Laurel Hill (Pennsylvania)

In August of 1774, governor of Virginia John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore issued the following proclamation: “ ..whereas the Province of Pennsylvania has unduly laid claim to … His Majesty’s territory…. I do hereby in His Majesty’s name require & command all of His Majesty’s subjects West of Laurel Hill to pay a due respect to my Proclamation, strictly prohibiting the authority of Pennsylvania at their peril.” [https://emergingrevolutionarywar.org/2019/12/23/the-war-on-the-pennsylvania-frontier-part-5-of-5-the-war-between-virginia-and-pennsylvania/#:~:text=Although%20both%20states%20were%20involved,early%20charters%20in%20the%201600s. [1]]

Two state forests, comprising over {{convert|22000|acre|km2}}, are located on Laurel Hill: Gallitzin State Forest and Forbes State Forest. State Game Lands 42 and 111 are also located on the mountain and also comprise a little over {{convert|22000|acre|km2}}.

Laurel Hill has an average elevation of {{convert|2700|ft|m|abbr=on}} along its length, while there are individual "knobs" that rise above {{convert|2900|ft|m|abbr=on}}. The highest point is located above the Seven Springs Mountain Resort at {{convert|2994|ft|m|abbr=on}}. Laurel Hill is flanked on its north end by the Conemaugh Gorge and on its south end by the Youghiogheny Gorge, both water gaps being approximately {{convert|1700|ft|m|abbr=on}} in depth. The ridge continues north of the Conemaugh Gorge for several miles as Rager Mountain, which reaches an elevation of {{convert|2580|ft}}. South of the Youghiogheny Gorge, a short ridge, generally still labeled Laurel Hill, at the edge of Ohiopyle State Park, reaches above {{convert|2920|ft}}.

The industrial city of Johnstown and historic borough of Ligonier are located near its northern end, while the recreational boroughs of Confluence and Ohiopyle are located towards its southern end. Two major highways cross Laurel Hill, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. Route 30. The abandoned Laurel Hill Tunnel goes beneath Laurel Hill. A number of smaller state roads cross at other points on the mountain.

Laurel Hill is made up of Mississippian and Pennsylvanian clastic sedimentary rocks, consisting mostly of conglomerate, sandstone, and shale. Formations include the Burgoon, Mauch Chunk, Pottsville, and Allegheny. The mountain is anticlinal in structure.

Along the length of this ridge there are several prominent knobs that rise from the ridgeline. They are as follows south to north: Sugarloaf Knob {{convert|2667|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Highpoint {{convert|2994|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Birch Rock Hill {{convert|2934|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Painter Rock Hill {{convert|2920|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Bald Knob {{convert|2930|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Ulery Hill {{convert|2820|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Pea Vine Hill {{convert|2900|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Pikes Peak {{convert|2840|ft|m|abbr=on}}, Mystery Hill {{convert|2880|ft|m|abbr=on}}, and Sugar Camp Hill {{convert|2908|ft|m|abbr=on}}.

File:Laurel hill north end.jpg

The Laurel Hill region shares the humid continental climate of the Mid-Atlantic region in which it is located.

The mountain ridge is oriented at right angles to approaching weather systems, forcing prevailing westerly airflows upward. As rising air cools, moisture in the air mass condenses; once reaching the saturation point, precipitation results. Laurel Hill may also act as a barrier to weather systems and slow the movement of storms, which has an impact on the local area and forms a microclimate. Although the mountain is not high enough to create its own weather, its orography is enough to gently nudge weather from hot to warm, cool to cold, and from rain to snow; along with moisture from the Great Lakes, the latter can result in heavy snowfall during winter months. The mountain ridge can be {{convert|5|to|10|F}} cooler than surrounding towns and valleys, depending on other weather variables.

