You always take me on the most beautiful places.. I am 81 years old now so my wandering days are over so I appreciate you letting me hike along with you Love your videos.
If you had stayed on the Orange trail you would have got a nice view of the river again and a wide view of the city. Later you would have a great view of the Pagoda up on the other mountain. Then you would intersect with the Promenade Trail which would take you by the huge cell tower ( which you can walk up right to the base) and then to The Witches Hut Pavilion , a large stone gazebo, which I think is the only thing standing from another hotel in that area. Also great views up there. I think the concrete pond was a water supply for one of the hotels.
Nicely done. Lots of old memories. I knew most of those trails well enough to walk them in the dark >50 years ago. Most of it looks the same except for the graffiti. Most of the Orange trail was the Neversink Railroad. You did miss the big Neversink Hotel location on top. (No real ruins but you can/could make out the general outline of the buildings. Thanks for posting this!
This is my home mountain. You found some cool stuff and as you can see a lot of it just off trail. You did just miss a couple things that are really quite grand. A still intact spring house. Was just off purple/ orange. Probably near where you found that homestead which is actually something I’ve not seen. The biggest thing on this mountain that people try to find is the wine cellar of the centennial springs hotel, while not too far away from the retention pond you found, even taking an unmarked trail that goes past it it’s easy to miss due to entry way having a rick slide cover all but the top of the entry way. Once inside it is huge and built into the mountain. There are these hooks so some wonder if it’s actually a meat locker. Those two things are the biggest finds on the mountain because you can still go in them. The retention pond you saw was a water supply for the Centennial Springs hotel which later became a Sanitarium for TB after the resort days were over. Another main feature that it looks like you didn’t really get near is the intact and robust McIlian Pavilion that also gets called the Witches Hat late 1800’s construction. Unfortunately due to proximity to the road it gets graffiti a lot but some one tries to keep up with it. There is an off trail city overlook that is fairly impressive just below that. That nice view you found on the south side after your snack, also has a twin view that is directly above it but is much better with the higher angle and no trees blocking. Back down at the original view off to the side there is wreckage of an old car. I’ve only seen it from above it is very rusted. The only thing you missed by not going left on orange rather than over top with blue was a straight on gravity railway that you can still see the straight path of up the mountain. The quarry you found was Haucks Mine, Sienna was mimed there and was quite profitable.
I'm thinking those pillars with angled Iron was for a water tower supplying something down hill. Put here for Pressure increase, a common practice a long time ago
Missed those hikes with my dog by my side- His enjoyment and pure excitement in anticipation of reaching a new spot added to years and years and thousands of miles of good times My boy is missed especially on weekends-
Depends on where in Reading...Northeast Reading is mostly ok...I grew up near Albright...but most of it...well, it's a city of 100,000 people that's definitely seen better days...🤷♂️ there is a shooting range nearby...
32:08 sign says wine cellar below hotel. Maybe that root cellar was actually the wine cellar? I love the Pennsylvania woods there is so much history there. Great job Cliff, love your narration.
Hello, Neversink mountain native here, I’m going to guess that that was not the wine cellar, hidden deeper in those woods there’s a actual underground basement that you can still access. It’s very large and seems like there used to be a building attached above it until it was demolished and now dirt and grass covers it. Kids back in high school used to smoke pot and drink in there..or so I’ve heard.
Your videos have so much stonework in the ruins. There must have been some talented artisans that assembled all that natural material into nice walls. It's a shame we can't see the finished structure. Love your work.
Very nice day of hiking and seeing some old ruins. I love that stuff, need to start getting out more like I used to. Thanks to your videos, I probably will!
Recently started hiking the local trails. So much history right in our backyard. If you take jacks loop you will find an old wine cellar you can actually walk in. Its well hidden though.
Hi Cliff, such a beautiful and interesting hike. That building remnant that you thought was industrial could it have been the old tuberculosis hospital ???. Thank you for sharing such lovely surrounding and intelligent narration. x
Very cool! Dengler is my family name and we come from Allentown area of PA. I’m going to do some research on that hotel. Thanks for sharing your wanderings.
