Highest point in Forest county PA. Climb #44 of 67 trees on 67 mountains in 67 counties.

#44 Forest County
May 26, 2024
Elev 1954’
41.526136, -78.967546
This was about as beautiful as it gets. I really enjoyed visiting this high point. Forest county contains quite a bit of forested land that is part of the Allegany National Forest as well as part of Cook Forest State Park. However, the highest point in the county is private land owned by Collins Pine Company. Almost 2 decades ago Collins hosted me at their facility in Kane PA as part of their 175th anniversary celebration. Thankfully I’ve maintained a friendship with them and was able to connect with Matt Gayley who is lands manager with Collins. I was able to drive within a half mile of the summit. My travels took me by an old abandoned engine house that power pump heads for oil wells. I’ve seen photos of these from the old days but never saw one up close. These facilities had belts that rain in various directions through the woods to power oil pumps. There was an old spool of rotten belt material lying in the doorway. Very cool! The high point was a thick stand of most Birch and Red Maple with nothing ideal to climb. I backtracked to a nearby Tulip Poplar tree I had noticed on my way in. It was an amazing view from the top of the tree. Off to my West I could see a dark patch of forest that puzzled me. On the drive out I determined it was a coniferous forest planted in May of 1933. There was a historical monument explaining this was the first forest planting project accomplished by the CCC’s in the entire country! I just stumbled upon it. Later that day I headed to Cook Forest state park where John Stanely was kind enough to hike me into an amazing stand of old growth timber off the beaten path. His son Andrew joined us. Andrew is entering his senior year of high school and hopes to one day work for the PA game commission. I was really impressed with his knowledge of the forest and wildlife within (he walked right up on a Wild Turkey hen sitting on her eggs as well as a Junco on her nest of eggs as well). It’s nice to know the PA wilds are in good hands with young men like Andrew coming up.