Hollow Creek In Dorset:  A Trip Report
Article by Jeff Strano / Photos by Gary George

As the sun shone brightly off of the snow, I looked up at the compass on my truck as we headed up Highway #35 toward Dorset, it read 5°C ... not bad for a first paddle of the season.

Gary George and I were headed up to the Hollow Creek, located just 5 minutes north-east of Dorset proper (where two weekends prior we had witnessed the open-water crossings of snowmobiles right through town).  It was almost noon and fast approaching the warmest part of the day.

We turned a quick right, just past town after the snowmobile dealership, and headed 1 km down a side road before turning right again.  Once on this road, we drove for 2 minutes crossing over the Hollow Creek Bridge.  The creek is located just beside the road, with the actual run being another 1 km up the road from the bridge.

The Hollow consists of a short 350-metre section of steep continuous rapids in a deep gorge.  It starts out relatively slow, with class 2+ and 3 water, but quickly winds up to class 4-4+ish water near the end, with a terminal hole that has almost claimed a few boaters over the years.  This creek is situated 5 minutes north-east of Dorset along a road named Hollow Rd. (some clarification please) or something similar to that.  This is a great little run not to be taken lightly, and should be run with safety setup at the bottom hole which -- if it isn't already named -- I will call "The Headless Horseman Hole."  I have seen someone, rescued by throwbag and then by boat, bow out of this innocent-looking monstrosity.

After getting dressed on the road side, I dragged my boat up a steep and slippery slope that is a part of the cliff that gives Hollow Creek its name and fast continuous nature.  The hill is a good warm-up to get your blood pumping and make you sweat in your dry gear.

Beyond this climb, you can scout the rapids from a birds-eye vantage point at the top of the gorge walls.  This is an excellent view, but definitely makes features seem smaller than they actually are!  Gary recommends not stepping to close to the edge in vibram-soled hiking boots ... very slippery.

After the crest you make your way, bushwhacking and trying not to fall around, to flat shoreline at the top of the run.  There is some calm water with a small rapid 100 metres above flowing into it.  This is the perfect spot to warm up and get back into the feeling of your creekboat and gear.

The run starts out with some class 2 moves that lead into this first class 3 chute that is really pumping.  After this chute there are a series of small ledges and fast-moving constrictions over rocks, forming small holes that are grabbier than they look.

After a fast-paced mid-run section you come to the first part of the class 4 section.  This is comprised of a rock slide with the majority of the flow ending up against the cliff walls in what Gary termed a "toothpaste-like" flow of water, squirting into and then away from the cliff wall.  This is a crux move and also has a re-circulating hole that feeds back into the cliff wall on the river right side.  It can be very sticky as I found out on this day.

I got into what can only be described as a micro-eddy, above a must-make move and the entry rapid to the final portion of Hollow Creek.

Beyond this slide is a large frothy pool of aerated water that is churned up by the hole at the base of the slide itself.  There is a small pour-over hole above the last and terminal Headless Horseman Hole that should be avoided on river left.  I have found that skirting the Headless Horseman Hole on the far river right, just next to a large boulder.

This move pretty much sums up the run.  Below there are some minor class 1 and 2 rapids that are shallow and wide.  I have always taken out just below the Headless Horseman Hole on river left.

Unfortunately, due to an unplanned stop-over in the hole at the final two holes just above the last and terminal Headless Horseman Hole, we didn't get a chance to take photos of the final and crucial 50 feet of Hollow Creek.

That's all for now.  Stay tuned for the next sequence of pictures of the final 50 feet of the Hollow Creek in Dorset.

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