New York state pond becomes 50-foot 'ice volcano'

CASTILE, N.Y., Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Officials at a New York state park said the weather conditions have transformed a man-made geyser into a 50-foot-tall "ice volcano."

The pond fountain at Letchworth State Park often transforms into an ice cone during the winter, park officials said, but the size and shape varies.

Douglas Kelly, who has worked at the park for 20 years, said the record is 64 feet, but that record is likely to be broken if the current cold weather keeps up.

Kelly said the pressure from the fountain keeps water flowing from the top of the cone, resulting in what has been described as an "ice volcano" effect. Kelly told WGRZ-TV the structure will continue to grow each day for "as long as we have the weather to sustain it."

"It's massive compared to what I saw in pictures," visitor Leon Damiani told WHAM-TV. "Yeah, it's worth the ride, it's worth the ride just to see this in person."