Just upstream on the Chedoke Creek in Hamilton of the Wall of Anguish, Stairway to Paradise is vastly different than most drains. As in, it features two distinct stairways in which water cascades over in small waterfalls, designed to help minimize the impact the water would have as it descends down the escarpment.
Location | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hwy 403 & Aberdeen Ave. | ||||||
(Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) | ||||||
Built | Status | Difficulty | ||||
Unknown | Active (Non-Public Access) | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazards Risk | Security Risk | AUE Rating | ||||
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ | ||||
Hazard Observations | Security Observations | |||||
Flash Flood Potential | None Specified |
For the most part, Stairway to Paradise is a standard, reinforced concrete box (RCB) drain with a section of reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) in the middle. It's the two stairwells (I only visited the lower, reportedly more photogenic one) that make this drain worth a look.
The lower stairway, located very close to the outfall, is known for catching daylight and making for inspiring photos. Sadly, I didn't go during the day, so I had to improvise on the lighting. Nothing some flashlights and fire can't solve, however.
The drain itself is very clean for the most part, due to the inlet cage being very effective. However, there is occasionally some sanitary contamination, since the headwaters to the Chedoke Creek is from one of the mountain drains that happens to have sanitary hookups. Don't let this fact scare you off... I saw no evidence of this contamination.
Drainer or tunneler? Go grab your boots and give this one a look if you haven't already.
Lighting thanks to makewiththebits, and to Tamara for playing with fire.