Quirauk Mountain

Summary

Quirauk Mountain is the highest point on South Mountain.[2] The 2,145-foot (654 m) peak is located in northeastern Washington County, Maryland. It lies just southwest of Fort Ritchie Military Reservation in the village of Cascade and about 1/2 mile southeast of the community of Blue Mountain. The Appalachian Trail and South Mountain State Park are about 1/2 mile to the west of the mountain's summit.[1]

Quirauk Mountain
View from High Rock in Cascade, Maryland
Highest point
Elevation2,145 ft (654 m)
Coordinates39°41′47″N 77°30′46″W / 39.69634°N 77.51271°W / 39.69634; -77.51271[1]
Geography
LocationWashington County, Maryland, U.S.
Parent rangeSouth Mountain, Blue Ridge Mountains
Climbing
Easiest routedrive

Background edit

On the summit is a broadcast tower for radio stations WETH-FM and WAYZ-FM in Hagerstown[1] and "Site C", a radio communication outpost of the Alternate Joint Communications Center, a United States Department of Defense emergency relocation site near Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania.[3] There is a fenced-in area of the mountaintop that is federal property and thus a restricted area.[4] Quirauk Mountain's broadcast tower was formerly used by radio stations WJEJ-AM and WWMD-FM.[5] A fire lookout tower also used to occupy the summit.[6][7]

About 1/2 mile to the west-southwest of the summit is High Rock on the Appalachian Trail, which provides an excellent view of the surrounding countryside.[8][9]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c USGS Topographic Map, Smithsburg (MD, PA) Quadrangle
  2. ^ "South Mountain", Encyclopædia Britannica Online
  3. ^ Hagerstown-Chambersburg Area Radio Stations Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ The Mount Weather Emergency Operations Center (see section "Telecommunications Links")
  5. ^ Washington County Highpoint Trip Report
  6. ^ 104.7
  7. ^ Maryland Fire Lookouts Archived April 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2007. Retrieved September 26, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Maryland Scenic Byways, p. 140