The 'Chute' - Skaneateles Falls

[champy1013]

This is locally know as the Chute of Flume - an artifact from bygone factory days along skaneateles creek near Skaneateles Falls.....as you can see in the first picture, the water below this natural waterfall is channeled into a smooth concrete flume (probably for a waterwheel or wheels that would power whatever factory was over it). There are tons of old foundations all around, both above and below stream of this area. It has been known for years because you can sit on top of this flume, lie back and be jetted along the whole thing (about 100 yards) in comfort down into a dammed section at the end....it WAS (still is) and excellent summer diversion for kids. The area is now POSTED, but it's mostly posted for legal reasons, it is still used quite heavily as a vertical waterslide (really quite unique)...during higher water it sends you down quite fast. The waterfall above it I believe is the only natural one left that gave Skaneateles Falls its name, the rest were either used for power or vanished due to heavy limestone quarrying in the area....


Upstream - notice foundation works just visible:

[hobkyl]

Where's a pic of you riding the slide? Lol. J/K....Very nice photos.

[backpacker]

nice shots but what's the red dot in the last picture?

[champy1013]

A leaf - it was sitting on a rock - made for a nice compositional element

[Matt]

Superb photos!

[jchamb32]

My sisters and I grew up in Mottville NY back in the 80's. We try every summer to take our children for a walk down the Nature Trail and to The Chute. We were just in town a few weeks ago and had a BLAST at both places. We got some wionderful pictures as well. I will post them when I figure out how. Have my friends and family from where I live now, Newark NY, asking me where the place is and how much they would love to go. Great childhood memories and great new memories we are forming.

[Chelsea]

Do you have an exact location so I can use GPS to find this? I would love to explore.