Looking Over Lake Erie

[Richard in Smithville]

It always amazes me to see when one of the great lakes freezes over. This is Lake Erie, which feeds Niagara Falls. When the winter is cold enough, you can cross from the Canadian shore to the US on foot( theoretically)

[RAFlorida]

Thanks Richard for bringing back

some of my memories of Lake Erie. I was born and raised in Marion,Ohio and we did a LOT of ice fishing up there on Erie. And in the summer were would swim at East Mable Head. It still looks like it did back in the 50s and 60s! COLD!!!

[dbhost]

I remember as a boy, back in the 70's living in Bay Village, just west of Cleveland, and yes, Erie froze, ice fishing was common. Haven't been there since '80. No idea if it still freezes up....

[JoeyGee]

Yep, it sure does still freeze. You can count on at least one Coast Guard rescue for ice fishermen every year, though.

[jcjrsmith]

I grew up in the Cleveland area and love that lake. My sister has a place in Euclid, Ohio on a bluff overlooking the lake. We had a great family get-togethere there for my Mother's 80th birthday.

We were always glad when the lake finally froze over each winter so the lake effect snows would stop.

[radhak]

Great picture. The very idea that such a large lake could freeze over is sorta impressive.

Related question - does the niagara falls also freeze? If yes, does the falling water freeze 'mid-way'? IOW, do you get to see an 'ice-fall' instead of a water-fall? My sense of physics somehow tells me it shouldn't be so - either the water does not freeze (because of volume and force of the water), or if it did, we shouldd see two frozen parts : the lake at the top, and another at the bottom. Would love to find out I am wrong and that nature could be more impressive than physics !

[Richard in Smithville]

Niagara Falls itself doesn't freeze. Infact the upper river also doesn't freeze, although there is a steady flow of ice chunks going over the falls. The lower river developes an ice bridge. In very cold winter, you can theoretically cross the river on the ice bridge. People have been caught trying to sneak across the border over the ice bridge. I have included a couple of pictures I took last winter.

[radhak]

Wow! Breathtaking pictures! I can almost breathe the cold atmosphere!

[Richard in Smithville]

Wow! Breathtaking pictures! I can almost breathe the cold atmosphere!

Thank you for the compliment. You really have to be there to appreciate the beauty created by the frozen mist.

[capncarl]

The prettiest thing that I could think of there would be the Interstate 75 south sign.
Time to put up my heavy coat for the year ( a sweatshirt) because today is to be our frist 70 degree day.
capncarl