Yeah you missed arguably the best ruin on the mountain. If you had taken a left just as you were passing the concrete pond, and had continued up around the back of the pond, you would have come across the old congenial hotel wine cellar. It’s massive and the entire structure is still intact underground. Definitely worth a second trip
Pennsylvania Material Report - 1911 Sienna Mine on Neversink Mountain, Reading. On the north slope of Neversink Mountain, directly south of the east part of Reading, and about 100 feet from the crest of the mountain, sienna has been obtained for several years. Neversink Mountain, and its counterpart, Mt. Perm, are composed of Hardyston quartzite which being resistant to the atmospheric agencies, has been reduced more slowly than the adjacent limestones and so form steep hills or mountains rising (500 to 800 feet above that portion of the valley in which the city of Reading is located. Notwithstanding the fact that it has worn away slowly, at the present time a considerable thickness of greatly decomposed rock occurs on the slopes, and many sandpits are located here. Part of the rock is decomposed to such an extent that it can be readily crumbled in the hand, particularly those beds in which arkose is a prominent constituent. while all is rotten enough to be easily crushed in a rock crusher. While working one of these sand pits on land owned by the Michael Haak estate about 8 years ago a layer, of sienna, was struck interbedded with the rotten quartzitic sandstone. The true character of the material was not recognized at first and it was ignored. On learning, however, that the product was a high-grade sienna drift were run on the bed in either direction, and work has been continued somewhat intermittently ever since. At one time C. K. Williams & Co. operated a mine on the hill but for several years the only operations there have been carried on by Mrs. John P. Lance of Reading, who is one of the heirs to the property. Most of the time only a few men have been employed and the total yearly output varies from 125 to 200 tons. When visited in August 1010, two men only were engaged in the mining... It is said that C. K. Williams & Co. have recently taken a lease on; an adjoining property and plan to open a mine. The sienna possesses a rich yellow color with thin streaks of somewhat darker materials running through it. It is remarkably free1 from impurities of any kind. The following analysis is furnished by Mr. C. K. Williams.
Those bases are similar to those found along abandoned railroad lines used for signal foundations etc. A quick Google search: "The Neversink Mountain Electric Railway ran out of Reading Pennsylvania onto the summit of Neversink Mountain" en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neversink_Mountain_Electric_Railway
Edith Davis was right. The four concrete posts were the remnants of the old Pennsylvania Forest Fire Service towers that once populated the areas that were taken down decades ago. Many were taken down in the 1960s which several used a constantly rotating green light. The last active one that I remembered was taken down on top of Keffer's Mountain (Joliet) in the early 70s. Same goes for the formal forestry elevation sign (4X8 ft wide) on top of the mountain alongside of the Route 209.
I know what was in that spot of the round shaped structure. I found a picture online of the old resort. I spent alot of time in that mountain when i was younger. I found the wine cellar and the ponds with huge goldfish.
Great video! You said that you haven't got a map of the area. Just use the Mapy.cz app, one of the best app's for hiking. It has a detail map of that area.
Did you research this more? I found these pictures www.berkshistory.org/gallery/neversink-mountain-railroad/. Also found an article from 2007 about ghost stories from Neversink Mountain. Still researching more. Not sure why this peaked my interest. lol
Very beautiful walk WW, lot,of interesting stuff along the way. That last round structure or foundation reminded me of a Lilly pond. A running surface spring would have been ideal for such a thing. That other sure looked like a spring house or cold cellar. Thanks Kindly and many trails through past civilizations in the forest! DaveyJO
Cliff, Have a Happy and Healthy New Year and continued success with your channel. You are truly an inspiration... The round ruins may have been a pump house or pumping station. There is a smaller one near Bartville in Lancaster County that was still roofed over about fifteen to twenty years ago and may still exist. Update- Checked Google Maps and Street View goes right by the one near Bartville, located at coordinates 39.907366, -76.085782
@29:38 - Would have loved to see this bldg. back when it was still in use AND in fresh-built condition (actually ALL structures in this video). My guess would be a springhouse / cold storage unit.
