Wilbur Creek
If you want to see an example of the raw power of water, Wilbur is your creek. It is best done in secession with Ptarmigan Creek via the Ptarmigan-Wilbur route. However, it can be done stand-alone with some effort. Wilbur Creek is the primary drainage that flows out of Iceberg Lake and feeds the water table below. It certainly has no water shortage and a sudden slot of dramatic proportions. The dark, constriction contains walls that rain on you, a single rappel, a down climb, and a technical jump before spitting you out. This creek has a lot of bark, but hopefully not too much of a bite. Things can change, but as far as we are concerned it’s a pretty straightforward route. However, those underprepared or choose a foolish entrance may find themselves in a predicament. One that could prove quite troublesome for the non-canyoneer.
Stats:
3C3 III*** (v3a4 IV**)
Time needed: 4 - 9 hours
Number of rappels: 1 + 1 Jump
Number of down climbs: 1
Longest rappel: 90 feet
Distance round trip: 3 miles
Elevation gain/loss: 419 feet
Significant hydraulics: Strong Current
Special recommendations: Bear spray
Season: August - September
Getting there:
From West Glacier:
It is just like getting to Ptarmigan Creek…
Cruise onto Going to the Sun Road (Glacier route 1 road) and follow it over Logans Pass and next to the great Saint Mary’s Lake. Enjoy the views, you follow this road for about 37 miles to the bustling town of Saint Marys.
From Saint Marys junction, take a left onto highway 89 and follow it a couple miles until you reach Babb Montana.
At the usual intersection, take a left from 89 and onto Route 3. Follow the road until it becomes dirt. Then continue past the Many Glacier entrance. Continue on this route until you reach the Swift Current Motor Inn.
Behind the Inn is your trailhead. There are a couple ways to get to it, just follow the signs to the Iceberg-Ptarmigan Trailhead. Once at the trailhead. Your adventure starts (probably).
The approach:
You should approach this canyon from the Ptarmigan Creek entrance. However if you prefer suffering here’s a way to it from below:
From the Iceberg-Ptarmigan Trailhead:
Take the CDT trail, not the Iceberg lake trail.
Follow the CDT trail .78 miles, you will cross Wilbur creek on your way up!
A GPS is really going to help you here at 48.80179, -113.69348 you should bank of the CDT trail to your right and keep your elevation. Fight brush and jump logs until you reach Wilbur creek. Then follow Wilbur Creek up on its left bank. This will take about .7 miles.
Soon, you’ll see the end of the slot.
Stay on the left bank until it bends left and straightens out again. Keep going until it becomes a dramatic deep slot. You’ll eventually see the falls into the slot. Its powerful and gorgeous.
Apposing the falls is your entry rappel. Do not rappel the watercourse. You will die. The intermediate pool is certainly a undercut reticulating hydraulic into an immediate pour over. Rappelling on the sides of the watercourse are not clean rappels. Just rappel across from the drop. There is no anchor. You may sling one of the many trees. Watch for moss.
The awesome part:
Rappel 1 (120 feet from a tree): Rappel down into the slot from the apposing wall from the falls. We measured the drop at about 90ish feet. I would still probably bring a 120’ and a pull cord just to be safe. This may or may not be a swimming disconnect depending on your anchor choice.
Look around in the deep bellowing slot and enjoy the unbelievable colors that are certainly something you have never seen before. Bright reds, pinks and blues all accented by sparking glacier water and brilliant green gardens. Incredible and unnaturally natural.
You’ll quickly find another drop. This can be down climbed DCR hugging the wall. Look out there is a thigh deep hole at the bottom that could twist a leg! You could also build an anchor here if you really had to.
Go down and through the phenomenal slot. As soon as it starts it ends, the canyon opens up a bit on the right side and bends left around a rocky corner.
Make your way to the corner and you’ll find the technical jump. Down climb the ledge on the right and jump into the SHALLOW pool below. Its about a 5-6 foot jump. Not too bad. The pool below is somewhere between 5-7 feet deep.
Continue down the slot until it opens up. This is the end of Wilbers committing section. Feel free to continue down canyon. There is another rappel or two and jump. However, eventually you’ll want to exit.
The exit:
Most parties will want to exit the creek bank on the right after passing a small forgotten National Park Service shed that will be seen on the left embankment. Then just side hill back to the CDT, this will take about 20ish minutes. Take the CDT back to your car.
Parties can continue down Wilbur creek but will find the creek walking to become grueling, though the end of this creek has another technical slot. It is short and has not been completed. It also appears to be very violent.
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