Nugget Falls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nugget Falls |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Infobox_mapframe at line 185: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | East of Mendenhall Glacier, Auke Bay, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 58°25′38″N 134°32′12″W / 58.4272°N 134.5367°W |
| Type | Cascade and Fan |
| Total height | 377 feet (115 m) |
| Number of drops | 2 |
| Longest drop | 278 feet (85 m) |
| Total width | 100 feet (30 m) |
| Watercourse | Nugget Creek |
| Average flow rate |
Perennial |
Nugget Falls is a stunning waterfall located in the beautiful state of Alaska. It is also known as Nugget Creek Falls or Mendenhall Glacier Falls. This amazing natural wonder is found near the famous Mendenhall Glacier.
The waterfall gets its water from Nugget Creek. This creek flows from the Nugget Glacier, which is a smaller glacier high up on Bullard Mountain. Nugget Falls drops a total of 377 feet (115 m)! That's taller than a 30-story building! It falls in two main sections, or "tiers," before reaching Mendenhall Lake.
Contents
Where is Nugget Falls Located?
Nugget Falls is in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is found just east of the well-known Mendenhall Glacier. This area is part of Auke Bay, near the city of Juneau.
The waterfall is easy to see from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. It's a popular spot for people to visit and enjoy nature. You can often hear the roar of the falls before you even see them!
How Nugget Falls Was Formed
Nugget Falls was created by the power of water and ice. Over many years, Nugget Creek carved a path through the land. This creek flows from the Nugget Glacier. Glaciers are like giant, slow-moving rivers of ice.
As the glacier moved, it helped shape the valley. The creek then plunged over a steep edge, forming the waterfall. This type of valley is sometimes called a "hanging valley."
The Water's Journey
The journey of the water at Nugget Falls is quite interesting. It starts high up at the Nugget Glacier. The melting ice from the glacier forms Nugget Creek.
- The creek flows down the mountainside.
- It then drops over the two tiers of Nugget Falls.
- The water lands in Mendenhall Lake. This lake is a freshwater pool right in front of the Mendenhall Glacier.
- Finally, the water from Mendenhall Lake flows into the Mendenhall River.
- The Mendenhall River then carries the water out to the Inside Passage, which is a network of waterways along the coast.
Nugget Falls and the Mendenhall Glacier
For a long time, Nugget Falls had a very close relationship with the Mendenhall Glacier. In the past, the glacier was much larger. People used to say that the waterfall dropped "directly on the glacier." Some even said the "glacier covered the waterfall."
However, the Mendenhall Glacier has been getting smaller, a process called "recession." As the glacier has moved back, Nugget Falls has become more visible. Today, the waterfall drops into Mendenhall Lake, which is now separate from the main glacier face. This change shows how much the landscape around glaciers can shift over time.
