Keyhole Falls

Keyhole Falls is the unofficial name for the largest waterfall along the Lillooet River in British Columbia, Canada. The falls are 115 feet (35 m) high and are a punchbowl type of waterfall.[1][2]

Keyhole Falls
LocationNear the mouth of Salal Creek
Coordinates50°40′34″N 123°28′18″W
TypePlunging Punchbowl
Total height37 metres (121 ft)
Number of drops1
Longest drop37 metres (121 ft)
Total width30 metres (98 ft)
Average width15 metres (49 ft)
Run6 metres (20 ft)
WatercourseLillooet River
Average
flow rate
48 m3/s (1,700 cu ft/s)

It is called Keyhole Falls because it resembles a giant old-fashioned keyhole.[1]

Formation

Keyhole Falls was formed when the Lillooet River was dammed with breccia from a Plinian eruption at the Mount Meager massif about 2350 years ago. The thick breccia soon eroded from water activity, forming Keyhole Falls. There was a massive flood when the water first broke through the breccia. The flood was big enough that small house-sized blocks of breccia were carried away during the flood.[3]

Access

There are no developed trails leading to any clear view of the falls. Due to how undercut the cliff is, one cannot see the falls by looking down into the canyon from the cliff's edge.[2]

See also

References

  1. Swan, Bryan (2005). "Keyhole Falls". Waterfalls of the Pacific Northwest. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  2. "Keyhole Falls, British Columbia, Canada - World Waterfall Database". www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com. Retrieved 2020-11-02.
  3. Catalogue of Canadian Volcanoes: Mount Meager Archived 2009-06-06 at the Wayback Machine


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