Waterfalls in Winter

[roadtripper]

So I'm working on an article with the Boston Globe related to waterfalls throughout New England that are spectacular to visit in winter.

Anyone have any favorite waterfalls for visiting in winter? Any pictures you can share?

I know Arethusa Falls is a favorite for ice climbers. Any others good for ice climbing?

Bash Bish Falls in MA and Grand Falls in ME are both incredible sights in winter too.

Any input is appreciated! Thanks!

- Greg

 

[Charlie and Beth]

Angel Falls in Maine

Angels Falls off Route 17 in western Maine is one of my favorites--hard to get to the trailhead in winter without skiis or a snow machine but it is worth the work to get there.http://www.newenglandwaterfalls.com/waterfall.php?name=Angel Falls

 

[nartreb]

Big waterfalls are a bit dangerous for climbing - they usually don't freeze all the way.

Here's Zealand Falls for example: scenic but wet and fragile:
http://www.davidalbeck.com/photos/twinrange/i9.jpg

Ice climbers prefer a slow drip, the kind that usually doesn't form a nameworthy waterfall in summer. But there are exceptions. The Rumney ice climb known as Selsun Blue should qualify as a real waterfall, though I'm told it sometimes dries up in summer and doesn't seem to have a name. (Venus Falls?) Head up the wooden steps of the shortcut trail that leaves the road a few hundred yards west of the main parking lot, and look up. You can't miss it.

 

[slevasse]

I've done flume cascade that isn't particularly hard but interesting. Silver Cascade also is very popular also, though both fill up with snow pretty quickly. You can check out Fletcher Cascade, it is supposed to be a smaller Arethusa Falls, though I can't vouch for it, I haven't had a chance to check it out. It's located off Rte 49 off of the Drake Brooks Trail.
Glen Ellis Falls has been climbed but really takes quite a cold snap to really freeze, due to the volume of water.
I've climbed Arethusa a couple times, once while the center was open. It makes for a really interesting time while climbing hearing the water rushing underneath.
If you know anyone that ice climbs, they likely have a copy of An Ice Climbers Guide to Northern New Enland by Wilcox and Lewis. Actually Rick Wilcox is the owner of I.M.E. in North Conway and he would likely know of any cool waterfalls and doesn't mind talking about climbing.

 

[Grayjay]

Ossipees

The Brook Walk in the Castle in the Clouds property is a good bet for winter. There are a number of falls culminating in Fall of Song, which can do good things with ice. This is not an ice climbing suggestion.

 

[RollingRock]

I found Bridal Veil Falls in Franconia to be spectacular and well as Sabbaday Falls. I'm going to check out Cloudland Falls on Saturday off the Falling Waters Trail and if it looks good, will provide you some pics.

 

[Chip]

Kaaterskill Falls in Catskills. Double falls, easy hike in from parking and road. I've some pics in an old report in my picasaweb link below, I think.

Edit: Sorry, NY is not NE.

 

[--M.]

Champney Falls

...on Mount Chocorua is a beauty, both for hikers and skiers and also for climbers. I skied in there once and couldn't quite make it up the lip at the far end. Just as I was departing, a foursome with ropes & gear showed up. One of the good ones. By the way, it's a photographer's goldmine, with opposing walls, frozen falls, interesting and changing light and the possibility of shooting from very interesting perspectives. There's even the risk of falling to keep you focused! Highly recommended, and very popular.

Also, I haven't been there, but would Diana's Baths have a few candidates? See also the Beebe River in Sandwich Notch, which may be interesting at this time of year (cool falls there at the "Cow Cave") and of course on the Tuckerman Ravine Trail ("Crystal Cascade," I think), and of course the Ravine itself.

Happy hunting!

 

[Fisher Cat]

My wife and I always enjoyed visiting Giant Falls in Shelburne off the North Road. We started going there in the winter back in 1990 and have been back many times since. I have no idea about using it to ice climb, but I can vouch that it is quite a sight when frozen in winter.

