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Coordinates: 41°48′35″N 76°42′57″W / 41.80984°N 76.71591°W / 41.80984; -76.71591
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{{Infobox mountain
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Pisgah Mountain
| name = Pisgah Mountain
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[[File:Pennsylvania Relief 1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Relief detail of eastern Pennsylvania]]
[[File:Pennsylvania Relief 1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Relief detail of eastern Pennsylvania]]
'''Pisgah Mountain''' or '''Pisgah Ridge''' (on older USGS Maps) is a long ridgeline ({{convert|12.5|mi|km|1}} Tamaqua to Jim Thorpe gorge to gorge) oriented NNE-to-SSW whose northside valley is followed by [[U.S. Route 209]] from river gap to river. The ridge is a succession of peaks exceeding {{convert|1440|ft|m|1}} looming 300–540 feet<ref>By inspection (estimated from topological maps) - Low is 900' near Panther Creek, High streets, ca. 1040 ft, Summit Hill, variation is 140 ft, 1440-900=540, 1440-1040=300, which given 1-14 miles of ridge, is close enough to justify the statement. Range given does not include height a above Nesquehoning or Jim Thorpe, which proximal to the 700 ft mean elevation above the river, and the ridge have a larger altitude variation relative to the summits, as do the near summit (Mount Pisgah) to the gap.</ref> above the towns of Lansford, Coaldale, Summit Hill, and [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania|Tamaqua]] on Panther Creek watershed which [[drainage divide|divide]] it forms on the south and east. The east end of the ridge is named [[Mount Pisgah, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Mount Pisgah]] and represents a hard rock knob that towers 700–900 feet above Lehigh River towns [[Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania|Jim Thorpe]] to the east, and [[Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania|Nesquehoning]] to the north, located relative to one another just around a near ninety-degree bend in the Lehigh a few miles apart by road or river. Furthermore, the terminal peak, Mount Pisgah is located at the joining of two ridgelines of similar height, the more northerly, [[Nesquehoning Mountain]] being sundered by a short very steep characteristic V-shaped water-erosion [[valley]] (oriented below a 'right bank' prominence named ''"Indian Peak"'') that US-209 climbs steeply from the town of Nesquehoning westwards to reach the Panther Creek Valley. The railroad tracks also transiting Nesquehoning's flat river-bank terrain take twelve-to-sixteen times farther to reach the Panther Creek Valley in a longer more circuitous climb&mdash;and demonstration why Dump Trucks have replaced railroads in short haul situations.
'''Pisgah Mountain''' or '''Pisgah Ridge''' (on older USGS Maps) is a long ridgeline<ref>[[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] MRC: 40075-D6 (1893), Hazelton Quadrangles, South center ridge on [[:commons:File:Schuylkill-Lehigh River Drainage Divides USGS, Hazelton-Mauch Chunk &Mountain Quads,NW+NE-4.JPG|USGS topological map of Schuylkill-Lehigh River Drainage Divides]], 1893, rev 1893.</ref> ({{convert|12.5|mi|km|1}} Tamaqua to Jim Thorpe river gap to [[river gap]]) oriented NNE-to-SSW whose northside valley is followed by [[U.S. Route 209]] from river gap to river. The ridge is a succession of peaks exceeding {{convert|1440|ft|m|1}} looming 300–540 feet<ref>By inspection (estimated from topological maps) - Low is 900' near Panther Creek, High streets, ca. 1040 ft, Summit Hill, variation is 140 ft, 1440-900=540, 1440-1040=300, which given 1-14 miles of ridge, is close enough to justify the statement. {{void|Range given does not include height a above Nesquehoning or Jim Thorpe, which proximal to the 700 ft mean elevation above the river, and the ridge have a larger altitude variation relative to the summits, as do the near summit (Mount Pisgah) to the gap}}.</ref> above the towns of Lansford, Coaldale, Summit Hill, and [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania|Tamaqua]] in the Panther Creek [[valley]]. The ridge forms the left bank [[drainage divide]] on the south and the streams source in the east. The east end of the ridge is named [[Mount Pisgah, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Mount Pisgah]] and represents a hard rock knob that towers 700–900 feet above Lehigh River towns [[Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania|Jim Thorpe]] to the east, and [[Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania|Nesquehoning]] to it's north. The municipalities are located relative to one another just around a near ninety-degree bend in the Lehigh a few miles apart by road or river. Geologically, the Pisgah Ridge divide is classed as of semi-major degree, the waters enter the same body, the [[Delaware River|Delaware]], but do so over fifty miles apart as the north draining waters are feed waters of the Panther Creek running east as a Little Schuylkill tributary, whilst the eastern south slope waters drain into the valley formed by the [[Mauch Chunk Ridge]] paralleling Pisgah Ridge to the south, via the [[Mauch Chunk Creek]]<ref>Inspection today via maps.google.com shows the headwaters begin to flow east from ~{{convert|.5|mi|km|1}} (~2600 ft, estimated) south of Coaldale. Today's creek now leads to Mauch Chunk Lake at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, but Google maps names it White Bear Creek.</ref> (White Bear Creek).
Furthermore, the terminal but subordinate peak of the ridge and Mount Pisgah is located at the joining of two ridgelines of similar height, the more northerly, [[Nesquehoning Mountain]] forming the right bank drainage divide for Panther Creek, and being sundered from Mount Pisgah proper by a short very steep characteristic V-shaped water-erosion [[valley]] (oriented below a 'right bank' prominence named ''"Indian Peak"'') that [[U.S. Route 209|US-209]] climbs steeply from the town of [[Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania|Nesquehoning]] westwards 2-3 miles to reach the head of the Panther Creek Valley. The railroad tracks paralleling [[Route 54 (Pennsylvania)|PA-Rt-54]] also transiting the town of Nesquehoning's flat river-bank terrain takes over sixteen miles farther to climb and descend to once again reach an elevation where it can turn to enter the Panther Creek Valley]] near the confluence with the [[Little Schuylkill River|Little Schuylkill]] via the rail yard at [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania|Tamaqua]] in a longer more circuitous climb&mdash;and demonstration why Dump Trucks have replaced railroads in short haul situations.


==Geology==
==Geology==
Mount Pisgah is a typical end-ridge formed by a watercourse gap. Pisgah Mountain is but one average folded mountain in a succession of near parallel ridgelines, where each are made by a succession of peaks of nearly the same height. This [[Ridge and Valley province]] is a geological feature that extends from New Jersey into Virginia forming a great barrier of successive valleys. Pisgah Mountain, located along the southern fringe of northeastern Pennsylvania's [[Poconos]] region is also central to the Southern Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania&mdash; known as the site of the [[anthracite|Richest Anthracite Seam]], in the heart of the [[Coal Region|Southern Pennsylvania Anthracite Field]] and the geological province known as the [[Geology_of_Pennsylvania#Anthracite_upland|Anthracite Upland section]]. The ridgeline parallels the escarpment of the [[Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Blue Mountain]] region but unlike that barrier with several major cuttings, Mount Pisgah is a divide between waters running southwesterly in the historic [[Panther Creek (Pennsylvania)]]. The mountain's peaks lie between two nearly parallel ridge lines to the north and south, [[Nesquehoning Mountain]] a similar ridge extending north from Mount Pisgah where the two are joined, and to the south across a valley formed by [[Mauch Chunk Creek]], the [[Mauch Chunk Ridge]]. The former historic [[Mauch Chunk & Summit Hill Railway]] is now a combined bike & hiking trail along both its former paths, and the north trail has an offshoot to the summit of Mount Pisgah that has a view of the surrounding countryside, and particularly of the Lehigh River gap about {{convert|1200|ft|m|0}} feet (or more) below.<ref>summit @1557 per USGS, Benchmark of 480 above the river.</ref> [[Mauch Chunk Lake Park]] and [[Mauch Chunk Reservoir]] are also located at the base of the mountain in the valley it forms with [[Mauch Chunk Mountain]], a similar ridgeline in the [[ridge-and-valley Appalachians]] north of [[Route 443 (Pennsylvania)|PA-Rt 443]].
Mount Pisgah is a typical end-ridge formed by a watercourse gap. Pisgah Mountain is but one average folded mountain in a succession of near parallel ridgelines, where each are made by a succession of peaks of nearly the same height. This [[Ridge and Valley province]] is a geological feature that extends from New Jersey into Virginia forming a great barrier of successive valleys. Pisgah Mountain, located along the southern fringe of northeastern Pennsylvania's [[Poconos]] region is also central to the Southern Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania&mdash; known as the site of the [[anthracite|Richest Anthracite Seam]], in the heart of the [[Coal Region|Southern Pennsylvania Anthracite Field]] and the geological province known as the [[Geology_of_Pennsylvania#Anthracite_upland|Anthracite Upland section]]. The ridgeline parallels the escarpment of the [[Blue Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Blue Mountain]] region but unlike that barrier with several major cuttings, Mount Pisgah is a divide between waters running southwesterly in the historic [[Panther Creek (Pennsylvania)]].
{{void|
The mountain ridge's peaks lie between two nearly parallel ridge lines to the north and south, [[Nesquehoning Mountain]] a similar ridge extending north from Mount Pisgah where the two are joined, and to the south across a valley formed by [[Mauch Chunk Creek]], the [[Mauch Chunk Ridge]]. The former historic [[Mauch Chunk & Summit Hill Railway]] is now a combined bike & hiking trail along both its former paths, and the north trail has an offshoot to the summit of Mount Pisgah that has a view of the surrounding countryside, and particularly of the Lehigh River gap about {{convert|1200|ft|m|0}} feet (or more) below.<ref>summit @1557 per USGS, Benchmark of 480 above the river.</ref> [[Mauch Chunk Lake Park]] and [[Mauch Chunk Reservoir]] are also located at the base of the mountain in the valley it forms with [[Mauch Chunk Mountain]], a similar ridgeline in the [[ridge-and-valley Appalachians]] north of [[Route 443 (Pennsylvania)|PA-Rt 443]].

