A photo of the Keuka Lake

February Thaw

This has been a winter with more snow than what we’ve had for a few years. Many folks have cleaned the cobwebs off their cross-country skis and snowshoes to enjoy the snow pack that has accumulated for a month and a half. The last few days have made a dramatic change- warm weather and strong breezes have melted the ice and snow and turned streams into torrents.

Glenora Falls during a thaw.

The Big Stream meanders through Glenora Gorge and bursts out of a rock cliff to make Glenora Falls.

We made a quick run down to Glenora Falls to see it at full flood. The huge flow of water is spectacular, even if not as scenic due to the brown silt caught in the stream. Even the sound is different- a loud roar rather than the spatter of water on rocks. The stream has large chunks of ice swept away from the cliffs, and the outfall to Seneca Lake is marked by a swirl of ice and foam. The houses along Glenora Point have a marked contrast in views- to the south they back up to a raging muddy stream, and across the road to the north is the placid, blue Seneca Lake.

Glenora Point on Seneca Lake Seneca Lake from Glenora Point

Glenora Falls in Autumn

A view of Glenora Falls in October- even with a period of heavy rains the flow was sedate compared to a winter thaw.