"A wood-filled ditch barely wide enough for a creekboat sideways." That was the beta I had been given before but upon actually running this creek there was potential for much more from this little tributary of the Chilliwack. This creek is basically an alternative put-on for the Chilliwack Canyon which gives you 3.5km extra river running. It is mostly Class III with some spots that require some sharp maneuvers and below the Bench Road Bridge it is slightly harder and probably with high water it would be Class IV. Be aware that when this creek is in, the Chilliwack Canyon is probably going to be high enough to be continuous Class IV whitewater.
Luckily doing this run after a large storm most of the river was clear of wood, but you can inspect most of the run as you drive up. There is only one larger rapid which isn't visible from the road but you can scout it easily.
Don't expect wonders from this creek, you need quite high flows in the Chilliwack to even give you enough water to consider this 'in'. I would have liked another 6inches or so water in the run to clean it up and make some of the bigger stuff nicer! The Chilliwack was running at 1.5m after about 30mm of rain overnight that also left a very visible snow-line, but it also had stopped raining for a few hours. Typically it'll be in when the Chilliwack has climbed quickly due to rain, but can also be in on snowmelt alone.
To get there drive to the Chiliwack Canyon take-out at Slesse Creek, that is the normal take-out of this run including the Class IV run. Continue to the canyon put-on, cross over the Chilliwack, turn left down Bench Forest Service Road. Drive until you go passed the main Chilliwack and see a smaller creek on your left. Take a look as you drive up and stop at the bridge and have a look at the gauge rock. If water is just going over this rock then it's on the good side of low, but has been paddled/rock-bashed lower. Make your own assessment, if you like the look of this section then you'll probably enjoy the rest of the run too. If you don't like the look of it, turn around and go to the regular Chilliwack Canyon put-on instead.
The gauge rock, the middle of the big rocks.
Drive up Foley Creek FSR (4wd recommended) on river right as far as you like, go passed the next bridge, keep watching out for wood, for a full run keep driving until you get to Airplane Creek FSR (A steep turn-off sign-posted). Park at the turn-off, then walk over the bridge, bush-whack through to the very end of Airplane Creek where it meets Foley and put-on there.
An alternative put-on is further up Foley Creek (walking), there is probably 100m of Class IV- to run but it depends on wood. Up-stream of this there is some Class IV/V similar style to Tamihi Creek which has been paddled, starting somewhere near Foley Lake. Take a look carefully, but there was a lot of wood when we took a look and it has a few steep sections.
A slightly steep section above the 2nd bridge
An almost river-wide log that was hard to see from river level
Enjoy mostly read-and-run shallow boulder gardens, a slightly steeper rapid near the next bridge and one horizon-line small 3ft drop which can be run in the middle but worth inspecting for wood first.
Boogie below the bridge starting to steepen up.
As you get to the Bench Road Bridge the gauge rock is the best boof on the river, and then below the river steepens and becomes quite fun until you end up ducking some bushes to emerge into the Chilliwack Canyon.
Bring old boats/paddles for this one, you will certainly hit a few rocks!
