A Heavy Snowfall Along the Slopes of Laurel Ridge

Photograph taken from a slope leading up to Sugarloaf Knob (elevation 2640 feet) and looking out and away towards the roof of Ohiopyle State Park, Laurel Ridge, which exceeds 2920 feet in elevation here. Elevations are mentioned because while this area had between ten and fourteen inches of snow on the ground, the river valley a few miles down the road had no snow at all. A December 13-14, 2002 storm system plastered the higher elevations with a heavy wet snow and at times freezing rain, while sparing the elevations below 1500 feet of any copious amounts of snow. The drive from Ohiopyle borough began green but quickly turned into 6-8 inches at Baughman's Overlook (elevation 2000 feet) and over a foot of snow in places at this spot (elevation 2500 feet). The highest amounts would be on the top of Laurel Ridge, pictured, but I wasn't able to venture up there. Fresh snow mobile tracks yielded me an easy hike up to this spot.
Subjects featured: Laurel Ridge; Sugarloaf Knob; Sugarloaf Trail; Sugarloaf Snowmobile & Mountain Bike Area;