According to my dad, there was actually very little snow fall in 77. As he tells it, the lake was frozen over, and covered with snow, and then the blizzard brought 60-70 MPH winds and some snow which blew the snow off the lake. He was stuck at work (HSBC) for 3 days as the drifts were as high as you said. He said it was 60 below with the wind chill. All of this might have built in legend over 37 years, but he said these two storms aren't comparable other than they both suck.
He is currently without power in Derby, and like I said, the vodka is gone, so I'm not sure what he'll do.