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Nooksack Falls
Nooksack Falls.JPG
Location Mount Baker National Forest, Whatcom County, Washington, USA
Coordinates 48°54′19″N 121°48′32″W﻿ / ﻿48.90528°N 121.80889°W﻿ / 48.90528; -121.80889Coordinates: 48°54′19″N 121°48′32″W﻿ / ﻿48.90528°N 121.80889°W﻿ / 48.90528; -121.80889
Type Segmented
Total height 88 feet (27 m)
Number of drops 1
Longest drop 88 feet (27 m)
Total width 30 feet (9.1 m)
Watercourse North Fork Nooksack River


Throughout the late 19th century, there were significant mineral discoveries being made in eastern Whatcom County and in particular the Nooksack Falls region. The richest and most significant strike was the Lone Jack Claim of 1897. Before the mine closed in 1924, approximately $500,000 worth of gold was excavated. Due to the success of the Lone Jack Claim, the area became known as the Mount Baker Mining District and produced over 5,000 claims between 1890 and 1937. One of the claims, known as the Great Excelsior Mine was located ten miles southwest of the Lone Jack Mine and only one mile from the Nooksack Falls Powerplant. In 1902, the Excelsior Claim erected a 20-stamp mill to crush the ore and a water powered turbine provided the power. In 1914, when the Excelsior Mill was rebuilt, a power line was extended from the Nooksack Falls plant to provide electricity to the mill.[2]


  1. ^ Tabor, Rowland W., and Haugerud, Ralph (1999). Geology of the North Cascades: A Mountain Mosaic, p. 88. Seattle: The Mountaineers Books. ISBN 0-89886-623-5.
  2. ^ Library Of Congress Archived 2014-07-04 at the Wayback Machine.

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