McCauley Mountain

McCauley Mountain (also known as McAuley Mountain or McCauley's Mountain) is a mountain in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Its official elevation is 1,571 feet (479 m) above sea level. The mountain is a synclinal mountain. Main rock formations on and near it include the Mauch Chunk Formation and the Pottsville Formation. There are also coal deposits on it. The coal deposits were discovered in 1826 and mining of them began in the 1850s. However, coal mining on the east side of the mountain proved to be a commercial failure. There are a number of ponds on the mountain, some of which were created during the mining. However, others are natural vernal pools. Some of the ponds are surrounded by hemlocks and deciduous trees. Major streams near the mountain include Scotch Run, Beaver Run, and Catawissa Creek. The mountain is named after Alexander McCauley, who settled there in 1774.