{{Weather box

|location = Laurel Summit, Pennsylvania, 1991–2020 normals: 2730ft (832m)

|single line = Yes

|Jan high F = 30.9

|Feb high F = 33.9

|Mar high F = 42.7

|Apr high F = 56.1

|May high F = 64.5

|Jun high F = 71.2

|Jul high F = 74.5

|Aug high F = 73.8

|Sep high F = 68.0

|Oct high F = 57.7

|Nov high F = 45.7

|Dec high F = 35.2

|year high F =

|Jan mean F = 22.6

|Feb mean F = 24.8

|Mar mean F = 32.7

|Apr mean F = 45.1

|May mean F = 54.7

|Jun mean F = 62.3

|Jul mean F = 66.4

|Aug mean F = 65.3

|Sep mean F = 59.4

|Oct mean F = 48.4

|Nov mean F = 37.4

|Dec mean F = 27.7

|year mean F =

|Jan low F = 14.4

|Feb low F = 15.7

|Mar low F = 22.7

|Apr low F = 34.1

|May low F = 44.9

|Jun low F = 53.4

|Jul low F = 58.2

|Aug low F = 56.8

|Sep low F = 50.7

|Oct low F = 39.2

|Nov low F = 29.2

|Dec low F = 20.1

|year low F =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.41

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.50

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.72

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.87

|May precipitation inch = 5.47

|Jun precipitation inch = 5.94

|Jul precipitation inch = 5.14

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.78

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.81

|Oct precipitation inch = 4.23

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.31

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.43

|year precipitation inch =

|Jan snow inch = 38.60

|Feb snow inch = 37.50

|Mar snow inch = 21.50

|Apr snow inch = 6.90

|May snow inch = 0.30

|Jun snow inch = 0.00

|Jul snow inch = 0.00

|Aug snow inch = 0.00

|Sep snow inch = 0.00

|Oct snow inch = 2.40

|Nov snow inch = 8.10

|Dec snow inch = 26.90

|year snow inch =

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00364839&format=pdf

|title = Laurel Summit, Pennsylvania 1991-2020 Monthly Normals

|access-date = October 24, 2023

}}

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Laurel Summit, Pennsylvania (2,600 ft ASL) (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1967–present)

