The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-03-26
GANOGA LAKE.

Among a series of articles on this
section of Pennsylvania appearing
in the Sunday PHiladeLpAaa Reevd
was the following, last Sunday:
LAKE ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP.
Winding past the forest shaded
shores of beautiful Lake Harvey,
the mountain loop of the Lehigh
Valley road ascends by tortuous
course the crest of the Allegheny
ridge beyond the lake to reach Ga
no2a Lake, formerly known as Long
Pond, located very nearly on the
crest of the mountain plateau, a
thousand feet higher than the wa
tiers of Lake Harvey. One has to
ride over this Bowman's Creek
branch through miles of wild noun
tain scenery, accentuated constant
ly by large numbering operations,
to realize that it is possible for a
lake to be found on the very apex
of the Allegheny ridge. In the
steep ascent of the line after leaving
Harvey's Lake it crosses sparkling
streams, rugged ravines and dense
glades.
Ganoga Lake itself is reached by
a spur of track which branches off
from the main Bowman's Greek
branch at Ricketts, Station, named
in honor of the famous commander
Of the Ricketts, Battery. who is
still living and largely interested in
lumber operations in this section.
The spur of track which leaves the
main line at Ricketts, Station for
Lake Ganoga winds and twists
away among the lumber piles and
plunges into the primitive forest.
One of the pictures shows the track,
f1anked on either side by the tall
hemlock trees, towering toward the
sky. The cars of the Ganoga Lake
branch are backed along this wild
wood lane to finally come to a halt
beside rustic station in the depths
of the forest. The lake close by,
is dotted in the fair summer days
with the light blue punts which are
the typical water craft of this noun
tain lake region
Ganoga Lake is situated in Col
ley township, the extreme eastern
township of Sullivan county. Ex-
cept for the presence of small
clearing at the boat landing it is
environed by the urbroken forest.
Its most unique and distinguishing
feature, however, is its high alti
tude, it being the highest body of
fresh water east of the Rocky
Mountains. The United Census
Survey map of 1900 places its ele-
vation above tide at 2235 feet, more
than 200 feet higher than the ia
nous Eaglesmere, located in Shrews-
bury township of the same county,
and which in the same map is given
an elevation of 2ooI feet.
Everything about the lake smacks
of its mountain environment. In
the climb through these wild glens
10 reach this lake 80 cascades are
encountered, some of which are
hundred feet in height. Trails lead
through the woods to various points
Of romantic interest. One of these
takes visitors to Cliff View, half
mile from the hotel. From this
point magnificent panorama of
mountain, ravine and valley spreads
away to the westward. Glen Ga
noga and Glen Leigh furnish tours
FOR visitors to this romantic section.
Other local points of more than
passing interest within easy reach
are known as Rhododendron Point,
Stella Spring, Mehoopany Spring
and Far View.
While possessing the unique char
acteristic of being the most elevated
body of fresh water in the enti,e
Appalachian plateau, Lake Gano-
ga is in section we'll supplied with
other lakes, each one of which is
he source of some tributary of the
main streams which drain this re-
gion.
Although the primitive forests
which formerly crowned the noun
tains and valleys of Sullivan county