Where's the best place to live in Ohio? (Rocky River: pine, trees)

[ZnGuy]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Does Mansfield get lake enhancement or lake effect due to its somewhat higher elevation? I notice that it averages over 50 inches of snowfall a winter, so just curious.

Mansfield is not in the snow belt. I grew up in Mansfield and lived in the snow belt for way too long. Big difference in snow fall.

[PerryMason614]

Originally Posted by ZnGuy

Mansfield is not in the snow belt. I grew up in Mansfield and lived in the snow belt for way too long. Big difference in snow fall.

Depends what you call the snowbelt. There is a big difference between snowfall in Mansfield and Columbus. I think by virtue of being one hour north and being one hour from the Lake, Mansfield gets somewhat affected by the Lake Erie effect snow.

[Jbeechuk]

The true snowbelt extends northeast of Cleveland to Buffalo. Mansfield still gets some of the Lake effect snow, but is certainly not in the snow belt.

[WRnative]

I don't know if this table is accurate, but it probably has some basis in fact:

Average Annual Snowfall Totals in Ohio - Current Results

Some Ohioans celebrate snow, such as those in Geauga County. Chardon proudly shows snowfall totals on its website. Driving there in the winter is a treat. It seems like every pick-up truck has a plow, and I've seen them plowing public roads to clear a path, to my benefit.

Yearly Total Snowfall | Chardon, OH - Official Website

Nearby Punderson State Park is designated as Ohio's winter recreation park, and has a lighted sledding hill with a lift. Clevelanders are creative in finding memorable ways to celebrate winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckPI7bi7lCs

Southern Ohioans disparage snow, while many northern Ohioans like to play in it (cross country skiing is very popular) and just enjoy the associated beauty. I'm a four-season guy in the latter camp and find the anti-snow, anti-winter crowd laughable. Hiking out on a frozen Lake Erie or through our many winter wonderlands make all the hassle of winter worthwhile for me.

Imagine living near this, and numerous places like it.

Wnter Gallery at The Holden Arboretum

Kids that tube at Alpine Valley or Brandywine certainly look forward to winter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blA_94uD5GQ

Then there are the beloved Mill Stream Run toboggan chutes, a constant of winter life in Northeast Ohio for generations.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RlpeEyRU28

Tobogganing | Recreation | Cleveland Metroparks

And in Akron:

Lock 3 | Akron, OH | Welcome!

Then there is "Dazzle!" at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, one of the country's great historic mansions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrFW10VTaYg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKGDjqlOo7M

When Maple Sugaring Season rolls around in February and March, winter gets even much more sweet.

There is a sure sign of spring at Hale Farm & Village, they are readying for the maple sap to flow - newsnet5.com Cleveland

At the excellent Lake Metroparks Farmpark, rated a few years ago as one of the best in N. America by USA Today, visitors can see both old and modern (reverse osmosis filters) sugar bushing, as well as a plethora of newborn animals, a great delight to young and old. You can even hand milk a caged cow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8bMIGbM2jE

http://www.wkyc.com/videos/news/2015/03/21/25141135/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3khpmFqfDw

And, yes, some kids still play outside and relish the joy of building snow men, snow forts, and snowball fights.

We like the Christmas holiday season so much, that we celebrate it year-round.

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/local-n...in-castle-noel

[PerryMason614]

Johnson ( Mark Johnson, lead meteorologist with WEWS-TV 5) said the region has a primary and a secondary snow belt.

Much of Lake and Ashtabula counties and all of Geauga County are in the primary snow belt.

The lakeshore, east side of Cleveland, and areas south and west are in the secondary snow belt; a band that tapers toward Akron and even to Mansfield, Johnson said.

I REST MY CASE!

Lake-effect is Northeast Ohio's weather Achilles' heel

[mshultz]

Here is a map from United States Weather Ohio Edition by Dick Goddard, 1977:
I would consider the lake-effect snow belt area to be those places getting 40" or more of snow.

