Lower Lillian Creek Falls

The lowermost series of waterfalls along Lillian Creek is a set of four consecutive steps with a cumulative drop of 190 feet in a linear run of about 520 feet. The falls are broken up as follows: the upper drop is a horsetail-style drop which falls 44 feet directly below the footbridge along the Happy-Panther Trail, and can partially be seen from the trail (though in a somewhat obstructed manner). The second drop follows approximately 55 linear feet downstream, and tumbles 31 feet down a series of sliding / sluicing cascades with several logs straddling the canyon directly over the stream. The third drop is found approximately 60 linear feet downstream from the base of the second, and falls 43 feet in a distinct stair-stepping shape (tough without a true pause between the steps). The fourth and final drop in the series is a sheer leaping plunge type fall which descends 48 feet. When Ross Lake is at full pool level, this final drop will plunge directly into the lake, but with the lake frequently drawn down, the stream continues to cascade further down to meet the waters of Ruby Arm. The remaining 25 feet of the total height of the falls is made up in between each of the drops, with the majority of it occurring between the third and fourth drops (where a small 5-7 foot cascade also exists). Lillian Creek is not a particularly large stream, draining from a narrow basin which runs to the summit of Ruby Mountain and covering an area of approximately three-quarters of a square mile. The shaded northeast face of Ruby Mountain does harbor two small glaciers or glacial remnants which contributes a small volume of water to the stream throughout the summer season, but the bulk of the stream's flow comes from annual snow melt. The flow will be greatly diminished by September in most years, but typically doesn't become reduced to the point of being deemed "a trickle".