⚫
At the [[Mauch Chunk-Bear Mountain Gap]] east of Jim Thorpe, the range ends rapidly descending to the [[Lehigh River]] [[Lehigh Valley|Valley]] below the northeastern summit marked on USGS topological maps as [[Mount Pisgah, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Mt. Pisgah]], which is named for the biblical mountain in [[Jordan]] from which [[Moses]] first saw the promised land (as are [[Mount Pisgah|many Mountains]] around the world and especially in the United States). During the late 19th century and early 20th-century, this mountain was a favorite summer resort for those from eastern cities, even as far away as [[New York City]] for it sported what has been called the world's first roller coaster, the [[gravity railroad]] founded in 1827 by the [[Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company]], builders of the [[Lehigh Canal]] and the tourist attracting [[Mauch Chunk & Summit Hill Railway]], which formed a loop between South Mauch Chunk (now the south part of Jim Thorpe, PA) and [[Summit Hill, Pennsylvania]], the site of the first high volume coal production in the greater region. Visitors were able to travel by rail via the [[Central Railroad of New Jersey]] (CNJ) which succeeded the [[Lehigh and Susquehanna]] founded by LC&N Co. which owned most of the eastern part of the area, stay on in a hotel owned by the LC&N, eat at restaurants and buy from shops owned in part by the LC&N, and see the sights after the long mule-pulled four hour trip up to Summit Hill, which featured other tourist services and a 100 foot observation tower. The views from the tower looked over the bucolic Pennsylvania landscape between the [[Nesquehoning Range]] and Pisgah Mountain on the North side, and Pisgah and the [[Mauch Chunk Range]] on the south valley. The [[saddle (geography)|saddle pass]] between the northern ridges topped by Summit Hill, and [[Lansford, Pennsylvania]] generated the springs and run off of [[Panther Creek (Pennsylvania)|Panther Creek]] which runs nearly due west into the [[Little Schuylkill River]] at [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania]] which path eventually allowed conventional steam powered rail trackage to be built into the valley after a convoluted and lengthy path around and between Nesquehoning Ridge and [[Broad Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Broad Mountain]] via [[Delano, Pennsylvania|Delano Junction]], a railroad nexus still in use today.


