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Do the Falls Freeze over in the Winter ?

Yes and No ......

The tremendous volume of water never stops flowing, However, the falling water and mist create ice formations along the banks of the falls and river. This can result in mounds of ice as thick as fifty feet. If the Winter is cold for long enough, the ice will completely stretch across the river and form what is known as the «ice bridge». This ice bridge can extend for several miles down river until it reaches the area known as the lower rapids.

Until 1912,visitors were allowed to actually walk out on the ice bridge and view the Falls from below. February 24th of 1888 the local newspaper reported that at least 20,000 people watched or tobogganed on the ice. Shanties selling liquor, photographs and curiosities abounded. On February 4th 1912 the ice bridge broke up and three tourists’ lives were lost.

There can also be a great deal of «mini-icebergs» which flow down the Niagara River from frozen Lake Erie. The flow of ice has been reduced considerably by the yearly installation of the «ice-boom» on Lake Erie. The ice-boom is a long floating chain (2miles- 3.2 KM) of steel floats strung across the Niagara River from Buffalo New York to Fort Erie Ontario. It is set in place during the month of December and removed during the month of March or April. It is maintained by the New York State Power Authority. The ice boom helps prevent the ice from clogging the river and most importantly the hydroelectric companies water intakes.

HOWEVER.... The flow of water was stopped completely over both falls on March 29th 1848 due to an ice jam in the upper river for several hours. This is the only known time to have occurred. The Falls did not actually freeze over, but the flow was stopped to the point where people actually walked out and recovered artifacts from the riverbed!

The flow over the American Falls was stopped completely for several months in 1969. The idea was to determine the feasibility of removing the large amount of loose rock from the base of the falls to enhance it’s appearance. In the end the final decision was that the expense would be too great.

The word «Niagara» is derived from the Iroquois Indian word «Onguiaahra» meaning «the strait».

In the past ten years, two daredevils lost their lives trying to conquer Niagara.

In the evenings, intense spotlights bathe the falls with different shades of color.

The first person to go over the Falls in a barrel and survive was a 63 year old female schoolteacher.

High wire tightrope acts used to be performed across the river. Most notably was «Blondin» who once actually carried his manager across on his back, stopping midway to rest !

The Falls make a tremendous sound as the water goes over and lands at the bottom.