- Fowler Mountain
Infobox Mountain
Name = Fowler Mountain
Photo = Fowler mountain.jpg
Caption = Fowler Mountain ridgeline from below
Elevation = est. convert|750|ft|m|abbr=on
Location = Durham andWallingford, Connecticut
Range =Metacomet Ridge
Prominence =
Parent_peak = 41° 26' 39"N, 72° 44' 25"W
Coordinates = coord|41|26|39|N|72|44|25|W |type:mountain_region:US |display=title,inline
Topographic
Type =Fault-block ;igneous
Volcanic_Arc/Belt=
Age = 200 Ma
Last eruption =
First ascent =
Easiest route =Mattabesett Trail
Grid_ref_UK =
Grid_ref_Ireland =
Listing =
Translation =
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Pronunciation = Fowler Mountain, est. convert|750|ft, is atraprock mountain located convert|7|mi southeast of the center ofMeriden, Connecticut . It is part of the narrow, linearMetacomet Ridge that extends fromLong Island Sound nearNew Haven, Connecticut , north through theConnecticut River Valley ofMassachusetts to theVermont border. Fowler Mountain is known for its rugged topography, uniquemicroclimate ecosystems, and rare plant communities. It rises steeply convert|300|ft above the Ulbrich Reservoir and theQuinnipiac River valley to the west. The mountain is traversed by the convert|50|mi|adj=onMattabesett Trail .Geography
Located within the towns of Durham and
Wallingford, Connecticut , Fowler Mountain is convert|1.2|mi long by convert|0.5|mi wide, although rugged topography makes the actual square mileage much larger. Fowler Mountain is an importantaquifer ; two reservoirs lie at the base of it: Ulbrich Reservoir to the west, in the town of Wallingford and Pistapaug Pond to the south, between Fowler Mountain and Pistapaug Mountain. The mountain is largely wooded with a few lookouts from rugged ledges over the reservoirs below.The Metacomet Ridge continues north from Fowler Mountain as
Trimountain and south asPistapaug Mountain . The western half of Fowler Mountain drains into Muddy River, then into theQuinnipiac River , thence to Long Island Sound; the east side drains into theCoginchaug River , thence into theConnecticut River and Long Island Sound.Geology and ecology
Fowler Mountain, like much of the Metacomet Ridge, is composed of
basalt , also called traprock, avolcanic rock. The mountain formed near the end of theTriassic Period with the rifting apart of theNorth America n continent fromAfrica andEurasia .Lava welled up from the rift and solidified into sheets of strata hundreds of feet thick. Subsequent faulting andearthquake activity tilted the strata, creating the cliffs and ridgeline of Fowler Mountain. Hot, dry upper slopes, cool, moist ravines, and mineral-rich ledges of basalt talus produce a combination ofmicroclimate ecosystems on the mountain that support plant and animal species uncommon in greater Connecticut. Fowler Mountain is also an important raptor migration path. (SeeMetacomet Ridge for more information on the geology and ecosystem of Fowler Mountain).Recreation and conservation
Much of the summit and the west side of Fowler Mountain has been conserved as part of the undeveloped Trimountain State Park and as municipal watershed land. Suburban housing occupies the lower slopes of the east side of the mountain. Activities enjoyed on the mountain include
hiking ,snowshoeing ,picnicking , and other passive pursuits.Swimming ,boating , andfishing are prohibited in the reservoirs. The Mattabesett Trail (maintained by theConnecticut Forest and Park Association ), which stretches from the northern end ofLamentation Mountain , south toTotoket Mountain and north again to the Connecticut River, traverses the ridgeline of Fowler Mountain. Fowler Mountain has no trailheads; it can be accessed via the Mattabesett Trail by first traversing Trimountain or Pistapaug Mountain.Threats to the ecosystem of Fowler Mountain include development and quarrying. In 2000, Fowler Mountain was included in a study by the
National Park Service for the designation of a newNational Scenic Trail now tentatively called theNew England National Scenic Trail , which would include theMetacomet-Monadnock Trail in Massachusetts and theMattabesett Trail andMetacomet Trail trails in Connecticut.The [http://www.alcasoft.com/wlt/about.html Wallingford Land Trust] and the [http://www.middlesexlandtrust.org/preserves.htm Middlesex Land Trust] have been active in conserving the
viewshed of Fowler Mountain.ee also
*
Metacomet Ridge
* Adjacent summits:References
* Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. " [http://www.mmmtrail.org/NaturalResourcesAssessmentFinal.pdf Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment.] " 2004. PDF wefile cited November 1, 2007.
*"Connecticut Walk Book: A Trail Guide to the Connecticut Outdoors." 17th Edition. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Rockfall, Connecticut. Undated.
* Raymo, Chet and Maureen E. "Written in Stone: A Geologic History of the Northeastern United States". Globe Pequot, Chester, Connecticut, 1989.
* [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.1528: U.S. Congress "New England National Scenic Trail Designation Act."]External links
* [http://www.ctwoodlands.org/ Connecticut Forest and Park Association]
* [http://www.mmmtrail.org/DocsForLinks/MMMExecSummary.pdf NPS brochure for National Scenic Trail proposal.]
* [http://www.alcasoft.com/wlt/about.html Wallingford Land Trust]
* [http://www.middlesexlandtrust.org/preserves.htm Middlesex Land Trust]
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