Our second annual Mount Nittany Night will be held Friday, September 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. Held at the Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery in Linden Hall, the event will feature delicious wines and appetizers, good company and the presentation of our second Friend of the Mountain Award.
Tickets are $30 apiece, and all proceeds will benefit the Mountain.
For coverage of last year’s Mount Nittany Night, click here. To purchase tickets, email event organizer Erich May at erichmay@yahoo.com by September 26.
Led by Graham Ginder, this intrepid group from Penn State Circle K worked on clearing back trails and installing water bars at the Lynch Overlook.
Thanks go out to Graham and Ben Szoch, Steven Candito, Lisa Boudeman, Erin Kitzmiller, Scott James, Julia Kelsey, Michelle Morelli, Lindsay Manson, Mary Jo Dubina, Jorathan Duffy, Micth Clarke, and John Larimer.
Also pictured above are MNC board members Gary Gentzler and Bob Andronici.
The ability to look back and reflect on where we’ve been should always temper the path forward. In 1945, the Lion’s Paw Alumni Association (LPAA) saved 525 acres from lumbering through a fund-raising campaign among its few hundred members. In 1981, LPAA formed the Mount Nittany Conservancy (MNC) to acquire additional land. With community and alumni support, the Conservancy has obtained through purchase or donation another additional 300 acres.
In 2011, the Mount Nittany Conservancy marked 30 years of keeping the Mountain green and growing.
Other groups might use the word ‘celebrate’ when they reach an anniversary year. The term ‘celebrate’ though gives the appearance that we’ve done our job, completed our task, and can move on. For the MNC board, our community volunteers, friends, and supporters of Mount Nittany, this will never be. Our mission will continue to be the preservation of Mount Nittany for future generations of Centre Countians, Penn Staters and other lovers of the outdoors. We know for example that the gypsy moth will be back to threaten the Mountain someday. We plan to be here when they do return.
“It’s not really much of a Mountain. It measures only 2,077 feet above sea level, or 1,050 feet above the valley floor – hardly a Himalaya, by any standards. Irreverent visitors and tourists at one point dubbed it ‘Not-any Mountain’. But Mount Nittany looms regally over Penn State by making up in tradition and familiarity what it lacks in geological fact. And to every true Penn Stater, it’s as much a part of the University as the school song which mentions it.”
So begins an article from a 1982 publication called Faces of Penn State. The piece starts out exploring one of the legends surrounding the Indian maid Nitta-nee. The article then goes on to tell how “in the fall of 1945. William Ulerich, then editor at the Centre Daily Times (later to become president of the University’s Board of Trustees), and Russell Clark got wind of the rumor that the Mountain would be sold to a lumber company and stripped of its tress. With only hours left to save the Mountain, the men bought the upper two-thirds of Mt. Nittany in the name of Lion’s Paw.” The story of how Lion’s Paw protected Mt. Nittany from the first gypsy moth infestation in 1980, along with a $900 donation from the Delta Chi fraternity is included as well. This view from the early 1980’s is a wonderful look back at the early history of Mt. Nittany and its place in all our hearts.
Nita-nee: A Tradition of a Juniata Maiden
Of all his stories. by odds his favorite one. dealt with the Indian maiden. Nita-nee. for whom the fruitful Nittany Valley and the towering Nittany Mountain are named. This Indian girl was born on the banks of the lovely Juniata. not far from the present town of Newton Hamilton. the daughter of a powerful chief. It was in the early days of the world. when the physical aspect of Nature could be changed over night by a fiat from the Gitchie-Manitto or Great Spirit. It was therefore in the age of great and wonderful things. before a rigid world produced beings whose lives followed grooves as tight and permanent as the gullies and ridges.
