Frozen Beauty of Muskoka

Wendie Donabie ♦ January 25, 2014 ♦ 4 Comments

Snow, Snow, Snow… will it ever stop?

I live in Muskoka, Canada, and we expect a good layer of the white stuff in the winter. But, this December we received a record snow fall of 212 cm.  The usual snow and thaw weather pattern didn’t happen this year and, with temperatures averaging 3 degrees colder than normal, the snow stayed.

Sidewalk to driveway

Clearing snow to get to our driveway transformed our sidewalk into a tunnel and to reach the bird feeder I tromped down another tunnel-pathway (the squirrels think it’s their own private freeway to the feeder).

Coming down our driveway to the main road we must inch forward unable to see to left or right with the height of the snow banks on either side.

Me in the driveway

Now into January the snow has continued and the cold has not abated with nights dipping from – 24C to – 35C.  Yet apart from the bitter cold forcing me to remain housebound most days, this season has also brought beauty.

Most people think of Bracebridge as a summer destination but look what they are missing today – Bracebridge Falls snow and ice sculptures carved by the Muskoka River as it makes its way to Lake Muskoka.

View down the Muskoka River from upper Bracebridge Falls

Upper Bracebridge Falls

Lower Bracebridge Falls – Frozen!

Muskoka River below the Falls.

Ice Balls form and collect below the falls

When we arrived at the Falls to take these pictures, my partner decided to plow through the snow covered stairs to the pier to get a better view of the falls.

Snow covered pier below the falls

The river finds its way below the frozen falls – good shot!

I took this shot for our summer visitors as a reminder that warmer weather is only a few weeks away!

No swimming today in the Muskoka River!

Copyright Wendie Donabie 2014