 

[pocahontas]

There are great Ice climbing falls that form off of
Frankenstein Cliff in Crawford Notch.

also popular for climbing is Pitcher Falls off of the Champney Falls Trail.
(Actually, that's probably one that ..M is referreing to right next to Champney Falls)


I agree with the Sabbaday & Bridal Veil choice for viewing falls
they really are so beautiful when they're frozen.
(& Steve Smith just posted a pic of Bridal Veil on his "Mountain Wandering" Blogsite)

Avalanche Falls in the Flume Gorge area in Franconia Notch is pretty nice but the
Ice that drips off of the Walls of the Gorge are often many colors varying from Yellow to Greenish-Blue in color!
Worth the short walk to see!

 

[BobC]

I've got some pictures of the ice formations on the Champney Falls trail: http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/570673271PuLeUd

I labelled these as Champney Falls, but later someone on this board corrected me and said these were from Pitcher Falls (which is pretty much in the same spot as Champney Falls - as a couple of posts above mention this too). When I hiked Chocorua in March of last year, these ice formations were so fascinating to me that I almost wanted to abandon the hike to just stay and look at them all day!

 

[coldfeet]

I was at Bash Bish on Wednesday, beautiful! I'll try to send pics this weekend. The trail was broken out at the lower parking lot, only a 3/4 mile hike in. The ice looked blue, very cool.

 

[NewHampshire]

You can check out Fletcher Cascade, it is supposed to be a smaller Arethusa Falls, though I can't vouch for it, I haven't had a chance to check it out. It's located off Rte 49 off of the Drake Brooks Trail.

Ironically we were there a couple weeks ago (we decided to use Fletchers Cascade to start our whack of Flat Mt.) and have some pics from my friends Mike and Joe I can provide:

Mike's pics:

Joe's pic:

Lower part of Fletchers-

Brian

 

[sierra]

I would suggest a drive up to lake willouby (sp) in vermont.Im talking grade five and six waterfalls that run over 500ft in hieght. One of the scariest days I ever spent was seconding a 5 pitch grade five flow that was dead vertical the whole way, I was so glad to not be leading it. The access is quite easy and many climbers climb there, while it might be a drive, I promise the pictures you could get would be quite worthwhile.

 

[Woody]

I'd have to agree with Pocohontas. The easy hike to the trestle at the amphitheater of Frankenstein Cliff and the view of the ice falls with many climbers attracts lots of people, not just climbers. More ice climbs and falls as you keep walking along the snow covered tracks.

 

[DougPaul]

I'd have to agree with Pocohontas. The easy hike to the trestle at the amphitheater of Frankenstein Cliff and the view of the ice falls with many climbers attracts lots of people, not just climbers. More ice climbs and falls as you keep walking along the snow covered tracks.

Just a safety note for non-climbers:

Ice climbers knock a lot of ice down and there may be large spontaneous ice falls (avalanches), so it is prudent to stay back and out of the fall line. And if somebody yells "Ice!" or "Rock!", something nasty is coming down...


FWIW, not sure I'd call the ice at Frankenstein frozen waterfalls--frozen seeps is probably more accurate.

Doug

 

[Grayjay]

Which reminds me---the Flume in winter. Free, and the loop around to the poet's Pool is always rewarding too, and the view of Liberty and Mount Flume on the way out.

 

[roadtripper]

Wow, thanks for all the replies and ideas. I visited Zealand Falls yesterday, but it was basically a giant snow mound. I'm going to have to visit some of the ones mentioned above real soon. Would love to see more pictures if you guys have them.

 

[Stan]

Which reminds me---the Flume in winter. Free, and the loop around to the poet's Pool is always rewarding too, and the view of Liberty and Mount Flume on the way out.

Beat me to it on the Flume. It is accesible, has ice climbers and the loop includes a covered bridge. Nice scenery, great reward for the effort. The visitor center is closed so visitors should print a map before going.

 

[slevasse]

Wow, thanks for all the replies and ideas. I visited Zealand Falls yesterday, but it was basically a giant snow mound. I'm going to have to visit some of the ones mentioned above real soon. Would love to see more pictures if you guys have them.

Not to advertise another site on here, but if you go to www.neice.com and go to the photos section, you can search for many of the waterfalls by name. People generally include the names when posting for conditions or just to show someone climbing.

Also you can check www.neclimbs.com and go the routes section. If you go to the bottom of the page basically it will have an option of listing all the routes by name. While it might not have all the ones you are looking for listed, it will likely have quite a few plus many of the ones that have been mentioned that aren't really waterfalls in the sense of being part of a river but that form due to water seepage.