Climbing is completely prohibited!
🔴 This area is CLOSED.
Much of this sector is HIGHLY dangerous for climbers, due to being immediately underneath and downstream of the spillway. The surge basin and spillway are a release point for the water tunnel, running from Hawks Nest Dam to the Hawks Nest Hydro Powerhouse by Cathedral Falls. A sudden drop in electrical needs from the powerhouse will shut off the generators and cause a water pressure backup, resulting in release of a LARGE amount of water out of the surge basin and down the spillway. Spillway releases are unpredictable, not controlled by the power company and have NO early-warning sirens prior to release. Water release and warning sirens are simultaneous.
Due to the possible huge, rapid water releases, the potential is real for a dangerous flash flood along this section of the river. This contrasts to the releases at Hawks Nest Dam that are forewarned by sirens and done in a controlled fashion. Because of the danger, and along with the desires of Hawks Nest Hydro/Brookfield US, this area has been marked as "Closed".