Swift: we hiked down the trailhead near Rainbow Falls, incredibly easy access to the water upstream from the gorge...but it got harder.  It bounces along for a short while, goes through one class 3-4 boulder drop, then over and through a big pinch next to a house sized boulder and into a gorge.  We ran the first gorge, then had to hike around a 35' falls into a log jam.  Tried putting back in, ran a few more, then had to extract ourselves again when we got to another unrunable drop.  I think we repeated that process for about 8 hours, finally putting back in to run the last little bedrock section before the bridge.  It is impressive, and might go some day if things change or the flows are different. 

As for Thunder, I've only ever scouted it at low water, hiking/swimming the thing.  I know of a few folks from B'ham that tried to run it but they put in way to far upstream and had a horrible day of boulder bashing.  From the south side you can drive to a washed out bridge just above the main canyon.  Accessible form the north as well if you have a bike or keys to the FS gate.  Keep going up that road a little ways, bushwack down to the river, maybe a hundred yards, and there you are at the top of the canyon.  Not sure that is the best place to be, but...  I'd probably head over to river right and hike it a little further downstream and put in above the 15-20 footer, if it still goes.

Here are some pics of that one...  Of course, I don't think anyone has run the 20 footer yet, and it would be a shame to get scooped...

http://plungepool.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-cascade-potential.html

No one wanted a piece of that 20 footer when we were in there.  Had some hucksters in our group too (not me).  Thin line with consequences. Consensus on the gorge was you could rap in on river left for a few good drops, then have to rap back out when things get ugly again. We're talking 100 yds or so.  Most every other drop has some sort of issue.

Owen's info is good.  Access on river left (east side of Baker Lake) was fine.  You can drive pretty close to Thunder Cr (short shwack after the road ends) and access the very top of the gorge where the bridge used to stand.  Bring rope and ascenders for the gorge. And yes, the 2 miles we ran above that were yucky. Broke my boat in one of the mandatory pitons. It was actually decent gradient (200 - 250 fpm) and pretty clean of wood etc. Might have been ok with more water, we were in there WAY too low. Boatable flows on the upper would equate to roosty gorge levels.  The level on the gorge looked good when we were there.

We always talk about Jackman Cr, which is right there as well, and in the Bennett Book.  I think it's rated IV ish? Looks like good access too.

Yeah, Erik, your "hucksters" are the scoopers in question.
Gotta admit, though, when I heard about the day you guys had out there, I was glad to have not been on the gorge probe mission.

Bring rope and ascenders for the gorge.

Jackman Creek Rd has been open for at least three years. The road to the takeout is still gated and so you either have to hike out, or boat down to SR20. Logging continues up there, but the road is kept in decent shape after the snow lets up (not a issue this year). Most of the logging I have seen has been up on the hill rather than downslope from the road. Landslides are common in the drainage, so road conditions and the streambed can change at anytime.

Edited by Wiggins - 09 Feb 2010 at 7:34pm

Good to hear the Jackman situation has markedly improved.  I have always wanted to run that one.  It sort of is the one that got away when I was in that area.

We should start a thread of wild goose chases in the heart of cascades and see who volunteers...

I did see that article, nice job, but we are writing about a different Thunder Creek, the one that drops into Baker Lake.  Anyone else taken a gander at that one?

I do know of one that has yet to be run but would be a beautiful goose chase.  I did a decent of Glacier Creek on Mt. Baker with Ben Stookesberry about seven years ago.  We put in at damn near where it falls off the glacier and is pretty much just water going down a scree slope.  The trip was not really all that noteworthy other than the encounter with a gorge known and marked on maps as "glacier creek gorge".  I spent a long time scouting it (as in days and days on foot with rope).  It is one of the most facinating canyons I have ever seen.  I deemed it is probably runable (runnable by me now that is a different question), and would not be surprised to hear that someone has.  Yet, I have a sneaking suspicion that it has been left.  It is extremely narrow and deep.  It looks alot like the dipper creek gorge.  The rock is a strange striated basalt.  From what I could see the drops are big, powerful, and clean.  It is however extremely intimidating due to the confinement factor.  So there is what I know and would be happy to fill in anyone on the details.  I don't care if I ever get "scooped".  If someone runs it I would love to know what else is in there.  So come on you bellingham hucksters, send your most couragous warriors if there are any left among you after peering into the belly of this beast..  Someone should run the damn thing, I think that would be rad.

I would say Finney Creek should also be included in this conversation. If someone figured out how to put in below where Korb turned back, I am 95% sure there is a run in there with the amount of water that runs through that creek. Unfortunately all the easy access points are above Gee Creek.

Wow! that photo is truly SICK!

That is awesome and scary the 10' or 150' ?? Looks we need that night vision camera and trained Bat after all ...