Three Knobs

Central Ohio, particularly around Lancaster, is right on a geological boundary. This is about as far as the glaciers came during the ice ages, and it is also right at the edge of Appalachia. Hocking Hills, where I hike a lot, is really the remotest of foothills.

I’ve mentioned before about the Blackhand Sandstone that gives the interesting formations in the area, like spectacular recess caves.

But right at the boundary with the glaciated area, we get sandstone knobs.

I had another chance last weekend to get a picture of Standing Stone, or Mt. Pleasant, this time with fewer leaves on the trees.

Mt. Pleasant, or "The Standing Stone"

It was called the “Standing Stone” by the local Native Americans because it is a knob that stands apart from a nearby ridge. It is the location of Rising Park, which got it name not because it rises above the city, but from the Philip Rising, who donated the land.

Using Lidar data, you can see how it is set apart:

A Lidar Look at Standing Stone

It is that blob near the bottom. Lancaster itself lies in the lowlands just south of Standing Stone, and even the streets show up on Lidar. Just to the west of Standing Stone you can make out the racetrack oval on the Fairfield County fairgrounds.

Just southwest of Lancaster is another location with three knobs in close proximity:

Three Knobs (click for bigger picture)

These are (left to right) Beck’s Knob, Ruple Knob (the lower one in the middle), and Allen Knob. Ruple Knob and Allen Knob are within Shallenberger State Nature Preserve.

Here’s the Lidar look at the three knobs (the previous picture was taken at a point to the northwest of the knobs):

A Lidar Look at the Three Knobs

Finally, here’s a bit of a closer look (through the trees) of the final rising of Ruple Knob (and you can see why they are called “knobs”).

Ruple Knob