Headwater Hero: Bob Webber was 'ambassador' for natural resources, trail steward and storyteller

Over the years, Bob Webber led group hikes, always open to sharing the forest with others. Photo courtesy of Curt Weinhold.

​​The following column, the second in the Headwater Heroes series, was written by Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh. She can be contacted directly at [email protected]. The first installment, on Dr. Pete Ryan, can be read here.

Sunday, April 21, marked the 9th anniversary of the loss of a headwater region local legend.

Hailing originally from Shafferstown, PA, Robert “Bob” Webber found “home on the ridge” nestled on a ridgetop near Slate Run where he lived with his wife Dorothy (“Dotty”) for 54 years. They lived in a primitive cabin, no less - surviving on the basics and finding happiness in the most beautiful, simple joys of life. 

They also sought to share their homestead and forest with others. They maintained over 50 miles of trail in the state forests near their home including the famously rugged Black Forest Trail, which Bob blazed alongside fellow forester John Eastlake.

While modern-day hikers seek out the best in outdoor gear and clothing, photos of Bob out on the trail depict a fit, beaming, thin-mustached man wearing jeans, a cotton tee shirt or flannel and tall, hard-soled leather boots. In his hands are a wooden walking stick and a simple hatchet. The man was simply cut from a different cloth. 

Since stepping foot in the “Black Forest” area, I have felt an indescribable connection with Bob despite having never met him. To me, the place is sacred. I’m certainly not alone in these feelings, and recently had the opportunity to speak with several individuals close to Bob for insight on his life and legacy.

Bob’s love of the forest began with his father Burt, who frequented the Slate Run area throughout Bob’s childhood. He came to find it his full-time home and soon after met Dotty, whose family had lived in the Pine Creek valley for over 150 years. The cabin was finally built in 1961. By that time, Bob had begun working for the Tiadaghton State Forest. Through his work, he created a culture of forest stewardship that involved accessible, responsible recreation. From the start, Bob wanted everyone to enjoy and learn about the land he called home. 

Bob remained with the Bureau of Forestry 24 years before retiring in 1988, but his work was far from over. He continued to serve as caretaker of the trails and welcomed thousands of hikers to his home for a drink of fresh water, a few notes of Pine Creek history and a laugh or two. The Webbers certainly did not live up to the “hermit” in the woods stereotype, but rather lived as generous, friendly ambassadors for the forest and its unmatched riches.

Curt Weinhold, a local Coudersport outdoor photographer and his wife, Penny, both crossed the Webbers’ path. Curt’s favorite memory of Bob was a gathering he dubs, the “cabin party.”

“About 12 years ago we had a dozen people on the Bob Webber trail hike. Near the summit I told Bob a joke that brought him to his knees, literally. When he got up, he asked me to tell him again so he wouldn’t forget,” Curt recalled.

The Webbers also had many run-ins and stories of rattlesnakes, which they coexisted with happily.

"A TV crew made a video outside of the cabin maybe 13 years ago," Curt said. "After they left, a buzztail appeared right where they had been set up.”

Jim Hyland, retired Forest Program Specialist, met Bob in 1998 when he was assigned to recreational trails in the region. Bob became his mentor and close friend.

“Both Webbers were profoundly dedicated to the forest they lived in. They were ambassadors of the resource, and busy trail stewards. The Webbers’ legacy is certainly the trail systems in the Black Forest region” Hyland said.

Of the many fond memories Hyland has of Bob, his ability for storytelling stands out.

"To say Bob had a vivid imagination would be a cliché and understated. When he told stories, he was able to relive the past, imagining the scene as if he were watching some immense movie screen behind you. While his hands gestured and pointed, his voice rose with skilled crescendo and fell into soft whispers, and his rugged face showed a hundred expressions," Hyland said. "With his audience mesmerized, he’d end abruptly with a 'Yup,' and turn back toward the trail and commence hiking.”​

Bob and Dotty Webber check out the view from one of the benches near their homestead. Photo courtesy of Curt Weinhold.

Bob Webber with fellow trailblazer and retired forester John Eastlake in October 2014. Bob died a year later. Coudersport wildlife and nature photographer Curt Weinhold often visited or hiked with Bob, this one being their last together.

Bob Webber speaks to a group in 1995 in this photo courtesy of Curt Weinhold.

The view from one of Bob Webber's benches at his old homestead is shown in this photo taken in 2023 by Emily Shosh.

​According to Hyland, with more prodding, Bob would even sing!

"Yes, sing. He had a hundred songs mixed into the dusty stack of stories. In his younger days he had auditioned for an off-Broadway musical or two. He is said to have auditioned over the pay phone at the Fin, Fur and Feather store in Haneyville," he said. "He knew songs that dated back to the log rafting days on Pine Creek, songs that he had learned from the Tomb family, the original settlers of Slate Run in 1787.”

Hyland wrote an entire eulogy dedicated to Bob, which can be read in full here.

The Webber’s cabin was rebuilt in 2018 and now stands at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, located in Potter County, PA. Also, a documentary “Mountain Souls” was made about their life together.

As someone without much of a family unit of my own, and little understanding of “home” or “belonging,” the woods have always been a source of peace and a safe haven. Certain places seem to have more of a pull than others and the Black Forest is one of them.

Under its towering pines lies an indescribable sense of wonder and peace to be found on day hikes, fishing ventures, wildflower walks or other adventures spent in Bob’s old stomping grounds. Perhaps it is the magic of the land itself that has a hold on me and others that visit, but I like to think that there is magic, too, in treading where people like Bob and Dotty have lived and loved.

Many agree that the Webber legacy is the forest and its trails. I hope wherever they are, they know how vibrant their legacy still is, and how loved their memory remains. Even in death, they’ve ardently shared the much-sought after feeling of “home on the ridge” with so many people - myself included.

We certainly have big shoes to fill in the endeavor to preserve their memory and their home.

Check out photos from photographer Curt Weinhold here.

Check out the previous installment of Headwater Heroes, featuring Dr. Pete Ryan, by clicking here.

You can contact Middle Susquehanna Riverkeeper Northern Tier Regional Director Emily Shosh at [email protected]