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Previously: Ithaca Falls (October 2024) – a gorgeous view of the falls surrounded by bright autumn foliage
Braving the dangerously icy Ithaca Falls, because I absolutely had to see it before the thaw. Good thing for waterproof shoes, but I still should’ve carried spikes with me. The ice in Ithaca, NY was brutal this February!
It started with the parking.. or, rather, being unable to drive up the icy hill to park in the designated lot. So the SO and I parked around the corner and walked a tiny bit extra.
I still wanted to get my shots on the icy hill, and it honestly wasn’t much better on foot than it was with the car.
I fell and slid through the tunnel on the way down to the park (bad idea going that way, but the video footage turned out great) and came out mostly okay, with the exception of a couple minor bumps.
The SO got it worse, right after I WARNED HIM (he’s reading this) to sit down and treat it like a playground slide. What happened? He took one step, went airborne, landed hard on his elbow, and slowly slid on his back down through the tunnel while wincing in pain.
We took a few minutes to straighten up and assess for any damage. Sore, but okay. (Later x-rays confirmed he’s fine.)
The path down into the park was also treacherous, and filled with people who didn’t dare to go any farther, because there was water running under that ice, and it was thawing quickly.
I found a way, leaving the SO to hang with the crowd for a few minutes. Being a featherweight, I could safely walk across the thicker parts of the ice, and even the more questionable parts held on the way back, despite the cracking sounds as I retraced my steps on a then-weaker surface.
There was exactly one other woman out there with her camera gear, capturing the beauty of it all. I love when that happens – meeting a like-minded soul in a moment that’s seemingly reserved just for the two of you. We dared to be there at that same instant, witnessing the beauty of nature, feeling the energy of the cold rushing water.
After getting the photos and videos I needed, I quickly returned to my SO, whom I left stranded on solid icy ground. He helped me up and quickly informed me that while I was gone, one of the college kids slipped, fell, and split open his forehead, and then he gestured to the blood on the ice beside us. Damn.
It was definitely time to get out of there, and go somewhere safer. Flatter land.
The climb back up to the road kind of felt even more dangerous, but perhaps that was hindsight after the other falls. We did it though.
Next time we go to a place that’s like 90+% frozen, or maybe even half that, I’m bringing spikes. Just in case.
That waterfall, though…. worth it.
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