Quirauk Mountain

Quirauk Mountain
View from High Rock of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
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