During the early life of Nita-nee a great war was waged for the possession of the Juniata Valley. The aggressors were Indians from the South. who longed for the scope and fertility of this earthly Paradise. Though Nita-nee’s father and his brave cohorts defended their beloved land to the last extremity. they were driven northward into the Seven Mountains and beyond. Though they found themselves in beautiful valleys. filled with bubbling springs and teeming with game. they missed the Blue Juniata. and were never wholly content. The father of Nita-nee. who was named Chun-Eh-Hoe. felt so humiliated that he only went about after night in his new home. He took up his residence on a broad plain, not far from where State College now stands, and should be the Indian patron of that growing institution, instead of Chief Bald Eagle, who never lived near there and whose good deeds are far outweighed by his crimes.
The Legend of the Valley
Long, bright, ribbon of gold, blending, graying, into the deep blue of a twilight sky, set atop of a mountain line, rugged irregular ; the breath of a night wind, soft, uncertain, rustling faintly across the broad expanse of tree tops ; a thread of shining white in the valley just below her, all this Nittany saw and was thankful. Many were the moons and long, since her warrior went out to battle. Many were the flocks of wild geese that had flown northward and southward above her, and still, he had not returned. Manitou, Manitou the Mighty, was cruel, and yet-the south wind grew bolder and kissed her brown cheek, withered now and old ; the dying light in the west lingered on her face, kindled answering lights in her eyes,- another day was gone.
Isaac Newton remarked, “If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” The Conservancy would like to honor all its past Presidents for their vision and leadershiip on behalf of the MNC.
In the opening segment, John discusses how Lion’s Paw first purchased its Mount Nittany land and how the Conservancy was started.
Adding Land in 1989
From The Daily Collegian Nov 6, 1989:
The Mount Nittany Conservancy — a local non-profit group — says it will purchase 61 additional acres of Centre County’s famous landmark to protect the land from any future development.
The conservancy, which made its last purchase of 209 acres in 1985, announced Friday its plan to raise $61,000 in donations to buy the land on the south side of Mount Nittany.
Falling Short
From Jan 1985, we know that the story has a happy ending:
The Mount Nittany Conservancy is $20,000 short of the $120,000 needed to purchase 209 acres on the mountain, the Conservancy director said.
Ben Novak said yesterday at a press conference held in Old Main that the Conservancy recently received a $40,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation in Pittsburgh to help complete the purchase. The foundation occasionally contributes to conservation projects which help preserve land in its natural state, he added.
Novak said individual contributions exceeding $60,000 have been made by University alumni, local residents, businesses, and members of the University community. The Lion’s Paw Alumni contributed $33,000 of that amount, Novak said.
Mount Nittany Through the Years
Penn Pilot, a project sponsored by the Pennsylvania Geological Survey, is an online library of digital historical aerial photography for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Using the interactive map provided on this website, you can browse, view, and download thousands of photos covering the Commonwealth from 1937 to 1942 and 1967 to 1972.
Volunteers from South Hills School of Business and Technology recently spent 5 hours on the Mountain picking up trash and removing fire rings. Our THANKS go out to:
A small group of enthusiastic hikers (Carol, Renee, Cathy, and Cory) went up Mt. Nittany with MNC board member Vince Verbeke on Sunday, July 3rd. They were led up the Mountain to the Mike Lynch Overlook. Then the group continued on along the Blue Trail to the Mount Nittany Middle School/Boalsburg Overlook, then to the Deeded Square Inches site. Along the way, they heard from the “The Legend of the Valley” as well stories about Lions Paw and Conservancy history.
Each of the hikers who joined the guided hike commented on what a great idea this was. We agree and plan to do more. To keep up with plans for future hikes, you can follow us on Facebook.
The Conservancy has established this series of seasonal guided hikes in memory of Director Emeritus Pat Farrell, who frequented the mountain and traditionally climbed each New Year’s Day. Since 1981, Mount Nittany Conservancy has worked to conserve more than 825 acres of Mt. Nittany, the Centre Region’s most prominent landmark. It maintains more than ten miles of hiking trails and eleven overlooks on the mountain for visitors to enjoy.
