Lightning Falls

RATING - 38.0


VR - 4.0 (Sm/M) HR - 6.0 SR - 14/20

TYPE OF APPROACH - Bushwhack

DIFFICULTY - Very Difficult

LOCATION - Middle Fork Nooksack

TYPE - Tiered

HEIGHT - 129'

WIDTH - 5'

GPS - N48 44.240 W121 54.119

ELEVATION - 4999'


DIRECTIONS - No directions provided to protect delicate meadows en route.

There are two major waterfalls in the upper Wallace Creek Valley. The first is located on the main branch of Wallace Creek and has been dubbed Thunder Falls because it drains the Thunder Glacier. I have given the second waterfall the name Lightning Falls to go along with the Thunder. The waterfall drops a total of 129' beginning with some cascades that cannot be seen from the bottom. The main portion of the falls stand 80' tall, and the waterfall finishes with a 12' lower tier. To the right of the main waterfall is its little brother which drops over the same cliff along a smaller stream. The second waterfall adds a lot to the scene. The area around this waterfall, and in fact the entire valley, is home to a number of extremely large boulders that have made their way down the slopes from the mountains above. Just downstream from the falls is one such boulder; this one has been split in two right down the middle. While Lightning Falls itself might not be worth the trouble climbing down from the meadows, it combined with Thunder Falls is certainly a worthy destination.