Highest drop 50m
Public access
5hrs
Steep, Low flow canyon, with alternating enclosed and open sections.
There is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS foot entrapment on R11 between the canyon wall and a trapped log. It is difficult to see from above and very difficult to avoid, so until the log is gone, it is better to exit on the TR and rappel from a tree so you descend well away from the log.
This entrapment caught a canyoners foot recently, though luckily he was able to undo his shoe and escape! The shoe is still in there as far as we know! Foot entrapments like this one are perhaps the most life threatening hazard in a canyon, because there is very little that can be done to save someone. The only solution would be trying to raise them with a haul system from above, but that could result in broken limbs.. Without rescue the canyoner would eventually succumb to hypothermia…
Read an article about a foot entrapment fatality in a nearby canyon
BE WARNED!!
Download CanyonTopo for Jubilee Creek
Went in following rain the previous night, water level was probably slightly higher than usual but not much. The approach was easy enough, although we were uncertain on where to drop down to the water and I think we got in just after the first pitch. Although there’s no established track, you can see where people have trampled the ground before and this is followable most of the way up.
There are plenty of bolts in the canyon now, mostly double bolted where you want them (although often the webbing joining the bolts could use replacing). Looks like the false floor at R12 has collapsed, the bolt is now out of reach and we had to backtrack to escape, climb to a tree above, and abseil in to reach the bolt and do the pitch. Note there is still an entrapment hazard at R11 as there is now a second log low on the TL that is hard to see, but it’s easily avoided if you’re careful. Didn’t see the intermittent anchor on R6, slung a logjam instead to break up the pitch.
Next group through should bring webbing and maillons at least, and it would be good if someone added a replacement for the bolt that’s out of reach. Maybe some other anchors that are currently natural could also have bolts added at the same time.
Great trip down Jubilee creek, party of 2, took us 6 hours car to car at a leisurely pace. It took 2 hours for the walk in.
The walk in does indeed require some route finding, the numerous bluffs mean it can be tricky finding the right spot to go down. We went down twice only to retrace our steps realizing there was more canyon above us. We had no gps or means of checking elevation so we were just using intuition. Ignore our tree branch arrow we made, it was not the right spot to start heading down, its much further along. Next time through I will take a GPS and try and get a good track in. Once a good route in is found, it could do with some temporary marking until a single track is worn in.
All anchors were good, although looks as though no one has been through in a long time as many were nearly mossed over.
► The log anchor on R12 was no good so added a single ring bolt on TR, which works great for now but may be out of reach if the log jam collapses. Luckily you can easily reverse from that spot and bypass that section if this is the case.
► The foot entrapment at R11 was no issue, the log looks as though it may have changed position slightly but in my opinion is no issue if you are aware of it. I stopped mid abseil to suss it out but could not find an obvious entrapment. Both of us did not need to step on the log at all, one of us going TL of the log, and myself TR, both ways work fine.
► R6 has a intermittent anchor so doesn’t need to be done as full 50m. The intermittent anchor can be hard to spot (I missed it going down first).
► The abseil off the slung rock is not ideal and could use a bolted anchor or a threaded anchor (drill through the rock fin above). I think its R8.
The lower part of the canyon is the nicest, but overall I think this canyon deserves more attention. It’s a great early season one to do, the water is not as cold as some other haast canyons, and the walk out is 100m of creek until you get to the road. Future parties could just take webbing, its possible to escape throughout most of the canyon.