Upper Margaret Falls

Upper Margaret Falls is a high elevation waterfall found on the southeast end of Whitman Crest where the unnamed stream which produces Margaret Falls cascades down a long Andesite cliff from a tundra-like flat just north of Cowlitz Park. The falls cascade over several steps for a total of about 360 feet, with the largest and final tier sliding about 200 feet in a single horsetail type fall. Because of the high elevation and the heavy winter snow pack which falls in the area, the falls will remain partially or even mostly buried underneath snow drifts for the majority of the year. While the majority of the final 200 foot tier of the falls should remain exposed to daylight for much of the summer, the upper half of the falls will likely remain buried until September or early October even, and the snow cone at the base of the falls may not even disappear seasonally. The drainage area above this waterfall covers an area of only about 0.06 square miles (about 36 acres). A small snow drift on the lower end of Whitman Crest which partially feeds into the creek may in fact be permanent, which should ensure the falls retain at least a minor flow throughout the summer and autumn months.