Wells Creek

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Wells Creek
Wells Creek from Nooksack Falls.jpg
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Location of the mouth of Wells Creek in Washington
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Wells Creek (the United States)
Location
Country United States
State Washington
Counties Whatcom County
Physical characteristics
SourceBetween Ptarmigan and Lasiocarpa Ridge
  location North Cascades, Washington
  coordinates 48°49′25″N121°44′37″W / 48.8236111°N 121.7436111°W / 48.8236111; -121.7436111 [1]
Mouth Nooksack River
  location
At the base of Nooksack Falls, Washington
  coordinates
48°54′18″N121°48′32″W / 48.905°N 121.8088889°W / 48.905; -121.8088889 Coordinates: 48°54′18″N121°48′32″W / 48.905°N 121.8088889°W / 48.905; -121.8088889 [1]

Wells Creek is a swift creek in Whatcom County, Washington. It is a tributary of the Nooksack River, joining the river just below Nooksack Falls. It is best known for having six major waterfalls along its course. Wells Creek was named for Hamilton C. Wells who prospected the area in the 1880s and 1890s. [2]

Contents

Course

The creek begins between Ptarmigan Ridge and Lasiocarpa Ridge. It starts off by flowing northeast before soon turning northwest, being joined by the stream draining Mazama and Iceberg Lakes, and dropping over massive Mazama Falls. The creek continues to flow northwest and about 2 km after Mazama Falls, the creek drops over Wells Creek Falls. Soon after dropping over the falls, the creek flows under Wells Creek FSR, and is joined by its only officially named tributary, Bar Creek, which at the confluence is actually bigger than Wells Creek itself. The creek continues to flow northwest for 1.3 miles before it drops over Landslide Falls. From there on the creek continues to flow northwest, but within a deep gorge that sees it drop over two more major waterfalls. It is about 2 miles from Landslide Falls to its confluence at the base of Nooksack Falls.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Wells Creek
  2. Majors, Harry M. (1975). Exploring Washington. Van Winkle Publishing Co. p. 30. ISBN   978-0-918664-00-6.