Pocket Falls

Pocket Falls is the second of four waterfalls we surveyed along the outlet stream of Crater Lake high in the Tolt River drainage, just over the height-of-land divide from the headwaters of Money Creek. The falls drop a total of 57 feet in two distinct steps; first in a sloping 23-foot cascade which sluices down a long, broad exposure of bedrock, and then after making a bend to the right, another 32-foot drop occurs as the stream spreads out over a broad ledge and drops sideways into a narrow alcove, or pocket, in the streambed. Unfortunately thick brush and numerous trees along the rim of the 'pocket' prevent clear views of both tiers of the falls together, but both can be viewed individually. The stream draining from Crater Lake could probably technically be considered the headwaters of the Tolt River itself, however this designation is note indicated as such on topographic maps of the area. Another branch of the headwaters of the Tolt drains from the small basin immediately west of Lake Elizabeth, and is crossed en route to Crater Lake, but the Crater Lake outlet is considerably larger in volume. Crater Lake, it's outlet stream, and all the waterfalls along it are situated within the Tolt River watershed, which is part of the water supply for the city of Seattle. There has long been a fisherman's trail to Crater Lake, and there are no signs indicating that access to the area is restricted. However given that public access is heavily restricted around the Tolt Reservoir further downstream, visitors to this area should be on their best behavior, and ensure to leave no trace - camping is likely not advisable either. Should signs appear indicating that public access is not allowed, do not proceed.In keeping with our "synonyms of Crater" theme for waterfalls along the outlet of Crater Lake, we chose the name Pocket Falls for this entry for the narrow slot which the creek drops into at the bottom of the second tier.