[theurbanfiles]

WRNative... Seriously though? You stink. Of course, I'm kidding (kind of).

But yeah... Way to make me miss the Cleveland area more than I already did haha. I suppose it's my fault that I'm marrying/love someone who is so sharply opposed to anything remotely resembling cold (including being too cold at anything below 70, and that all of immediate fam is down there now?)

Stebbins Gulch... I remember hiking there a few times... Just wow. I don't know that there are countless places like that (I could be wrong) since Holden is one of the few places I remember seeing northern pine trees like that which wouldn't normally grow this far south (is that because of Holden's maintenance?). And just the combination and everything. That has to be about the prettiest spot in Northern Ohio (along with Kendall Hills/Ski Resorts) during the winter.

More often I just remember being out. I remember enjoying my somewhat long walk to and from the bus stop, because it was like walking through a winter wonderland. And while I'm no longer aggressive enough for snowball fights, I still love making snow forts and snowmen. And I'm 24. Don't judge.

You've officially piqued my curiosity about Stan Hywet even more. Do they serve dinner or afternoon tea/hot chocolate there? Because especially if so, that'd make a wonderful night out.

One of the regrets of my life was that I never quite got comfortable with winter sports fully. While it takes time, none of them require a person to be a super athlete, and it would have just made my winters that much more fun. I tried XC skiing, and kept falling over backwards because I never was quite confident in just letting myself glide down a hill or getting the timing right. I always thought if I ever went downhill skiing I would break a bone or something LOL. Sledding at Fairport Lighthouse was just something I always did, and had many bumps from the steps at the bottom to prove it. But Punderson (and even Edgewater) appear to be safer and nicer options overall. That thing at Alpine looks crazy, looks like they're hitting the wall with force!

The one thing I didn't enjoy were days where I couldn't play basketball (or later, run) because of the ice. But I don't even remember that being a consistent problem. I remember some significant stretches of days where it wasn't snowing or it had snowed heavily one day and then the roads were cleared up for that also.

See, I remembered Maple Sugaring being an April thing because of the super fun Chardon Maple Festival (those maple saps were delicious). I also remember a trip around that time to the store just south of Chardon to see how it was made and get maple flavored EVERYTHING. And that even a lot of the restaurants had more Maple products, another reason I especially loved April.

Another thing I'd point out is that I remember the childhood experience of doing the Polar Express at CVNP, and just how it felt as being nothing short of spectacular.

Ugghhhhhhh.

[WRnative]

Clevelander1991, Holden is extraordinary year-round. Yet there are other old growth forests nearby -- such as the Arthur B. Williams Memorial Woods, part of the Cleveland Metroparks North Chagrin Reservation.

Our First Naturalist | Roots Revealed Blog | Cleveland Metroparks

Many of the Metroparks, in Cleveland and surrounding counties, offer enchanting winter features. A personal favorite is Paine Falls, once it has frozen, in Lake County, although there isn't much of a trail there. Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley NP is even more impressive.

Lake Metroparks - Paine Falls Park

The National Natural Landmarks in northeastern Ohio are great places to investigate for potential winter hikes.

NPS: Explore Nature » NNL » States

Organized winter hikes in Greater Cleveland appear to focus on the CVNP, although I see Penitentiary Glen in Lake County on the list.

Ohio Winter Hike Calendar – 2015 - TrekOhio

Any park with views of Lake Erie are great for winter hikes IMO.

[theurbanfiles]

You're right. Looks like there are some other winter pines, at North Chagrin and Penitentiary Glen also. I do think Brandywine looks especially spectacular, and depending on time, also agree on Lake Erie.

These are my favorites in looking though. Especially the Stebbins Gulch one. That one is everything.

[WRnative]

My perspective is different than yours. I enjoy greatly snow-covered "barren" landscapes. Pines aren't needed for me to enjoy a hike through winter woods, especially if there are water features, rocks, hills, gorges, etc.

For example, views are available that are obscured when leaves are on the trees.