CAMELBACK (LY2688)

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State: PA
County: Monroe
Quad: Mount Pocono
Location: N 41° 02.538' W075° 21.116'
Elevation: 2131 ft.
Designation: CAMELBACK 1958
Setting: Boulder
Type: Triangulation Station
Year: 1958
Established By: NGS
Recovered: 07 September 2006, 13 September 2002 (note)

It's been four years since I last visited this spot, and all along I've been curious about RM2 and the azimuth mark. My inexperience was probably a large factor, but I was still curious how I could have missed them my first time around. On this sunny Thursday, Rich and I decided to find out. After photographing the fire tower (LY2687), we moved on to the CAMELBACK station. We reached the main station disk with little difficulty once we found a way through the rocks and brush in the area. The disk is not stamped, and has seen better days. It's suffered some weathering as well as possible vandalism. RM1 was also an easy find, probably because I'd been there before. But RM2 was a different story. At the time of my first visit, I had been unaware of the datasheet "box score" and was merely following the written directions on the datasheet, which place RM2 west of the fire tower. Today we discovered that it's actually east of the tower -- so I was searching on entirely the wrong side! We found the mark easily once we recognized the mistake that had been made.

After a grueling and unsuccessful (but still enjoyable!) hike toward TANNER (LY2686) and back, we decided to search for the CAMELBACK azimuth mark. According to the description it's conveniently located right along the road down the mountain -- on our way out of the park. We drove slowly, seeing nothing exciting for a few minutes. Then I spotted a large boulder off to my left, and immediately stopped the car and hopped out. It was a long shot, and I was surprised to see the azimuth disk sitting right on top of the boulder! Finally my quest was complete. Like the reference marks, the azimuth mark disk was in good condition with legible stamping.

A report on the condition of this triangulation station disk, both reference marks and the azimuth disk was submitted to NGS, along with the following recovery note:

The station, both reference marks, and the azimuth mark were recovered in fair condition. The station disk is pitted and illegible, but appears to be solid in its setting.

The description is accurate with the following exceptions: Note that RM 2 is east, not west, of the fire tower. The speed limit sign and witness post for the azimuth mark were not found. The azimuth mark is 27.5 feet south of the centerline of the road and 3.5 feet south-southwest of a 14 inch diameter pine tree.

Autonomous (non-corrected) handheld GPS coordinates for RM 1 are 41 02 32.3(N) 075 21 06.6(W). Autonomous (non-corrected) handheld GPS coordinates for RM 2 are 41 02 32.5(N) 075 21 07.0(W). WAAS-corrected handheld GPS coordinates for the azimuth mark are 41 02 38.2(N) 075 21 43.0(W).

Zhanna

NGS Official Description, 1958 (see datasheet for recent updates) :

DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1958 (JMR) THE STATION IS LOCATED ON THE TOP OF CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 13 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF BLAKESLEE CORNERS, 10 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF STROUDSBURG, 4 MILES SOUTH OF POCONO MANOR. TO REACH THE STATION FROM BLAKESLEE CORNERS, WHICH IS AT THE INTERSECTION OF STATE HIGHWAYS 940 AND 115- GO EAST ON STATE HIGHWAY 940 FOR 7.8 MILES TO A ROAD FORK IN POCONO PINES, TAKE THE RIGHT HAND FORK, STATE HIGHWAY 940, AND GO 1.25 MILES TO A T-ROAD. TURN RIGHT ON ROUTE 45024 AND GO SOUTHEAST FOR 1.95 MILES TO A CROSS ROAD, CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD, ON ROUTE 45024, FOR 6.40 MILES TO A REVERSE Y-FORK, TURN SHARP RIGHT AND FOLLOW WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD TO THE CREST OF THE RIDGE, A SPEED LIMIT SIGN, AND THE AZIMUTH MARK ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD, CONTINUE EAST ALONG THE TOP OF THE RIDGE TO THE LOOKOUT TOWER ON THE SUMMIT OF THE MOUNTAIN AND THE STATION. STATION IS ABOUT 300 FEET WEST OF THE STONE HOUSE EAST OF THE SUMMIT, 100 FEET EAST OF THE NORTHEAST LEG OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER. THE MARK IS A STANDARD USGS DISK, WITHOUT STAMPING, SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN THE TOP OF A 4 X 8 FOOT BOULDER PROJECTING 1/2 FOOT. RM 1 IS 123 FEET EAST OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER. THE MARK IS A STANDARD DISK, STAMPED CAMELBACK NO 1 1958, SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN THE TOP OF A 3 X 4 FOOT BOULDER PROJECTING 1 FOOT. RM 2 IS ABOUT 103 FEET WEST OF THE LOOKOUT TOWER, 24 FEET NORTH OF THE CREST OF THE RIDGE. THE MARK IS A STANDARD DISK, STAMPED CAMELBACK NO 2 1958, SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN THE TOP OF A 4 X 4 FOOT BOULDER PROJECTING 1-1/2 FEET. THE AZIMUTH MARK IS AT THE SPEED LIMIT SIGN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE ROAD GIVING ACCESS TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN, 26 FEET SOUTH OF THE CENTER OF THE ROAD, 8 FEET SOUTH OF THE SPEED LIMIT SIGN, 7 FEET SOUTH OF A STANDARD METAL WITNESS POST. THE MARK IS A STANDARD DISK, STAMPED CAMELBACK 1958, SET IN A DRILL HOLE IN THE TOP OF A 3 X 7 FOOT BOULDER PROJECTING 2 FEET. THE FIRE LOOKOUT TOWER IS A 30 FOOT HIGH WOODEN STRUCTURE SUPPORTED BY 4, BRACED, ANGLE IRON LEGS. THE MARK IS THE CENTER OF THE TOWER.