Wow what a beautiful area, such lovely views. Shame about graphiti in tunnel bet stonework was beautiful. Fortunately you found the tower and other ruins with the lovely stonework. Never worry about long videos they give us more to watch. Thanks for taking me along. Take care
Great stone work. I wonder why no one ever contacts you about these structures or areas around them. It's been to long maybe? When you respect marked property signs I'd like to see the owner thank you and maybe give some info on the site.
The concrete Piers with the steel angle iron in it might have been Reading communication towers! I know at one time they had towers up there before they changed their radio system over!
MAN THE VIEWS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD JUST AMAZING SO HIGH UP. LOOKS LIKE NO TWO MOUNTIANS ARE THE SAME. THIS ONE DOES NOT HAVE ROCKS. I NOTICE THAT THE TREES ARE MORE SKINNY. YOU STILL DID A WONDERFUL JOB YOU DO GREAT WORK.
Thanks Cliff was fun. Rootcellar/homestead area was amazing. Love these beautiful wooded walks & all your interesting finds! I do however worry about you in possible hunting areas or just random gunshots. Take good care. :)
I grew up about a mile from here. My Grandfather took me to the pond at the cemetery...it was full of ducks. Other than a little age it looks the same. This was my playground 60 years ago... The ruins were amazing especially to a 9 year old... I fished in the river, you did start off in the wrong direction.
The sign clearly said "Closed for Hunting" "Detour in Effect Oct. - Dec. 31" "Follow the White Blazes with Red Centers" Obviously the trail was closed for hunting during the hunting season for safety reason and to allow hunters to hunt undisturbed. An anti-hunting radial changed the meaning with graffiti and you follow graffiti??? You are an educator and know better, you break simple rules to suit yourself and disrespect other's outdoor experience. A low-life move for sure!
You always take me on the most beautiful places.. I am 81 years old now so my wandering days are over so I appreciate you letting me hike along with you Love your videos.
If you had stayed on the Orange trail you would have got a nice view of the river again and a wide view of the city. Later you would have a great view of the Pagoda up on the other mountain. Then you would intersect with the Promenade Trail which would take you by the huge cell tower ( which you can walk up right to the base) and then to The Witches Hut Pavilion , a large stone gazebo, which I think is the only thing standing from another hotel in that area. Also great views up there. I think the concrete pond was a water supply for one of the hotels.
Nicely done. Lots of old memories. I knew most of those trails well enough to walk them in the dark >50 years ago. Most of it looks the same except for the graffiti. Most of the Orange trail was the Neversink Railroad. You did miss the big Neversink Hotel location on top. (No real ruins but you can/could make out the general outline of the buildings. Thanks for posting this!
This is my home mountain. You found some cool stuff and as you can see a lot of it just off trail. You did just miss a couple things that are really quite grand. A still intact spring house. Was just off purple/ orange. Probably near where you found that homestead which is actually something I’ve not seen. The biggest thing on this mountain that people try to find is the wine cellar of the centennial springs hotel, while not too far away from the retention pond you found, even taking an unmarked trail that goes past it it’s easy to miss due to entry way having a rick slide cover all but the top of the entry way. Once inside it is huge and built into the mountain. There are these hooks so some wonder if it’s actually a meat locker. Those two things are the biggest finds on the mountain because you can still go in them. The retention pond you saw was a water supply for the Centennial Springs hotel which later became a Sanitarium for TB after the resort days were over. Another main feature that it looks like you didn’t really get near is the intact and robust McIlian Pavilion that also gets called the Witches Hat late 1800’s construction. Unfortunately due to proximity to the road it gets graffiti a lot but some one tries to keep up with it. There is an off trail city overlook that is fairly impressive just below that. That nice view you found on the south side after your snack, also has a twin view that is directly above it but is much better with the higher angle and no trees blocking. Back down at the original view off to the side there is wreckage of an old car. I’ve only seen it from above it is very rusted. The only thing you missed by not going left on orange rather than over top with blue was a straight on gravity railway that you can still see the straight path of up the mountain. The quarry you found was Haucks Mine, Sienna was mimed there and was quite profitable.
I do plan on going back and finding the things I missed.
I'm thinking those pillars with angled Iron was for a water tower supplying something down hill. Put here for Pressure increase, a common practice a long time ago
Anytime you see concrete dividers like at that quarry, they are stone bins for different size of stone aggregate. Great video. Thanks.
