Whitney Falls

Whitney Falls is one of the more publicized waterfalls on Mount Shasta, but it is also one of the more difficult ones to adequately view. The falls plunge a sheer 200 feet (possibly more) over an exposed lava formation, with a narrow V-shaped canyon carved in the breccia and debris extending for several miles below the falls. Most reference sources suggest the falls behave seasonally, and while this is true, it isn't quite the same as in other places in California. Whitney Falls is one of the few waterfalls in the state that flows better during the hotter summer months, thanks to the Whitney Glacier feeding its stream. During the hottest days of the summer the falls will be flowing their strongest, while cooler days in the spring and autumn will see the creek sink into the substrate and the falls essentially run dry. For those who wish to visit the falls, they can be distantly seen from Highway 97 near the crossing of Whitney Creek. If there is water in the creek at the highway, chances are the falls will be flowing, but look for the falls to the south to be sure.