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This is the last waterfall encountered along the Silver Creek trail before arriving at the Mineral City site. The falls are viewed from a old bridge, built to support logging trucks, which is falling apart. You'll undoubtedly see the hole on one side caused by one of the large support logs having fallen to the creek below. Once you've stopped worrying about falling 40 feet and breaking both legs, you'll see the small creek being squirted out of a very thin gorge over a few small steps. I would bet that there are larger falls just upstream, but (from scouting on my most recent visit), short of using a grappling hook to scale the very steep slopes, views of anything further up are non existent.
- Silver Slipper Falls is the name of this waterfall.
This waterfall is currently inaccessible due to flood damaged roads. Turn off of US 2 at the Index - Galena Road and drive roughly 8 miles to Howard Creek. Just beyond the bridge, turn left on a poorly marked road crossing the North Fork Skykomish River on a concrete bridge. Very shortly after the bridge, turn right on a cruddy road and drive as far as you can. 4wd vehicles can likely make the end of the road, but your Honda Accord probably won't be able to get over the 2 large berms. If you park before the end of the road, it's about 1 1/2 miles from the bridge over the river to the trailhead. Once you reach the trailhead, immediately cross a .25 mile slide area which destroyed the road completely. Silver Slipper Falls is encountered about 2 miles from the trailhead, which can be reached in an hour (from the trailhead). It is about another mile to the Mineral City site. Apparently as of 2007 the bridge over Lakes Gulch Creek has collapsed, so viewing the falls may be difficult and proceeding past will not be possible until a replacement is built (which won't likely happen until after the North Fork Road is repaired).
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