16 Mile Creek
From Whitewater Ontario River Wiki
Contents |
Introduction
This is a spring flood run. Snow and ice will be present while you paddle. The rapids are not technically difficult but the water is fatally cold. Do not swim. The river meanders and a run takes about 2.5 hours. Not easy to escape part way. Even though you are a few minutes drive from Toronto it is still a long walk to help.
The river is mostly Class II bumpy fun. At one point it forms a couple of small very easy to avoid holes and the waves might get big enough to be considered Class III. The real risk is the cold water and the strainers.
Near the end the river widens and becomes a 'choose your own adventure'. Real risk of strainers in this section so stay together. Because of the high risk of strainers, the difficulty in evacuating (due to the deep ravine) and the temperature or the water when normally run (sometimes even before the ice is fully gone) this river is rated as a Class III.
Access
Both parking lots are public space. No houses along the river banks. The take out is very urban, please be careful changing so you don't offend the locals.
Put in
Take Neyagawa Rd. North from Dundas (Halton Rd. 5) and follow it under Hwy. 407. Just after passing under the highway the road curves sharply to the left then ends at the top of a ravine. Walking down the old road past the barrier bring you to an old bridge. The put-in is on the downstream side (duh!)
Note: Fourth Line/Neyagawa Rd. is not continuous - the river bridge is blocked off. Only approachable from the south. Parking for about 10 cars. Please stay well off to the side. The person who lives right at the put-in has a business and often has to turn in and out of his driveway with fairly long trailers.
Take out
Lion's Valley Rd. South is found on the East side of the bridge where Dundas crosses the 16 Mile Creek valley, right beside an old red brick church. When the park is open you can drive down into the valley and park beside the river. When the park is closed then you must park just off Halton Rd. 5 beside the old brick church and walk down.
This area has been under construction for the last 3 years. Parking for the take out might fluctuate.
Length of run
Run typically takes about 2.5 hours. At the midpoint the West Branch joins and a few play waves form.
Water levels
The current level for this river can be found through the Environment Canada Real-Time Hydrometric Data site, gauge 02HB005 Oakville Creek at Milton. Beware that this gauge is far upstream and does not seem to reflect the river level well. There is a hand-painted gauge on the upstream, river-left girder of the bridge at the put-in. The river is paddlable at any level above zero, and is nearing flood when the water is over deck of the bridge. Between 2-3 on the gauge is considered optimal.
Typically run above 2.5 on the hand-painted gauge at the put-in.