The Mount Nittany Conservancy will begin a series of seasonal guided hikes with an Independence weekend hike on Sunday, July 3 at 10 a.m. The hikes are free and open to the public.
The leader for this inaugural guided hike will be the Conservancy’s immediate past president, Vince Verbeke. Vince will lead hikers to the Mike Lynch Overlook and back. We expect the hike to take about 90 minutes. Those wishing to attend should meet at the main trailhead at the end of Mt. Nittany Road in Lemont fifteen minutes before the hike begins.
The Conservancy has established this series of seasonal guided hikes in memory of Director Emeritus Pat Farrell, who frequented the mountain and traditionally climbed each New Year’s Day. A guided hike is planned for New Year’s Day 2012, and a fall and spring date will be announced as well.
Since 1981, Mount Nittany Conservancy has worked to conserve more than 825 acres of Mt. Nittany, the Centre Region’s most prominent landmark. It maintains more than ten miles of hiking trails and eleven overlooks on the mountain for visitors to enjoy.
No reservations are required! We hope to see you at 10 a.m. on July 3rd. You can contact Vince via email if you have any questions, vcv1@psu.edu.
During halftime of the Blue-White game, the Homecoming 2011 logo was revealed. We really think that you’ll love it since it includes something we all care very deeply about.
“Most people think of Sunday as a day of rest and relaxation. But when John Hook and his wife have some extra time to kill on a Sunday, their first instinct isn’t to lie on the couch watching TV. It’s to climb Mt. Nittany. And when John asks his wife what she’d like to do on her birthday, the answer is simple: climb Mt. Nittany.”
A strong team of 10 Circle K members did yeoman’s work on the Mountain yesterday. The group helped remove several fire pits, removed downed trees across from trails, picked up trash, and put in place a large log to help stabilize the soil at the Mike Lynch Overlook.
Note: Fires are not permitted on lands owned or managed by MNC. Please pass the word along to other who love and use the trails on Mt. Nittany.
Ready to head up the Mountain
Safely removing a fire pit (Fires are not permitted on lands MNC manage)
The Mount Nittany Conservancy board meets four times a year. Meetings are held on Sunday mornings from 9-11 AM at the Centre Region COG Bldg. All are welcome. For a list of 2011 meeting dates, send an email to info@mtnittany.org.
We’d like to welcome and THANK the following board members for agreeing to serve as officers for the upcoming term. Special thanks to John and Doug for stepping into officer roles.
2011 – 2012 Officer Team Left to Right: John Hook, President; Doug Wion, Secretary; Bob Andronici, Vice President; Blake Gall, Treasurer
MNC Directors and Directors Emeritus – Left to Right: Jon Brooks, Karl Shellenberger, Doug Wion, Erich May, Ron Woodhead, Ken Reeves
Meetings start at 9 AM on Sunday: Left to Right: Alan Cameron, Kim Steiner, Patrick Scholl, David Frankenfield, Jeff Dietrich
View from the front row Left to Right: Vince Verbeke, Dan Jones, Bob Andronici, Tom Smyth
Kim discussing the new viewing station from The Arboretum at Penn State- Left to Right: Kim Steiner, Jeff Dietrich
Alan welcomes John as the new president Left to Right: John Hook, Alan Cameron
In 1981 the Lion’s Paw Alumni Association formed the Mount Nittany Conservancy to acquire additional land with community and Penn State alumni support. As the Conservancy reaches its 30th Anniversary in 2011, we are honoring those leaders that paved the way for our present as well as the future that we write each day.
Mike Lynch: Linchpin of Mount Nittany’s First Stewardship was published in the June 2007 Mt Nittany News. It states in part:
This much is clear: before there was a conservancy, another body was steward of the mountain, and his name was Mike Lynch. “He loved that mountain,” recalled John Black, a 1962 graduate of Penn State. “He was synonymous with the mountain.”
