Helmet Falls is a tiered
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...
located in
Kootenay National Park
Kootenay National Park is a national park of Canada located in southeastern British Columbia. The park consists of of the Canadian Rockies, including parts of the Kootenay and Park mountain ranges, the Kootenay River and the entirety of the V ...
in
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. With total height of , Helmet Falls is the 11th tallest confirmed waterfall in the
Canadian Rockies, as well as one of the most significant waterfalls in British Columbia based on both height and volume.
Description
The waterfall drops over the edge of a
hanging valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
situated on the northeast face of
Helmet Mountain and descends down the face of a massive amphitheatre-like cliff. The upper tier is largest, plunging between into a narrow gorge where the small middle tier is found. As the creek spills out of the canyon, it plunges another to the valley floor. In addition,
resurgent stream spills out of the side of the cliff and joins the upper fall from the east.
[
The waterfall is fed by Helmet Creek, which itself is formed from the meltwater of West Washmawapta Glacier located atop the aforementioned hanging valley. The creek is a tributary of Vermilion River.
]
Access
Helmet Falls is located at the end of a , moderately difficult hiking trail. The trailhead is located at the Painted Pots parking lot off Highway 93
Route 93 or Highway 93 can refer to:
International
* European route E93
Australia
- Victoria
Canada
* Alberta Highway 93
* British Columbia Highway 93
* Newfoundland and Labrador Route 93
* Ontario Highway 93
China
* G93 Chengyu Ring Expr ...
.
See also
*List of waterfalls in British Columbia
The following list of waterfalls of British Columbia include all waterfalls of superlative significance.
Tallest waterfalls
By overall height
, there are 36 confirmed waterfalls with an overall height of at least .
By tallest single drop
, th ...
*Numa Falls
Numa Falls is a waterfall of the Vermilion River located in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia, Canada.
It is accessible via a short drive off the Banff–Windermere Highway 93 that connects Banff National Park and Radium Hot Springs
...
References
External links
{{commons category inline
Kootenay National Park
Waterfalls of British Columbia