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MIDDLE CORNELL CREEK FALLS

RATING - 24.0

VR - 4 (Med/Sm)               HR - 2.0                  SR - 16/20

TYPE OF APPROACH - Bushwhack

DIFFICULTY - Very Difficult

LOCATION - Mt. Baker Highway

TYPE - Cascades

HEIGHT - 44'

WIDTH - 20'

GPS - N48 52.536 W121 58.362

ELEVATION - 1857'

Middle Cornell Creek Falls

The waterfalls of Cornell Creek are found on the West Fork of the creek in the middle of a very deep, very steep, and very dangerous to navigate canyon.  Cornell Creek Falls drops about 120' in a series of three drops.  The creek then makes a 180-degree U-turn around a rocky promentory before cascading over the 44' tall middle falls.  The falls begin with a series of small drops totalling 18' in height.  The creek then spreads out and plunges over a stunning 26' tall main drop.  This is among the prettiest waterfalls in the area thanks in no small part to the lush, greenery surrounding the falls.  Unfortunately, on my visit, it was drizzly so my picture has water spots on it.  Grrr!  Visitors can get a good view of the falls from the top of the ridge.  In order to get the view above, you'll need to climb down a nearly vertical cliff face and then scramble along the cliff alongside the cliff.  It's not easy.  I actually spotted pink ribbons on the opposite side of the creek so I think it's possible to scramble up the left side of the creek from the lower falls.

Below the middle falls, the creek exits the main part of the canyon via 15' tall Lower Cornell Creek Falls.
DIRECTIONS - Drive east on the Mt Baker Highway towards the town of Glacier.  A couple miles west of town, turn right onto Cornell Creek Road.  Follow the road to a gated logging road at the east end of Cornell Ck Road (the one that immediately heads uphill, not the flat one).  Park and walk up the road.  In 1.67 miles, the road will encounter the first of several sharp switchbacks to the road.  Plunge into the woods here and begin sidehilling upstream.  You'll encounter a tributary stream, which you'll have to cross.  This can be tricky if you get too low because the stream runs through a mini-canyon of its own.  Once you cross, scramble up to the top of the ridge and then follow it down.  You'll get a view of the middle falls from above and you can see the main waterfall through the trees.

NEARBY WATERFALLS - Cornell Creek Falls, Lower Cornell Creek Falls
ADDITIONAL PICTURES (CLICK TO ENLARGE) AND VIDEO

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