Mike was a frequent climber of Mount Nittany, even before Lion’s Paw bought its tract in 1946. Later, Mike would serve as chair of Lion’s Paw’s Mountain Committee. In that capacity—and he held the post for decades—Mike would organize mountain cleanups.
Mike was awarded the prestigious Lion’s Paw Medal in 1980, for, among other things, “his constant glorification of Dear Old State,” and “his reverent watch over Mt. Nittany.” In the pamphlet written for the occasion, Mike described his work on Lion’s Paw’s Mountain Committee: “Our main objective there is to keep Mount Nittany free from construction and ruin, so that old grads can see the symbol of Penn State like it was when they were in school.”
On November 7. 2010, a large group of Lion Ambassadors volunteers assisted the Conservancy with a number of trail projects. One group of Ambassadors (Vinnie Amendolare, Brian Edling, Gary McMillen, Katie Perugini) were asked to be the ones to install a memorial rock with an inset plaque in honor of Mike Lynch.
The plaque reads:
The Mike Lynch Overlook
Dedicated to the memory of Michael Lynch, whose reverent watch over this Mountain helped keep it a pristine landmark and a proud symbol of Penn State.
Presented by the Mount Nittany Conservancy
2010
The memorial is on the left side of the trail as you approach the Lynch Overlook. It was placed to allow visitors to read the dedication to Mike and catch a first glimpse of the view to the valley floor below.
Lion Ambassador Team- Left to Right: Gary McMillen, Vinnie Amendolare, Katie Perugini, Brian Edling
Plaque Close-up
Katie working the concrete
Starting Out
Plaque Ready and Waiting
The first group of Mountain visitors to see the new memorial plaque
“Across the silent valley stands our Mountain old and strong…”
We noticed these videos posted to YouTube during the month of October 2010. We’re reposting here for the enjoyment of all of the Mountain’s friends and supporters.
14 Strong Mount Nittany Run – Oct 12, 2010
Penn State Women’s Gymnastics
Great Mountains of the World. Everest. Kilamanjaro. Fuji. NITTANY. The Penn State women’s gymnastics team completed their annual Mt. Nittany run and hike on Sunday Oct 10, 2010.
Mount Nittany Fall Hike – Oct 18, 2010
Richard Burgunder
A fall hike to a great overlook of PSU and Beaver Stadium. It was a very windy day and the fall foliage was spectacular.
Mount Nittany: The Climb – Oct 20, 2010
Penn State Admissions Bloggers
Thousands of students, alumni, locals, and visitors have tread the paths of Mount Nittany, one of Penn State’s biggest attractions. Come watch our adventure up the mountain… plus an unexpected detour.
Adam Smeltz from StateCollege.com interviewed Mount Nittany Conservancy board members for a compelling look at the increased impact that hikers are having on the Mountain.
Members and friends of the Conservancy recently received in the mail our Fall newsletter from the Conservancy. A link to the newsletter is below.
The Conservancy commissioned Penn State grad Doug Bauman’s photos, and director Bob Frick helped create the following slide show of the seasons on the Mountain The soundtrack was donated by local bluegrass group Murphy’s Junction. The song, New York to Knoxville, was composed by Gwen Stimely. Slideshow programming was done by Penn State grad Julio Negron.
Members and friends of the Conservancy recently received in the mail our Fall newsletter from the Conservancy. A link to the newsletter is below.
The following are excerpts from the Grand Reopening Promotes Safety, New Wayfinding System Aims To Keep Hikers On The Right Path article.
On an absolutely gorgeous spring day, the Mount Nittany Conservancy hosted a Grand Reopening of Mt. Nittany’s blue and white trails to celebrate installation of a new wayfinding system as well as a new trailhead map and brochures, purchased with a tourism grant through the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The wayfinding system is a series of sign posts placed at key intersections to keep hikers from getting lost. Twelve wayfinding markers located at important intersections and additional signs will allow hikers to more easily see where they are and how to get back.
