- Houvenkopf Mountain
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Houvenkopf Mountain Elevation 931 ft (284 m) NGVD 29[1] Location Location Bergen County, New Jersey, USA Range Ramapo Mountains Coordinates 41°06′21″N 74°10′31″W / 41.1059292°N 74.1751453°WCoordinates: 41°06′21″N 74°10′31″W / 41.1059292°N 74.1751453°W [2] Topo map USGS Ramsey Climbing Easiest route Hike Houvenkopf or Hovenkopf Mountain is a mountain in Bergen County, New Jersey, extending into New York, where it forms the western side of the southern entrance to Ramapo Pass. The major peak on the New Jersey side rises to 931 feet (284 m) and is known as Stag Hill. It is separated by a deep saddle from the major peak on the New York side, the "Hooge Kop" proper, which rises to about 770 feet (230 m) and overlooks Hillburn to the north and Suffern to the east. It is part of the Ramapo Mountains.
History
The mountain's name is derived from the Dutch "Hooge Kop", meaning "High Head". Locals used to spread grain around the summit boulders and catch passenger pigeons.
The mountain was the subject of a poem, "Mount Houvenkopf", by Joyce Kilmer, written in 1918. In 1928, the Ku Klux Klan burned fiery crosses on the mountainside, easily visible in Suffern and beyond.
Parts of the mountain, including the summit of Stag Hill, are now part of the Ramapo Mountain Reservation and are publicly accessible.
References
- ^ Verified elevation from USGS topographic map Ramsey
- ^ "Houvenkopf Mountain". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:877266. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
External links
- "Houvenkopf Mountain". NY-NJ-CT Botany Online. http://www.nynjctbotany.org/njhigh/houvnkpf.html. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
Categories:- Geography of Bergen County, New Jersey
- Mountains of New Jersey
- Ramapos
- New Jersey geography stubs
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