Naiad Falls

Turn off the Trans-Canada Highway on Donald Road (signed for the town of Donald), then after a kilometer, turn left onto the Bush River FSR. Follow the Bush River Road for 63km then turn right onto the Valenciennes River FSR shortly after crossing the Valenciennes River. Follow the Valenciennes Road for 18km then bear left onto the Mons Creek - Icefall FSR and follow it for another 9km to where a small sign can be seen indicating the parking for Icefall Lodge. As of August 2010, Mons Creek had washed out the road 1/2km before the parking. From the parking area, find the trail across the flood plain to Icefall Brook (faint) and locate the log footbridge to cross (do not attempt crossing by fording, the creek is too large and swift). Once across, follow the trail (may be flagged) for about 120m to where the trail bears left on an old roadbed. The Icefall Canyon trail (unmarked) heads right along the same former road at this point. Follow the rough, generally overgrown trail towards Icefall Canyon. The trail peters out after about 1 1/2 to 2km, after which it is necessary to bushwhack through the thick hemlock forest for another kilometer to the base of the falls (parts of the falls will be visible for the last kilometer). The Icefall Canyon trail is a rough, very much work-in-progress trail which may be difficult to follow at times and should not be attempted by those looking for an easy walk. The road to the trailhead is not maintained regularly either, high clearance vehicles are recommended.In almost perfect contrast to nearby Tethys Falls - a powerful, portly waterfall - this cataract stands gracefully watching guard over Icefall Canyon in a more delicate, and substantially taller fashion. Like Tethys, Naiad Falls is a product of Karst topography, that is bedrock conducive to forming tunnels and caves which can be occupied by water. The stream producing the falls spurts directly out of the side of Icefall Canyon and plunges 583 feet in three steps (364, 175 and 44 feet respectively) before the waters of its meager stream mingle with raging Icefall Brook below. Similar to other waterfalls in the area, the source of Naiad Falls is difficult - if not impossible - to identify due to the fact that the stream emerges directly from the face of a cliff. Chances are the source is part of the East Lyell Icefield, but how quickly the waters melt from the ice and form the underground stream is not known. Because there may be a disconnect in the ratio of melt to discharge due to the plumbing in the mountain, it may be that this waterfall flows inconsistently throughout the year (though when surveyed in August 2010 it was flowing quite well). The falls also most certainly freeze solid during the coldest months of the winter.Our proposed name for this waterfall comes from the Naiades, mythical Greek nymphs of fresh water which were said to inhabit the streams and lakes of the earth. Naiads were often regarded as the guardians or protectors of springs or wells which fed a village. Given the parallel to the fact that this waterfall springs right out of the cliff, the name struck us as the obvious choice.