Ptarmigan Falls

RATING - 43.6

VR - 3.6 (Sm/M) HR - 11.0 SR - 4/20

TYPE OF APPROACH - Trail

DIFFICULTY - Medium

LOCATION - Swift Creek Trail

TYPE - Cascades

HEIGHT - 1200'

WIDTH - 40'

GPS - N48 50' 5.48", W121 41' 45.54"

ELEVATION - 3300'

DIRECTIONS - Ptarmigan Falls can be seen from multiple locations along the Swift Creek Trail once it crosses Agathot Creek for about a mile.

Ptarmigan Falls is the tallest waterfall in the Mt. Baker area, dropping around 1200' in a long series of cascades. The creek begins in the valley below the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail and ends at Swift Creek. While the waterfall is very tall, the stream is small and the views are from a good distance away so the true size of the falls is difficult to grasp.

At some point I will bushwhack down from the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail to the top of the falls and see how much can be seen. I think at the very least a good view of the big top tier is possible.

Left - The bottom 500' or so of Ptarmigan Falls

Right - A closer look at the upper half of the falls