Baldface is problematic but not unlike many other creeks in the De Facto Kalmiopsis watershed.
The road conditions into Baldface, coupled with aforementioned unpredictable/temperamental flow is what makes it a particularly difficult creek to recon. Typically, when the creek is at perfect height to float/boat, either of the two roads into the trailhead/put-in are still buried under several feet of snow. And where there isn't snow (south facing sections), there is mud. At the very least the way in requires a legitimate 4-wheel drive truck. And but even then it’s at best a serious challenge, and at normal/worst it’s still often impossible short of towing in sleds—and then there is the issue of getting the sleds out.
The issue of getting both into and out-of further complicates a Baldface recon. Getting dropped off and picked up requires planning, logistics, coordination and help. You can’t just get off the river and picked up anywhere. Once “in” and committed from the top, it takes no less than 12 miles of floating and/or hiking to make it to the first take-out, which take-out is located several miles past the confluence with the Smith. Because even in the best of conditions it takes 2-3 hours to drive and 2-3 hours to hike just to get the Baldface put-in, and because the best time of year to recon is late winter when daylight is limited, it’s a two-day trip—which means packing food and equipment for at least one night of camping.
Further complicating floating and/or reconning Baldface, you need to be dropped off at “the top” and picked up downriver, on the Smith.
In February of 2001, Zach Collier and Super Kev (aka Beefcake) attempted to drive to the put-in from the North Fork of the Smith River. While the approach was promising at first, especially at lower elevations and on predominately south facing slopes, they were eventually turned around less than five miles from the trailhead because 5-6 foot deep snowbanks covering the road.
In March of 2007, Zach Collier and J.R met Bearfoot Brad, “the” local shuttle driver, at his house at five in the morning. This time they tried to drive in from the East up Patrick Creek. Three miles up Patrick Creek one of Brad’s truck’s wheel (yes the whole wheel) came off and rolled down a hill, and almost when into the creek. After some hitchhiking and a phone call they were able to make it back to Zach’s truck in Cave Junction. Now way behind schedule, they drove up Patrick’s Creek again until they were turned around 12 miles from the put-in because of snow drifts and snow pack.
In March of 2013, Zach Collier and YJ, with help from Joseph Vaile of KS Wild, made it all the way up and in, and down and out.
On the way in we were forced to park about two miles from the trailhead because of snow and hike the rest of the way. The snow was mostly packed and easy to navigate. A few miles beyond the trailhead we started to descend Biscuit Hill, at this point we were well below the snow line. On on the creek, we had planed to hike across and through and, when necessary, actually down or with the river when the banks became too steep or walled-in and walking alongside the creek was impossible or problematic. However, the creek was much higher than we had expected, and impossible to safely navigate through or across on foot. In anticipation of this problem we packed in Alpacka Packrafts, breakdown paddles and PFDs. What we thought would be an emergency tool, was in fact our primary mode of transportation. While inflating a packraft is relatively easy and quick, all the packing and repacking and reorganization required when transitioning between Float and Foot mode, is beyond a bummer. For two days we struggled floated, forged, hiked, backpacked, cris-crossed, bushwacked, humped, dragged, scrambled, ran, and boated our way down Baldface, often in a dry suit and backpacking boots.
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