Geology Day Trip

During the coldest weather, water tumbles from the lip of the falls, hitting the cold rock below and freezing into a growing cone – or cones – of ice.

The Ice Cone at Kaaterskill Falls

We always wonder where to send you and your family in the middle of winter. After all, it gets pretty cold out there this time of the year. Everyone must be sufficiently bundled and, with so much ice and snow, wintertime exploration presents fall hazards. But usually there is some decent weather, even during the coldest months. And, it’s not uncommon for all the snow and ice to melt. So, why not watch for a good stretch of weather and plan a family geology trip? Visit with a View

Our goal is Kaaterskill Falls. Head east on state Route 23, continue east to state Route 23A, just past Prattsville. Continue to Haines Falls and turn left onto North Lake Road (county Route 16). Follow that to a right turn onto Laurel House Road. Park in the lot at the end of the road and look for the trail posted to lead you

BY ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS

The view from the recently constructed platform at Kaaterskill Falls is seen in this undated photo.

to the falls. It’s a very easy walk, provided the snow has melted, with a fine viewing platform at the end of the trail. See photo above.

This winter walk has been famous for centuries. The attraction is the ice cone, which typically forms each winter. See photo next page. During the coldest weather, water tumbles from the lip of the falls, hitting the cold rock below and freezing into a growing cone – or cones – of ice. Some years are better than others, but the view is always spectacular. Artists, hikers and tourists have been making the wintry trek since the early 1800s. The platform was constructed a few years ago, so now is a great time for your visit. A Wonder of Winter

The view is largely unchanged, appearing as it would have at the end of the Ice Age. Back then, massive amounts of meltwater began carving the canyon we see today. The lip of the falls is a rugged mass of sandstone, holding up well in the face of that erosive flow of water. Below that sandtone is a thick sequence of relativesly soft red shales. These are very easily eroded and have been carved away, creating a sizable overhang. Every few centuries or so, a mass of that sandstone collapses. That has been going on for millenia and the process created the falls, but the ice cone is the star of the winter show here. It is an unforgetable sight. +

Contact the authors at randjtitus@prodigy.net or find their Facebook page “The Catskill Geologist.”

Ice cones formed nearly every winter make the main attraction at Kaaterskill Falls. PHOTOS BY ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS