Quirauk Mountain

Quirauk Mountain
View from High Rock of Cascade, Maryland
Highest point
Elevation 2,145 ft (654 m)
Coordinates 39°41′47″N 77°30′46″W / 39.69634°N 77.51271°W / 39.69634; -77.51271Coordinates: 39°41′47″N 77°30′46″W / 39.69634°N 77.51271°W / 39.69634; -77.51271 [1]
Geography
Location Washington County, Maryland
Parent range South Mountain, Blue Ridge Mountains
Climbing
Easiest route drive

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]

Background

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

  1. 1 2 3 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.
  9. ↑ Maryland Scenic Byways, p. 140
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