Missed those hikes with my dog by my side-
His enjoyment and pure excitement in anticipation of reaching a new spot added to years and years and thousands of miles of good times
My boy is missed especially on weekends-
Paul Druzba has a great book on the history of the mountain
Depends on where in Reading...Northeast Reading is mostly ok...I grew up near Albright...but most of it...well, it's a city of 100,000 people that's definitely seen better days...🤷♂️ there is a shooting range nearby...
32:08 sign says wine cellar below hotel. Maybe that root cellar was actually the wine cellar? I love the Pennsylvania woods there is so much history there. Great job Cliff, love your narration.
Hello, Neversink mountain native here, I’m going to guess that that was not the wine cellar, hidden deeper in those woods there’s a actual underground basement that you can still access. It’s very large and seems like there used to be a building attached above it until it was demolished and now dirt and grass covers it. Kids back in high school used to smoke pot and drink in there..or so I’ve heard.
Your videos have so much stonework in the ruins. There must have been some talented artisans that assembled all that natural material into nice walls. It's a shame we can't see the finished structure. Love your work.
You missed the ruins of the power house and dam by the river
Very nice day of hiking and seeing some old ruins. I love that stuff, need to start getting out more like I used to. Thanks to your videos, I probably will!
Recently started hiking the local trails. So much history right in our backyard. If you take jacks loop you will find an old wine cellar you can actually walk in. Its well hidden though.
You are walking on the roadbed of a gravity railroad.. the concrete pillars supported a station.
Hi Cliff, such a beautiful and interesting hike. That building remnant that you thought was industrial could it have been the old tuberculosis hospital ???. Thank you for sharing such lovely surrounding and intelligent narration. x
Probably not, someone else mentioned that is was for the quarry.
@@thewanderingwoodsman7227 Oh okay, that works too :). x
Very cool! Dengler is my family name and we come from Allentown area of PA. I’m going to do some research on that hotel. Thanks for sharing your wanderings.
Yeah you missed arguably the best ruin on the mountain. If you had taken a left just as you were passing the concrete pond, and had continued up around the back of the pond, you would have come across the old congenial hotel wine cellar. It’s massive and the entire structure is still intact underground. Definitely worth a second trip
I liked the ruins and the woods. Peaceful to watch. Thanks.
Be careful........another city ruined.......thoroughly enjoy your videos:)
We stopped going to Reading...dangerous area....
Pennsylvania Material Report - 1911
Sienna Mine on Neversink Mountain, Reading.
On the north slope of Neversink Mountain, directly south of the east part of Reading, and about 100 feet from the crest of the mountain, sienna has been obtained for several years.
Neversink Mountain, and its counterpart, Mt. Perm, are composed of Hardyston quartzite which being resistant to the atmospheric agencies, has been reduced more slowly than the adjacent limestones and so form steep hills or mountains rising (500 to 800 feet above that portion of the valley in which the city of Reading is located. Notwithstanding the fact that it has worn away slowly, at the present time a considerable thickness of greatly decomposed rock occurs on the slopes, and many sandpits are located here. Part of the rock is decomposed to such an extent that it can be readily crumbled in the hand, particularly those beds in which arkose is a prominent constituent. while all is rotten enough to be easily crushed in a rock crusher. While working one of these sand pits on land owned by the Michael Haak estate about 8 years ago a layer, of sienna, was struck interbedded with the rotten quartzitic sandstone. The true character of the material was not recognized at first and it was ignored. On learning, however, that the product was a high-grade sienna drift were run on the bed in either direction, and work has been continued somewhat intermittently ever since.
At one time C. K. Williams & Co. operated a mine on the hill but for several years the only operations there have been carried on by Mrs. John P. Lance of Reading, who is one of the heirs to the property. Most of the time only a few men have been employed and the total yearly output varies from 125 to 200 tons. When visited in August 1010, two men only were engaged in the mining... It is said that C. K. Williams & Co. have recently taken a lease on; an adjoining property and plan to open a mine.
The sienna possesses a rich yellow color with thin streaks of somewhat darker materials running through it. It is remarkably free1 from impurities of any kind. The following analysis is furnished by Mr. C. K. Williams.
