Ice Mountain
Encyclopedia
Ice Mountain is a mountain
ridge
and algific talus slope
that is part of a 149 acres (60.3 ha) preserve
near the community of North River Mills
in Hampshire County
, West Virginia, United States.
Ice Mountain is protected by The Nature Conservancy
and open for visits by small groups of hiker
s. It is nicknamed "Nature's Ice Box" and "Nature's Refrigerator" owing to its ice vents that release cool air all year long.
that is 50 feet (15.2 m) thick in some places. It creates a refrigeration
effect. As cold air sinks into the talus pile during the cooler months it forms masses of ice and ice vents inside it. The ice vents are in a section about 200 yards (182.9 m) in length along Ice Mountain's southern flank.
Cool air is expelled from the ice in the warmer months. Vent air temperatures vary throughout the year, but the mean annual temperature can be as low as 2 °C (35 °F). Within the area of ice vents there are approximately 60 different pockets and the cold air escapes through more than 150 small openings in the talus.
The cool air affects surrounding air and soil around creating an area of boreal
species and plant growth. Studies of Ice Mountain's geology, geomorphology, and micro-climatology since 2000 have shown that ice is no longer apparent after early June, but it is unclear whether this disappearance is due to climate change or the abandonment of historic ice storage strategies.
species of plants commonly found in Subarctic
regions. The ecosystem
exhibits a combination of Appalachian, Canadian, and Subarctic species in a humid subtropical climate
. Northern boreal species have survived at Ice Mountain since the last glacial period
and became isolated over time as temperatures warmed and relegated the boreal species to the Subarctic regions of North America. The cool air expulsed by the ice vents allowed boreal species to remain at Ice Mountain. Ice Mountain's boreal species are not only unique because of their isolated location, but also because of their elevation. Boreal species are typically found at elevations 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) above mean sea level
, but species at Ice Mountain survive at heights around 700 feet (213.4 m) above mean sea level.
Boreal species at Ice Mountain include Bunchberry
(Cornus canadensis) , Appalachian wood fern (Gymnocarpium appalachianum) , Canada mayflower
(Maianthemum canadense) , Minniebush (Menziesia pilosa) , Mountain maple (Acer spicatum) , Nannyberry
(Viburnum lentago) , Northern bedstraw
(Galium boreale) , Prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) , Prickly rose
(Rosa acicularis) , Purple virgin's bower
(Clematis occidentalis) , Shale barren primrose (Oenothera argillicola) , Skunk currant (Ribes glandulosum) , Starflower
(Trientalis borealis) , and Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) . Eastern Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) provide shade to and cool the mountain's ice vents.
The Appalachian wood fern, which grows on moss, was once thought to have been extinct, but is found in abundance near the cold vents at the base of Ice Mountain.
Parts of Ice Mountain are barren, but the majority of the ridge is covered in mountain laurel
(Kalmia latifolia), Sweet birch (Betula lenta), and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). Old growth species include Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), Sweet birch (Betula lenta), and Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Ice Mountain's tree canopy also consists of Sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American tulip poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera), Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), Eastern black oak (Quercus velutina), Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Linden
(Tilia americana), White ash (Fraxinus americana), and Black walnut (Juglans nigra).
West Virginia's state flower, Rhododendron
(Rhododendron maximum), grows in thick clusters along the lower mountainside of Ice Mountain.
s, vireo
s, and thrush
es as well as various types of birds common in the central Appalachian Mountains
. Ice Mountain also serves as a habitat for bald eagle
s and raven
s, which nest in the mountain's Raven Rocks outrcop named for them. Other bird species include American Goldfinch
(Carduelis tristis), Great Crested Flycatcher
(Myiarchus crinitus), Indigo Bunting
(Passerina cyanea), Red-tailed Hawk
(Buteo jamaicensis), and American Black
(Coragyps atratus) and Turkey
(Cathartes aura) Vultures.
to protect and preserve Ice Mountain's rare and native plant species. These invasive species include tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), and Japanese stilt grass
(Microstegium vimineum). The Nature Conservancy has also partnered with the United States Forest Service
to prevent the deaths of Eastern Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) due to the Hemlock woolly adelgid
. The Nature Conservancy has worked with West Virginia University
geologists to preserve and prevent the mountain's ice vents from succumbing to effects associated with climate change
. The melting of the ice vents warms the soil's temperature which threatens the survival of the boreal species that thrive there. The Nature Conservancy also continues to monitor the natural forest regeneration throughout the areas of Ice Mountain effected by a 2008 tornado
.
Guided hikes on Ice Mountain are offered on North River Mills and Ice Mountain Day in May and by appointment April through November.
, part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
. It is 1509 feet (459.9 m) above mean sea level at its summit. Ice Mountain is a large mass of Devonian
Oriskany (Ridgeley)
sandstone
and Marcellus
shale
with numerous bare rock slopes and vertical cliffs. Ice Mountain lies on the west side of the Timber Mountain anticline
and to the west of North Mountain
fault, which places it on the Martinsburg allochthon
ous sheet. Ice Mountain is situated along North River
and is known for the several hundred yards of ice that form at its base all year long. At its southern end overlooking the community of North River Mills
is located Raven Rocks, a set of stone chimney outcrop
s. Raven Rocks is 1230 feet (374.9 m) in height above mean sea level with vertical cliffs measuring nearly 200 feet (61 m) in height. Raven Rocks were named because of the presence of raven
s during pioneer days. The present Raven Rocks is the remaining vestige of a once towering cliff that overlooked the North River. Geologically, Ice Mountain is a northern extension of North River Mountain
.
article by Charles Hayden from the same year. Ice Mountain was also detailed in Hu Maxwell
and Howard Llewellyn Swisher's History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present (1897), O. F. Morton's History of Hampshire County (1910), and Homer Floyd Fansler's "Ice Mountain: Nature's Deep Freeze" in the July 1959 issue of West Virginia Conservation. The mountain was also featured in the April 1861 edition of Harper's New Monthly Magazine. The Harper's publishing company sent the article to the Winchester Star
where it appeared in their October 10, 1962 issue.
Ice Mountain earned its nicknames "Nature's Ice Box" and "Nature's Refrigerator" because of its use by Native American
s and early settlers for storage of perishable food items during the warmer months of the year. During the American Civil War
, Ice Mountain was used as a lookout point while the surrounding area served as the scene of numerous small skirmishes. Thomas McMackin's Confederate
militia company camped alongside North River at the base of Raven Rocks, where a sentinel was placed from daybreak to dusk. Around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, North River Mills residents would celebrate Independence Day
and other occasions as late as September by digging up ice from the talus for the making of ice cream and lemonade.
The mountain had through generations been owned by the Deaver family, the last of which was Mrs. Virginia Pugh. On September 22, 1962 Hampshire County farmer Otis Baker purchased the 4 acres (1.6 ha) Ice Mountain and an adjacent 106 acres (42.9 ha) for $23,000 at a public auction
at the Hampshire County Courthouse
in Romney
. Ice Mountain was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1991.
/West Virginia Route 29 wye fork between Augusta
and Pleasant Dale
reads the following:
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
and algific talus slope
Algific talus slope
Algific talus slopes comprise a very rare, fragile ecosystem and habitat stated to exist only in the Driftless Area of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and especially, Iowa...
that is part of a 149 acres (60.3 ha) preserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
near the community of North River Mills
North River Mills, West Virginia
North River Mills is a historic unincorporated village in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. North River Mills is located between Capon Bridge and Slanesville on Cold Stream Road at its intersection with North River Road...
in Hampshire County
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
, West Virginia, United States.
Ice Mountain is protected by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
and open for visits by small groups of hiker
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
s. It is nicknamed "Nature's Ice Box" and "Nature's Refrigerator" owing to its ice vents that release cool air all year long.
Refrigeration
The accumulated rock detritus at Ice Mountain's base forms a talusScree
Scree, also called talus, is a term given to an accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders. Landforms associated with these materials are sometimes called scree slopes or talus piles...
that is 50 feet (15.2 m) thick in some places. It creates a refrigeration
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
effect. As cold air sinks into the talus pile during the cooler months it forms masses of ice and ice vents inside it. The ice vents are in a section about 200 yards (182.9 m) in length along Ice Mountain's southern flank.
Cool air is expelled from the ice in the warmer months. Vent air temperatures vary throughout the year, but the mean annual temperature can be as low as 2 °C (35 °F). Within the area of ice vents there are approximately 60 different pockets and the cold air escapes through more than 150 small openings in the talus.
The cool air affects surrounding air and soil around creating an area of boreal
Boreal ecosystem
The term boreal is usually applied to ecosystems localized in subarctic and subantarctic zones, although Austral is also used for the latter....
species and plant growth. Studies of Ice Mountain's geology, geomorphology, and micro-climatology since 2000 have shown that ice is no longer apparent after early June, but it is unclear whether this disappearance is due to climate change or the abandonment of historic ice storage strategies.
Flora
Ice Mountain's ice vents provide a habitat for borealBoreal ecosystem
The term boreal is usually applied to ecosystems localized in subarctic and subantarctic zones, although Austral is also used for the latter....
species of plants commonly found in Subarctic
Subarctic
The Subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Alaska, Canada, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and northern Mongolia...
regions. The ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
exhibits a combination of Appalachian, Canadian, and Subarctic species in a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
. Northern boreal species have survived at Ice Mountain since the last glacial period
Glacial period
A glacial period is an interval of time within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate within an ice age...
and became isolated over time as temperatures warmed and relegated the boreal species to the Subarctic regions of North America. The cool air expulsed by the ice vents allowed boreal species to remain at Ice Mountain. Ice Mountain's boreal species are not only unique because of their isolated location, but also because of their elevation. Boreal species are typically found at elevations 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, but species at Ice Mountain survive at heights around 700 feet (213.4 m) above mean sea level.
Boreal species at Ice Mountain include Bunchberry
Cornus canadensis
Cornus canadensis is a herbaceous member of the Cornaceae family...
(Cornus canadensis) , Appalachian wood fern (Gymnocarpium appalachianum) , Canada mayflower
Maianthemum canadense
Maianthemum canadense Maianthemum canadense Maianthemum canadense (Canadian May-lily, Canada Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-valley, Canadian Lily-of-the-valley, Wild Lily-of-the-valley, Two-leaved Solomonseal; syn. Maianthemum canadense var. interius Fern., Maianthemum canadense var...
(Maianthemum canadense) , Minniebush (Menziesia pilosa) , Mountain maple (Acer spicatum) , Nannyberry
Viburnum lentago
Viburnum lentago is a species of Viburnum native to the northeastern and midwestern United States, and in southern Canada from New Brunswick west to southeastern Saskatchewan. Isolated populations are found in the Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado, and the Appalachian Mountains as far south as Kentucky...
(Viburnum lentago) , Northern bedstraw
Galium boreale
Galium boreale or Northern Bedstraw is a plant species of the genus Galium.Gallium boreale is edible, with a sweet smell and taste, and can be eaten as a wild salad green...
(Galium boreale) , Prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) , Prickly rose
Rosa acicularis
Rosa acicularis, also known as the prickly wild rose, the prickly rose, the bristly rose and the Arctic rose, is a species of wild rose with a Holarctic distribution in northern regions of Asia, Europe, and North America....
(Rosa acicularis) , Purple virgin's bower
Clematis occidentalis
Clematis occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name western blue virginsbower. It is native to much of southern Canada and the northern United States. There are three varieties: var. occidentalis is limited to the eastern half of the species'...
(Clematis occidentalis) , Shale barren primrose (Oenothera argillicola) , Skunk currant (Ribes glandulosum) , Starflower
Trientalis borealis
Trientalis borealis is a North American woodland perennial, it is also known as the Starflower. The starflower grows up to 9 inches tall and has one or two white flowers which consist of seven petals that form a star-like shape. The flowers are found on top of stalks which are above the lanceolate...
(Trientalis borealis) , and Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) . Eastern Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) provide shade to and cool the mountain's ice vents.
The Appalachian wood fern, which grows on moss, was once thought to have been extinct, but is found in abundance near the cold vents at the base of Ice Mountain.
Parts of Ice Mountain are barren, but the majority of the ridge is covered in mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia
Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the blueberry family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain-laurel is...
(Kalmia latifolia), Sweet birch (Betula lenta), and Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana). Old growth species include Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus), Sweet birch (Betula lenta), and Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Ice Mountain's tree canopy also consists of Sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American tulip poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
(Liriodendron tulipifera), Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), Eastern black oak (Quercus velutina), Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica), American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Linden
Tilia americana
Tilia americana is a species of Tilia native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Texas, and southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to Cherry County, Nebraska...
(Tilia americana), White ash (Fraxinus americana), and Black walnut (Juglans nigra).
West Virginia's state flower, Rhododendron
Rhododendron maximum
Rhododendron maximum — also called great rhododendron, great laurel, rosebay rhododendron, American rhododendron or big rhododendron — is a species of Rhododendron native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia south to northern Alabama.-Description:R. maximum is an evergreen shrub growing to 4...
(Rhododendron maximum), grows in thick clusters along the lower mountainside of Ice Mountain.
Fauna
Ice Mountain provides habitats for breeding neotropical birds including warblerWarbler
There are a number of Passeriformes called "warblers". They are not particularly closely related, but share some characteristics, such as being fairly small, vocal and insectivorous....
s, vireo
Vireo
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically dull-plumaged and greenish in color, the smaller species resembling wood warblers apart from their heavier bills...
s, and thrush
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
es as well as various types of birds common in the central Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
. Ice Mountain also serves as a habitat for bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
s and raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s, which nest in the mountain's Raven Rocks outrcop named for them. Other bird species include American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
The American Goldfinch , also known as the Eastern Goldfinch and Wild Canary, is a small North American bird in the finch family...
(Carduelis tristis), Great Crested Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
The Great Crested Flycatcher is a large insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. It is the most widespread member of the genus, Myiarchus, in North America and is found over most of the eastern and mid-western portions of the continent...
(Myiarchus crinitus), Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting
The Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the...
(Passerina cyanea), Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
The Red-tailed Hawk is a bird of prey, one of three species colloquially known in the United States as the "chickenhawk," though it rarely preys on standard sized chickens. It breeds throughout most of North America, from western Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West...
(Buteo jamaicensis), and American Black
Black vulture
Black vulture may refer to:* American Black Vulture* Eurasian Black Vulture...
(Coragyps atratus) and Turkey
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
(Cathartes aura) Vultures.
Conservation
The Nature Conservancy, with the help of volunteers, has worked to control non-native invasive speciesInvasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
to protect and preserve Ice Mountain's rare and native plant species. These invasive species include tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), and Japanese stilt grass
Microstegium vimineum
Microstegium vimineum, commonly known as Japanese stiltgrass or Nepalese browntop, is an annual grass that is common in a wide variety of habitats and is well adapted to low light levels.-Geographic range:...
(Microstegium vimineum). The Nature Conservancy has also partnered with the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
to prevent the deaths of Eastern Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) due to the Hemlock woolly adelgid
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Hemlock woolly adelgid , commonly abbreviated as HWA, is a true bug native to East Asia that feeds by sucking sap from hemlock trees . In eastern North America, it is a destructive pest that poses a major threat to the eastern hemlock and the Carolina hemlock...
. The Nature Conservancy has worked with West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
geologists to preserve and prevent the mountain's ice vents from succumbing to effects associated with climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. The melting of the ice vents warms the soil's temperature which threatens the survival of the boreal species that thrive there. The Nature Conservancy also continues to monitor the natural forest regeneration throughout the areas of Ice Mountain effected by a 2008 tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
.
Guided hikes on Ice Mountain are offered on North River Mills and Ice Mountain Day in May and by appointment April through November.
Geography and geology
Ice Mountain is an arc-shaped forested ridge of the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
, part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians
Ridge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
. It is 1509 feet (459.9 m) above mean sea level at its summit. Ice Mountain is a large mass of Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
Oriskany (Ridgeley)
Ridgeley sandstone
The Ridgeley sandstone is a sandstone or quartzite of Devonian age found in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia, USA. The Ridgeley is fine-grained, siliceous, calcareous in its lower strata, sometimes fossiliferous, and sometimes locally pebbly or...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and Marcellus
Marcellus Formation
The Marcellus Formation is a unit of marine sedimentary rock found in eastern North America...
shale
Shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. The ratio of clay to other minerals is variable. Shale is characterized by breaks along thin laminae or parallel layering...
with numerous bare rock slopes and vertical cliffs. Ice Mountain lies on the west side of the Timber Mountain anticline
Anticline
In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is convex up and has its oldest beds at its core. The term is not to be confused with antiform, which is a purely descriptive term for any fold that is convex up. Therefore if age relationships In structural geology, an anticline is a fold that is...
and to the west of North Mountain
North Mountain (Virginia-West Virginia)
North Mountain is a mountain ridge within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia.-Geography:North Mountain spans from the Potomac River in the north to the community of Green Spring in Frederick County, Virginia in the south. The ridge is divided into...
fault, which places it on the Martinsburg allochthon
Allochthon
thumb|right|250px|Schematic overview of a thrust system. The hanging wall block is called a [[nappe]]. If an [[erosion]]al hole is created in the nappe that is called a [[window |window]]...
ous sheet. Ice Mountain is situated along North River
North River (Cacapon River)
North River is a tributary of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The river is located in Hampshire and Hardy counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The mouth of North River into the Cacapon is located at Forks of Cacapon...
and is known for the several hundred yards of ice that form at its base all year long. At its southern end overlooking the community of North River Mills
North River Mills, West Virginia
North River Mills is a historic unincorporated village in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. North River Mills is located between Capon Bridge and Slanesville on Cold Stream Road at its intersection with North River Road...
is located Raven Rocks, a set of stone chimney outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
s. Raven Rocks is 1230 feet (374.9 m) in height above mean sea level with vertical cliffs measuring nearly 200 feet (61 m) in height. Raven Rocks were named because of the presence of raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
s during pioneer days. The present Raven Rocks is the remaining vestige of a once towering cliff that overlooked the North River. Geologically, Ice Mountain is a northern extension of North River Mountain
North River Mountain
North River Mountain is a mountain ridge that runs southwest to northeast in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. Named for the North River that parallels its western flanks for its entire length, North River Mountain reaches its highest elevation of near the community of Delray. North...
.
History
Ice Mountain has played a significant role in the history of the North River Mills community. Among Ice Mountain's earliest descriptions are mentions in Henry Howe's History of Virginia (1845) and in a Silliman's JournalAmerican Journal of Science
The American Journal of Science is the United States of America's longest-running scientific journal, having been published continuously since its conception in 1818 by Professor Benjamin Silliman, who edited and financed it himself...
article by Charles Hayden from the same year. Ice Mountain was also detailed in Hu Maxwell
Hu Maxwell
Hu Maxwell was a local historian, novelist, editor, poet, and author of several histories of West Virginia counties.-Biography:...
and Howard Llewellyn Swisher's History of Hampshire County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present (1897), O. F. Morton's History of Hampshire County (1910), and Homer Floyd Fansler's "Ice Mountain: Nature's Deep Freeze" in the July 1959 issue of West Virginia Conservation. The mountain was also featured in the April 1861 edition of Harper's New Monthly Magazine. The Harper's publishing company sent the article to the Winchester Star
Winchester Star
The Winchester Star is a daily newspaper based in Winchester, Virginia covering the Shenandoah Valley area. Subscribers may choose from either the print edition or a downloadable edition of the newspaper....
where it appeared in their October 10, 1962 issue.
Ice Mountain earned its nicknames "Nature's Ice Box" and "Nature's Refrigerator" because of its use by Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
s and early settlers for storage of perishable food items during the warmer months of the year. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Ice Mountain was used as a lookout point while the surrounding area served as the scene of numerous small skirmishes. Thomas McMackin's Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
militia company camped alongside North River at the base of Raven Rocks, where a sentinel was placed from daybreak to dusk. Around the late 19th and early 20th centuries, North River Mills residents would celebrate Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
and other occasions as late as September by digging up ice from the talus for the making of ice cream and lemonade.
The mountain had through generations been owned by the Deaver family, the last of which was Mrs. Virginia Pugh. On September 22, 1962 Hampshire County farmer Otis Baker purchased the 4 acres (1.6 ha) Ice Mountain and an adjacent 106 acres (42.9 ha) for $23,000 at a public auction
Public auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
at the Hampshire County Courthouse
Hampshire County Courthouse (West Virginia)
The Hampshire County Courthouse is a Neoclassical edifice in the center of downtown Romney, county seat of Hampshire County, West Virginia. The present building was constructed in 1922 to replace the previous 1833 Neoclassical courthouse that had been destroyed by fire in 1921...
in Romney
Romney, West Virginia
Romney is a city in and the county seat of Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,940 at the 2000 census, while the area covered by the city's ZIP code had a population of 5,873. It is a city with a very historic background dating back to the 18th century...
. Ice Mountain was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1991.
West Virginia state historical marker
The text of the historical marker located at the U.S. