Written by Matthew Crosbie
Bob Webber was well-known for his unique lifestyle, love for the outdoors, and strong work ethic. He created many hiking and skiing trails and worked diligently to promote and maintain them. Bob passed away 10 years ago on April 21, 2015. Born in December of 1934, he would have been 90 now. While Bob’s heart was in the Slate Run area of the Tiadaghton State Forest, his impact was felt throughout the state.
Bob and Dotty in the early years of living at their cabin.
Although his humor and enthusiasm conveyed a sense of almost perpetual youth, Bob’s age was shown through his wisdom. Bob was well-known for his “off-the-grid” lifestyle, which was something he didn’t seem to give a second thought. Nestled on a narrow ridge in the Tiadaghton was a small cabin with no electricity or running water. He lived there for five decades with his wife, Doty. They stayed busy with simple things, and you would often find the pair on the porch reading, where they would kindly welcome friends inside for tea or greet curious visitors – which increased in frequency after several newspaper articles were written about them. One would leave from their place with a sense of calm and happiness. There was something different – a peace seems to come from that sort of remote and quiet place – yet your mind would be mulling the many stories Bob would expertly tell, something for which he was well known.
Bob overlooking Young Womans Creek Vista while working on the Black Forest.
Bob was also known as an outdoorsman, and not just a hiker, stalking wild brook trout in remote mountain streams and standing watch for those elusive big-woods bucks with his well-worn rifle. Bob romanticized the pioneer days in Pennsylvania, reading books on the history and folklore of the area. He would even search for some of the landmarks such as the panther cave of Miller Run from one of Henry Shoemaker’s books, the Wild Man’s Spinning Wheel Rocks of the Fahneystock, or the mysterious cave of Philip Tome’s elk hunt. Just the idea of these places kept him going with excitement, despite always turning up empty-handed. His love for Penn’s Woods kept him exploring the mountainsides until his last days.
Bob along the Holtzauer Trail in the Loyalsock State Forest. He loved to explore caves and cliffs such as this.
Bob worked as a Forest Foreman for the Bureau of Forestry at Pump Station near the village of Black Forest. He of course worked on all sorts of maintenance projects, but his passion was trail construction and maintenance. Bob, along with forester John Eastlake and others, helped to create the popular Black Forest and Golden Eagle trails, as well as numerous ski trails.
After retirement, he built a trail to a stunning view overlooking Wolf Run Wild Area. Bob had a name picked out for it, but it was decided to be named in his honor. He was still helping create trails in his last few years – the Dragonback Ridge Trail was the last. He worked tirelessly after retirement to maintain these trails, volunteering at least two days a week.
