Nesquehoning Mountain | |
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Nesquehoning Ridge | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Lat/Lng:405000N 0755457W (Unknown Tamaqua? Knob) |
Elevation | 1,535 ft (468 m) |
Coordinates | 40°50′0″N 75°54′57″W / 40.83333°N 75.91583°WCoordinates: 40°50′0″N 75°54′57″W / 40.83333°N 75.91583°W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 25 mi (40 km) east-west |
Width | 1–2 mi (1.6–3.2 km) north-south |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Pennsylvania |
Borders on | Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians and Great Appalachian Valley |
Geology | |
Orogeny | Appalachian Mountains |
Age of rock | Silurian |
Type of rock | Tuscarora Formation and Shawangunk Formation; sedimentary |
Nesquehoning Mountain or Nesquehoning Ridge is a 15–17-mile-long (24–27 km) coal bearing ridge dividing the waters of Lehigh Valley to the north from the Schuylkill River valley and the several near parallel ridgelines of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians barrier range all local members of which run generally WSW-ENE in the greater overall area.
Nestled above a creek sculpted ravine across from the even less negotiable sides of Broad Mountain the flanks above Nesquehoning Creek reach a sharp bend cut by the water gap of the Lehigh River and merge with the ridge of Pisgah Ridge to the south into a common terminal mountain, Mount Pisgah within sight of the Southern Poconos in a region once touted as "The Switzerland of America" along the eastern edge of the Southern Anthracite Region, all several ridge lines north of the escarpment Blue Mountain Ridge, Pennsylvania. in part providing the source waters for Nesquehoning Creek a tributary of the Lehigh River in the Poconos of eastern Pennsylvania in the United States.
Nesquehoning Creek originates both in a forested area on the slopes of Broad Mountain at an elevation somewhat in excess of 1360 ft on USGS topological maps, as well as above Tamaqua Gap cut by the Little Schuylkill River and Tamaqua in a saddle pass connecting with Broad Mountain. It flows south for about 2 miles (3.2 km) then turns to the northeast and flows into Greenwood Lake. Approximately 600 feet (180 m) downstream from the spillway, it discharges into Lake Hauto. It then continues to the northeast in a relatively narrow valley flowing past the ravine now traversed by US 209 climbing up Room Run to the upper foot of Mount Pisgah above the divide from Panther Creek. The stream then travels down a narrow undeveloped section to its confluence with the Lehigh River.