December 23, 2023

Oh say can you see…..

Oh, say can you see? Below are some locations that you can see in the distance next time you are in these spots on a clear day that maybe you didn’t know about. Or maybe you did.

Did you know:

You can see Sideling Hill from Savage Mt in Garrett County?

Beyond Sideling is the Bear Pond Mts north of Clear Springs in to Southern PA. Coming down Rt 40 near the Allegany County line, on a semi clear or better day the cut is fairly easy to pick out with the naked eye.

How is it so easy to see?

You are north of the high part of Dan’s Mt, and high enough to see over I believe that would be Haystack, Martin’s Mt, Polish Mt and Town Hill and catch the top of Sideling at the cut.

How about Canaan Ski area and Porte Crayon from Meadow Mt at Deep Creek State Park?

This is often met with. No, you must be looking at Wisp. Or no, you must be on Backbone Mt. With Cabin Mt at Weiss Knob 4450′, just left of the slopes and Porte Crayon just a few hundred feet shy of 5k feet. They rise up high enough to see pretty well anything over 3700’+/-. Backbone and Canaan Mt/Brown Mt do not obscure anything above that from the 3000′ view at Meadow Mt at Deep Creek State Park.

As the vertical profile shows

You can see the first jut up being Backbone above 3000′, then the bowl of Canaan Valley after the 2nd rise, remaining above 3000′, Cabin Mt going over 4000′ and lastly Porte Crayon.

This isn’t the only location you get that view. Head further north in to PA at Mt.Davis and the same will apply.

Without snow on the slopes, the ski area does not stand out as well, but Porte Crayon is still very easy to make out. At over 3200′ and a distance of over 60 miles, non hazy, and fairly clear conditions aid this long view

You can see Meadow Mt, Backbone, Canaan/Brown Mt, Canaan Valley, Red Creek and lastly Porte Crayon

Mt.Storm is also visible from Mt.Davis

The Mt.Storm power plant, which is a very recognizable location from many locations and distances away with the high stack at the power plant so it’s often a good reference point . The stack can be seen from Martin’s Mt by Rocky Gap with the initial view of the Allegheny Front being in the foreground in front of it

even further away on a clear day it can be seen from Green Ridge with a elevation of around 1200′

Lots of weather variations occur within these relatively short distances. However, nothing very exciting for the upcoming period from now through Christmas. Some rain pushing in the day after Christmas and later next week things should again go from wet to white. Right now the GFS is putting out a decent upslope event, but being 5-7 days out, much can change.

Review of December 23, 2023

Forest Service Cam offline since 6/24/21

Dec 23(Sat)

Cloudy, few areas of brief showers

Bittinger 2nw Valley

Garrett County Airport

Top of Wisp

Canaan Heights/Davis 3SE

Climate Reference Network Station

Atop Canaan Ski area

Cabin Mt at Bald Knob

Cabin Mt-Western Sods

Spruce Knob

Canaan Valley Refuge

Mt.Davis

Snowshoe

Petersburg Grant County Airport

Elkins Airport

Site Comparison

Dy007-Canaan Valley Refuge 3150′, Dy008-Bittinger 2nw Valley 2600′, Dy002-Cabin Mt at Bald Knob 4350′, Dy003-Cabin Mt-Western Sods 4035′, Dy004-Spruce Knob 4820′, Cvpw2-Climate Reference Network Canaan 3380′, KW99-Petersburg Grant County Airport 961, K2G4 Garrett County Airport 2933′, KCBE Cumberland Airport 774′, KEKN Elkins Airport 1985′, KMGW Morgantown Airport 1227′, PMN16-Mt.Davis 3038′, KDCA-Reagan National 15′, G1472 Snowshoe 4500′, F0183 Burkes Garden 3050′