Other side of 501 you can hike out to the point of Round Head. Decent views. Interesting stories about that part of the mountain. Unfortunately I don't exactly remember the names, just the history. One of the early members of the local hiking club was very active in cutting trails along that stretch of the Blue Mountain. This was the same Mr. Lloyd Showers of the eponymous Showers 500 Steps which climb from Route 501 in the valley below to the top of Round Head. Anyway, Lloyd loved hiking that section of the Blue Mountain. Back in those days the ridgetop was largely cleared from logging so the views were much better. When the AT was routed along Blue Mountain he advocated very strongly that it should go over Round Head. Sadly for Lloyd, it was not and instead ran along an old mountain road up and out of the notch containing what is now Hertlein Campsite. Lloyd passed away, but at least got his name attached to the steps. Then in the 1970s the federal govt passed the national trails system act and as a result the AT was rerouted in that section to include Round Head. But as it would happen by then the ridgetop had grown back in and the view now is a narrow window of what it once was. A very interesting topographic feature is that from the point of Round Head you can see the further ridges of the Ridge and Valley province behind Blue Mountain. Round Head is just high enough to let you view back over a low dip in Blue Mountain to the north. So Lloyd did get his wish after all. You can still barely make out the old AT alignment in that area if you use old topographic maps. Some stretches of trail are still occasionally cleared by the state game commission. If you find yourself out there you may come across a pine tree with a sign still attached which gives directions to "Hertlein Cabins". Those no longer exist and were situated at what is now Hertlein Campsite. Another thread involving Lloyd Showers. Below the campsite is a dam impounding the creek coming off the mountain. Hikers have strung up a rope swing. It's a popular spot for AT hikers to cool off in the summer as the mountain spring water is very cold. As it happens, the dam was constructed by another project of Mr. Lloyd's: The Blue Mountain Electric Company. Yes, this small dam fed a penstock which ran to a powerhouse below. It generated just enough power to light the town of Shartlesville in the valley to the south. This was around the first decade of the 1900s making it one of the first towns in the state with electric power. Those mountains are full of history. Next time you're up there you could drink from Pilger Ruh "Pilgrim's Rest" spring where Conrad Weiser allegedly stopped on his way to talk to the Native American chiefs at Sunbury.
Beautiful
Love nature...thank u for taking us along
Good to see White Rock again, memories of the 80s and parties after dark
I Commend Ur thoughts, quiet Ur Spirit , Take in Nature Glad my Dad R.I.P. brought us to similar places in my country Good for U Walking
Thanks Jon 😎✋
Thank you
Other side of 501 you can hike out to the point of Round Head. Decent views.
Interesting stories about that part of the mountain. Unfortunately I don't exactly remember the names, just the history. One of the early members of the local hiking club was very active in cutting trails along that stretch of the Blue Mountain. This was the same Mr. Lloyd Showers of the eponymous Showers 500 Steps which climb from Route 501 in the valley below to the top of Round Head. Anyway, Lloyd loved hiking that section of the Blue Mountain. Back in those days the ridgetop was largely cleared from logging so the views were much better. When the AT was routed along Blue Mountain he advocated very strongly that it should go over Round Head. Sadly for Lloyd, it was not and instead ran along an old mountain road up and out of the notch containing what is now Hertlein Campsite. Lloyd passed away, but at least got his name attached to the steps.
Then in the 1970s the federal govt passed the national trails system act and as a result the AT was rerouted in that section to include Round Head. But as it would happen by then the ridgetop had grown back in and the view now is a narrow window of what it once was. A very interesting topographic feature is that from the point of Round Head you can see the further ridges of the Ridge and Valley province behind Blue Mountain. Round Head is just high enough to let you view back over a low dip in Blue Mountain to the north. So Lloyd did get his wish after all. You can still barely make out the old AT alignment in that area if you use old topographic maps. Some stretches of trail are still occasionally cleared by the state game commission.
If you find yourself out there you may come across a pine tree with a sign still attached which gives directions to "Hertlein Cabins". Those no longer exist and were situated at what is now Hertlein Campsite. Another thread involving Lloyd Showers. Below the campsite is a dam impounding the creek coming off the mountain. Hikers have strung up a rope swing. It's a popular spot for AT hikers to cool off in the summer as the mountain spring water is very cold. As it happens, the dam was constructed by another project of Mr. Lloyd's: The Blue Mountain Electric Company. Yes, this small dam fed a penstock which ran to a powerhouse below. It generated just enough power to light the town of Shartlesville in the valley to the south. This was around the first decade of the 1900s making it one of the first towns in the state with electric power.
Those mountains are full of history. Next time you're up there you could drink from Pilger Ruh "Pilgrim's Rest" spring where Conrad Weiser allegedly stopped on his way to talk to the Native American chiefs at Sunbury.
Thank you so much. I'll have to try that.