Spotted to the east of I-81, near Scranton PA, on Saturday. I glanced to the left, and saw that several of the mountains there appeared to basically be covered in absolutely ginormous black fabric.
I know there’s coal mining in that part of Pennsylvania, and my first thought was something to do with strip mining, but I didn’t think that was still being done.
Erosion control for other reasons? Something else?
In the winter when I drive by there, I see the ski slopes; maybe something to do with that?
I’ve seen them do that with trash heaps.
One of the people in the car suggested trash, though these seemed larger than trash mountains we have seen elsewhere. Those also tend to be a single mound (pretty sure there were at least 2 such mountains).
It’s conceivable that they were for ski installations, but those tend to be strips, not an entire mountaintop.
We typically drive that way once or twice a year; I’ll keep a look out the next time (likely August). If we happen to stop for lunch in Scranton, maybe I’ll ask someone.
Christo back from the dead and hard at work again?
I was up the Poconos today, traveling through the Lehigh Tunnel up to Albrightsville (near Big Boulder). I saw zero mountains wearing yarmulkes, so I’m no help.
If the OP means these things it is for erosion control (along a highway that eroded stuff falls on the highway which can cause problems, be dangerous and cost money to clean-up).
It was very much like that, but seemed to be on a much larger scale.
It was some distance (a few miles?) from the interstate, but there may well have been other roads somewhere near there that were at risk; it’s a very, very hilly area (to the point where, if we stop for lunch / fuel there, we’re doing a lot of zig-zagging).
In NJ and NY, where roads have been cut through mountains, you’ll often see mesh over the vertical surfaces to reduce the risk of falling rocks.
If this was North bound just pat Moosic, Im sure it was a landfill (Waste Management Alliance).
I just passed it last weekend myself, and have been watching it grow for the past 20+ years. Huge area. Several hundreds of feet long. They’ll eventually add soil and some sort of grass for erosion control, I guess. There are “vent pipes” all across the mountain. Surprised at that as I’d expect a methane collection system?
Could be. It was to the east - on our right as we were driving south.
I could swear there were at least 2 mountains involved.
Presumably the erosion control is meant to protect things above it and/or below it. Buildings at risk above and/or roads/buildings below.
If you were driving south and it was to your right, then it would have been to the west rather than to the east. Even in NEPA!
D’oh!!! I meant it was on our LEFT, as we drove south. i.e. east.
I can tell directions, really I can.
(I did get it right in the OP, at least).
It’s okay…I meant what you knew.
One man’s mountain, may be someone else’s molehill.