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 63

|Feb record high F = 73

|Mar record high F = 75

|Apr record high F = 83

|May record high F = 85

|Jun record high F = 85

|Jul record high F = 86

|Aug record high F = 87

|Sep record high F = 89

|Oct record high F = 79

|Nov record high F = 75

|Dec record high F = 68

|year record high F = 89

|Jan high F = 29.7

|Feb high F = 33.9

|Mar high F = 42.8

|Apr high F = 55.6

|May high F = 63.2

|Jun high F = 70.2

|Jul high F = 73.5

|Aug high F = 72.7

|Sep high F = 66.9

|Oct high F = 56.6

|Nov high F = 46.1

|Dec high F = 34.1

|year high F= 53.8

|Jan mean F = 22.7

|Feb mean F = 25.6

|Mar mean F = 33.6

|Apr mean F = 45.1

|May mean F = 54.1

|Jun mean F = 62.2

|Jul mean F = 66.1

|Aug mean F = 65.3

|Sep mean F = 58.1

|Oct mean F = 47.7

|Nov mean F = 38.0

|Dec mean F = 27.0

|year mean F= 45.4

|Jan low F = 15.7

|Feb low F = 17.3

|Mar low F = 24.3

|Apr low F = 34.6

|May low F = 44.9

|Jun low F = 54.1

|Jul low F = 58.7

|Aug low F = 57.9

|Sep low F = 49.3

|Oct low F = 38.8

|Nov low F = 29.8

|Dec low F = 19.9

|year low F= 37.1

|Jan record low F = −40

|Feb record low F = −31

|Mar record low F = −22

|Apr record low F = 3

|May record low F = 17

|Jun record low F = 27

|Jul record low F = 32

|Aug record low F = 30

|Sep record low F = 18

|Oct record low F = 7

|Nov record low F = −10

|Dec record low F = −21

|year record low F= −40

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.14

|Feb precipitation inch = 3.37

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.62

|Apr precipitation inch = 4.36

|May precipitation inch = 5.06

|Jun precipitation inch = 4.95

|Jul precipitation inch = 4.87

|Aug precipitation inch = 4.47

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.23

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.88

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.72

|Dec precipitation inch = 4.04

|year precipitation inch=52.71

|Jan snow inch = 41.8

|Feb snow inch = 40.1

|Mar snow inch = 22.2

|Apr snow inch = 6.7

|May snow inch = 0.2

|Jun snow inch = 0

|Jul snow inch = 0

|Aug snow inch = 0

|Sep snow inch = 0

|Oct snow inch = 2.5

|Nov snow inch = 9.1

|Dec snow inch = 29.0

|year snow inch= 151.6

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 23.3

|Feb precipitation days = 24.6

|Mar precipitation days = 16.1

|Apr precipitation days = 15.5

|May precipitation days = 14.7

|Jun precipitation days = 12.5

|Jul precipitation days = 10.8

|Aug precipitation days = 10.5

|Sep precipitation days = 9.3

|Oct precipitation days = 12.3

|Nov precipitation days = 18.5

|Dec precipitation days = 24.7

|year precipitation days= 192.8

|unit snow days = 0.1 in

|Jan snow days = 21.2

|Feb snow days = 22.3

|Mar snow days = 11.3

|Apr snow days = 6.7

|May snow days = 1.2

|Jun snow days = 0

|Jul snow days = 0

|Aug snow days = 0

|Sep snow days = 0

|Oct snow days = 1.5

|Nov snow days = 8.3

|Dec snow days = 20.1

|year snow days = 92.6

|source 1 = NOAA

{{cite web

|url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=ctp

|title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = 2021-03-11}}

}}

{{Main|Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests}}

Laurel Hill has a diversity of habitats, and with that comes a variety of birds and mammals. Ravens and wild turkeys are frequently seen, while the hermit thrush, Canada warbler, brown creeper, and winter wren all nest near the bog at Spruce Flats. During the summer, black-throated blue warblers, blue-headed and red-eyed vireos can be seen. Raptors on the mountain include the broad-winged, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, and barred owls.

Commonly seen mammals on the mountain include white-tailed deer, chipmunks, and red and gray squirrels. More elusive animals include the woodchuck, raccoon, and opossum. Black bear have also been seen, but are shy and reclusive and not likely to be encountered.

Snakes including the timber rattlesnake and eastern copperhead also make their home on Laurel Hill around rocks and scree areas.

{{commons category}}

{{reflist}}

• Sundquist, Bruce and William J. Curry, eds. (2004) A Hiker's Guide to the Laurel Highlands Trail, Sixth edition, Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Chapter and Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• Beck, Michael, George Cannelos, John Clark, William Curry and Charles Loehr (1975) [https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Laurel_Hill_Study.html?id=uHhDYedjUKUC The Laurel Hill Study]. Laurel Highlands Conservation and Development Project; Furnace Run, Laughlintown, Pennsylvania.
• Dutcher, Russell R., John C. Ferm, Norman K. Flint and E.G. Williams (1959) "Field Trip #2: The Pennsylvanian of Western Pennsylvania". In Guidebook for Field Trips Pittsburgh Meeting, 1959. Geological Society of America, Boulder, Colorado.
• Alan R. Geyer (1979) "Outstanding Geologic Features of Pennsylvania", Geological Survey of Pennsylvania
• Charles H. Shultz (1999) The Geology of Pennsylvania, Geological Survey of Pennsylvania {{ISBN|0-8182-0227-0}}
• Jere Martin (1997) Pennsylvania Almanac. Stackpole Books, {{ISBN|0-8117-2880-3}}

{{geographic Location

| West = Chestnut Ridge

| East = Allegheny Mountain

| Southeast = Negro Mountain

}}

{{Mountains of Pennsylvania}}

{{coord|40|9|39|N|79|9|52|W|region:US-PA_type:mountain|display=title}}

Category:Mountains of Pennsylvania

Category:Allegheny Mountains

Category:Laurel Highlands

Category:Landforms of Somerset County, Pennsylvania

Category:Landforms of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Category:Landforms of Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Category:Landforms of Fayette County, Pennsylvania

Category:Ridges of Pennsylvania