Fire lookout maybe? Your 4 bases with metal cut off.
Beautiful area. Thank you cliff.
Those bases are similar to those found along abandoned railroad lines used for signal foundations etc. A quick Google search:
"The Neversink Mountain Electric Railway ran out of Reading Pennsylvania onto the summit of Neversink Mountain"
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neversink_Mountain_Electric_Railway
Chris Stuart @ Thanks 🙏🏻 looked it up was really interesting. 😊
you never see anybody ever doing the graffiti always done
The power plant was called Titus it’s an old coal to stream plant. It’s decommissioned
That was a nice hike with you, Cliff! 😊
Nice video!
Edith Davis was right. The four concrete posts were the remnants of the old Pennsylvania Forest Fire Service towers that once populated the areas that were taken down decades ago. Many were taken down in the 1960s which several used a constantly rotating green light. The last active one that I remembered was taken down on top of Keffer's Mountain (Joliet) in the early 70s. Same goes for the formal forestry elevation sign (4X8 ft wide) on top of the mountain alongside of the Route 209.
I just had a historic hike up there Dec. 8th
You missed a bit up there on south and north sides .. would be cool to meet and show you 👋😁
My first time there, I was bound to miss a few things.
Awesome 👏 I enjoyed the hiking trip. Fun finding the stone work of the hotel. Views were great 😊.thanks for the trip as always. From Texas
Should have taken photos of the maps along the way. And yes it was cool you should go back. I liked it.
I enjoyed this explore and your intrepid spirit. Thank you for the adventure.
I know what was in that spot of the round shaped structure. I found a picture online of the old resort. I spent alot of time in that mountain when i was younger. I found the wine cellar and the ponds with huge goldfish.
That pond with the concrete around it was a hotel's foundation. Kinda creepy really
So much history on the mountain, many Native American relics have been found here as well!
Great video! You said that you haven't got a map of the area. Just use the Mapy.cz app, one of the best app's for hiking. It has a detail map of that area.
Could the concrete pond have been a pool for one of the resorts?
That round structure is the old resort type place
Did you research this more? I found these pictures www.berkshistory.org/gallery/neversink-mountain-railroad/. Also found an article from 2007 about ghost stories from Neversink Mountain. Still researching more. Not sure why this peaked my interest. lol
First
Very beautiful walk WW, lot,of interesting stuff along the way. That last round structure or foundation reminded me of a Lilly pond. A running surface spring would have been ideal for such a thing. That other sure looked like a spring house or cold cellar. Thanks Kindly and many trails through past civilizations in the forest! DaveyJO
That would be the cee-ment pond from the Beverly Hillbillies.....
Cliff, Have a Happy and Healthy New Year and continued success with your channel. You are truly an inspiration... The round ruins may have been a pump house or pumping station. There is a smaller one near Bartville in Lancaster County that was still roofed over about fifteen to twenty years ago and may still exist. Update- Checked Google Maps and Street View goes right by the one near Bartville, located at coordinates 39.907366, -76.085782
@29:38 - Would have loved to see this bldg. back when it was still in use AND in fresh-built condition (actually ALL structures in this video). My guess would be a springhouse / cold storage unit.
Reservoir built to harvest natural spring water for the hotels. Its concrete walls still hold water that frogs now enjoy.
Don’t let the scary stories keep you from Reading. Visit the Berks Historical Society building in Reading and be amazed. Deep roots
How do you get to these trails ?
Very intriguing ruins Cliff, I highly enjoyed this video thank you. Awesome place 🙂👍🌻
Wow what a beautiful area, such lovely views. Shame about graphiti in tunnel bet stonework was beautiful. Fortunately you found the tower and other ruins with the lovely stonework. Never worry about long videos they give us more to watch. Thanks for taking me along. Take care
Great stone work. I wonder why no one ever contacts you about these structures or areas around them. It's been to long maybe? When you respect marked property signs I'd like to see the owner thank you and maybe give some info on the site.
Very interesting finds great work. I can't believe why people would build in a woods back so many years ago. The history is out of this world.
Thank you for sharing your videos,I really enjoy them all.its like I'm taking an adventure my self,cool findings.