⚫
At the [[Mauch Chunk-Bear Mountain Gap]] east of Jim Thorpe, the range ends rapidly descending to the [[Lehigh River]] [[Lehigh Valley|Valley]] below the northeastern summit marked on USGS topological maps as [[Mount Pisgah, Carbon County, Pennsylvania|Mt. Pisgah]], which is named for the biblical mountain in [[Jordan]] from which [[Moses]] first saw the promised land (as are [[Mount Pisgah|many Mountains]] around the world and especially in the United States). During the late 19th century and early 20th-century, this mountain was a favorite summer resort for those from eastern cities, even as far away as [[New York City]] for it sported what has been called the world's first roller coaster, the [[gravity railroad]] founded in 1827 by the [[Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company]], builders of the [[Lehigh Canal]] and the tourist attracting [[Mauch Chunk & Summit Hill Railway]], which formed a loop between South Mauch Chunk (now the south part of Jim Thorpe, PA) and [[Summit Hill, Pennsylvania]], the site of the first high volume coal production in the greater region. Visitors were able to travel by rail via the [[Central Railroad of New Jersey]] (CNJ) which succeeded the [[Lehigh and Susquehanna]] founded by LC&N Co. which owned most of the eastern part of the area, stay on in a hotel owned by the LC&N, eat at restaurants and buy from shops owned in part by the LC&N, and see the sights after the long mule-pulled four hour trip up to Summit Hill, which featured other tourist services and a 100 foot observation tower. The views from the tower looked over the bucolic Pennsylvania landscape between the [[Nesquehoning Ridge]] and Pisgah Mountain on the North side, and Pisgah and the [[Mauch Chunk Range]] on the south valley. The [[saddle (geography)|saddle pass]] between the northern ridges topped by Summit Hill, and [[Lansford, Pennsylvania]] generated the springs and run off of [[Panther Creek (Pennsylvania)|Panther Creek]] which runs nearly due west into the [[Little Schuylkill River]] at [[Tamaqua, Pennsylvania]] which path eventually allowed conventional steam powered rail trackage to be built into the valley after a convoluted and lengthy path around and between Nesquehoning Ridge and [[Broad Mountain (Pennsylvania)|Broad Mountain]] via [[Delano, Pennsylvania|Delano Junction]], a railroad nexus still in use today.
}}
==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 23:31, 14 September 2013

Pisgah Mountain
Map
Highest point
Elevation1,557 ft (475 m)
Prominence1,077 ft (328 m)Topographical map Summit: 1557 to Benchmark @gap near Packerton, 480 ft.
Geography
LocationCarbon County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Parent rangeAppalachian Mountains
Topo mapUSGS 40075G8, 1947&'83 Tamaqua (PA) Quadrangle
Coal Laden parallel ridges north of Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania in the physiographic province of the "Anthracite Upland Section".
Relief detail of eastern Pennsylvania

Pisgah Mountain or Pisgah Ridge (on older USGS Maps) is a long ridgeline[1] (12.5 miles (20.1 km) Tamaqua to Jim Thorpe river gap to river gap) oriented NNE-to-SSW whose northside valley is followed by U.S. Route 209 from river gap to river. The ridge is a succession of peaks exceeding 1,440 feet (438.9 m) looming 300–540 feet[2] above the towns of Lansford, Coaldale, Summit Hill, and Tamaqua in the Panther Creek valley. The ridge forms the left bank drainage divide on the south and the streams source in the east. The east end of the ridge is named Mount Pisgah and represents a hard rock knob that towers 700–900 feet above Lehigh River towns Jim Thorpe to the east, and Nesquehoning to it's north. The municipalities are located relative to one another just around a near ninety-degree bend in the Lehigh a few miles apart by road or river. Geologically, the Pisgah Ridge divide is classed as of semi-major degree, the waters enter the same body, the Delaware, but do so over fifty miles apart as the north draining waters are feed waters of the Panther Creek running east as a Little Schuylkill tributary, whilst the eastern south slope waters drain into the valley formed by the Mauch Chunk Ridge paralleling Pisgah Ridge to the south, via the Mauch Chunk Creek[3] (White Bear Creek).

Furthermore, the terminal but subordinate peak of the ridge and Mount Pisgah is located at the joining of two ridgelines of similar height, the more northerly, Nesquehoning Mountain forming the right bank drainage divide for Panther Creek, and being sundered from Mount Pisgah proper by a short very steep characteristic V-shaped water-erosion valley (oriented below a 'right bank' prominence named "Indian Peak") that US-209 climbs steeply from the town of Nesquehoning westwards 2-3 miles to reach the head of the Panther Creek Valley. The railroad tracks paralleling PA-Rt-54 also transiting the town of Nesquehoning's flat river-bank terrain takes over sixteen miles farther to climb and descend to once again reach an elevation where it can turn to enter the Panther Creek Valley]] near the confluence with the Little Schuylkill via the rail yard at Tamaqua in a longer more circuitous climb—and demonstration why Dump Trucks have replaced railroads in short haul situations.

Geology

Mount Pisgah is a typical end-ridge formed by a watercourse gap. Pisgah Mountain is but one average folded mountain in a succession of near parallel ridgelines, where each are made by a succession of peaks of nearly the same height. This Ridge and Valley province is a geological feature that extends from New Jersey into Virginia forming a great barrier of successive valleys. Pisgah Mountain, located along the southern fringe of northeastern Pennsylvania's Poconos region is also central to the Southern Anthracite Region of Pennsylvania— known as the site of the Richest Anthracite Seam, in the heart of the Southern Pennsylvania Anthracite Field and the geological province known as the Anthracite Upland section. The ridgeline parallels the escarpment of the Blue Mountain region but unlike that barrier with several major cuttings, Mount Pisgah is a divide between waters running southwesterly in the historic Panther Creek (Pennsylvania).

Notes

  1. ^ USGS MRC: 40075-D6 (1893), Hazelton Quadrangles, South center ridge on USGS topological map of Schuylkill-Lehigh River Drainage Divides, 1893, rev 1893.
  2. ^ By inspection (estimated from topological maps) - Low is 900' near Panther Creek, High streets, ca. 1040 ft, Summit Hill, variation is 140 ft, 1440-900=540, 1440-1040=300, which given 1-14 miles of ridge, is close enough to justify the statement. .
  3. ^ Inspection today via maps.google.com shows the headwaters begin to flow east from ~.5 miles (0.8 km) (~2600 ft, estimated) south of Coaldale. Today's creek now leads to Mauch Chunk Lake at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, but Google maps names it White Bear Creek.

References

  • Alan R. Geyer (1979) "Outstanding Geologic Features of Pennsylvania", Geological Survey of Pennsylvania
  • Tom Thwaites (1997) "50 hikes in Eastern Pennsylvania", Third edition
  • Art Michaels (2003) "Pennsylvania Overlooks a guide for Sightseers and Outdoor People", Penn State Press
  • "Latitude and Longitude from TopoQuest". TopoQuest.com.

41°48′35″N 76°42′57″W / 41.80984°N 76.71591°W / 41.80984; -76.71591

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