The concrete Piers with the steel angle iron in it might have been Reading communication towers! I know at one time they had towers up there before they changed their radio system over!
MAN THE VIEWS ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD JUST AMAZING SO HIGH UP. LOOKS LIKE NO TWO MOUNTIANS ARE THE SAME. THIS ONE DOES NOT HAVE ROCKS. I NOTICE THAT THE TREES ARE MORE SKINNY. YOU STILL DID A WONDERFUL JOB YOU DO GREAT WORK.
Likely a fire tower.
Neversink mountain is “Navesink,” a native American word meaning fishing ground..
If you follow the creek you will find the ruins of a holel...
Hotel
If you follow the creek from the klapperthal road you will find a large cold cellar and a round pond or cistern that at one time had gold carp in it.
Cliff, the orange trail was the Neversink Trolley line.
Another very cool one !!! I think the old railroad bridge was part of the Neversink Mtn RR
Love this very relaxing plus he's very interesting to watch the way he kinda looks off in different directions from time to time love it!
Big flat head catfish in that river!
Nice hike cliff,really enjoyed trip with ya!!You missed the old underground meat locker.
Merry Christmas bro!!
I plan on going back to find that.
@@thewanderingwoodsman7227 Maybe you can drop me a pin when and if ya do :)
I believe the trail is the old rail bed of the Neversink Mountain Railroad that ran along the south side of the mountain.
Interesting name, Neversink.......
I'm trying to imagine what an intact water tower of that vintage would look like. I see there are doorways.
Lol reading
Really cool stuff.
Nice video. A time machine would be nice to see what it once looked like.
As long as the video is as good as this one, it can be as long as you want. I await your return trip with more information to what your finding.
Witches Hat Pavilion? I think it's a bit more to the east of where you were.
i seen that last year on neversink mtn. and im sure there isnt any Graffiti on it cause the trail isn't marked that goes near it
Love this longer video .
Keep on wandering bruh, but I would have made tracks after hearing shots popping. EZE 👍👍✌️
bruh?
Most enjoyable.
Love it
great hike you covered some ground today!! thanks for sharing
How about those four bases could they be from an old fire tower?
Did I hear 👂 gun shots? Something's popping. Is Reading sketchy?
Yea, stay out of the City itself. Murder capitol(per capita).
Was that Orange trail once a narrow gage RR.?
Beautiful hike...awesome view and the intriguing ruins. Very enjoyable!!!
Was thinking 💭 the same. Come back when the leaves 🍁 change.
Pennsylvania is so uniquely beautiful.
Looks neat lots of trails
Very cool and cant wait for more.
Can u metal detect were u r
Your so close to Reading I can smell it on my monitor! Ick!
@R.C. I know you're right. Lived there from 1999 to 2009. What a cesspool.
What happened? It's been over 20 years but it wasn't bad when we went to the outlets.
Very beautiful there!
Thank you
Thanks for sharing
Thanks Cliff was fun. Rootcellar/homestead area was amazing. Love these beautiful wooded walks & all your interesting finds! I do however worry about you in possible hunting areas or just random gunshots. Take good care. :)
Why do u stay away from Reading?
It's a good town to visit if you would like air conditioning installed in your head.
I grew up about a mile from here. My Grandfather took me to the pond at the cemetery...it was full of ducks. Other than a little age it looks the same. This was my playground 60 years ago... The ruins were amazing especially to a 9 year old... I fished in the river, you did start off in the wrong direction.
Interesting story
The sign clearly said "Closed for Hunting" "Detour in Effect Oct. - Dec. 31" "Follow the White Blazes with Red Centers" Obviously the trail was closed for hunting during the hunting season for safety reason and to allow hunters to hunt undisturbed. An anti-hunting radial changed the meaning with graffiti and you follow graffiti??? You are an educator and know better, you break simple rules to suit yourself and disrespect other's outdoor experience. A low-life move for sure!
How was he disrespectful? He wasn't hunting. Whomever made the sign just didn't want hunters on it. Closed "for/to" anyone who is hunting.
Try the ALLTRAILS APP in Google play store.
cement pond reminded me of the beverly hillbillies but I think it was a building basement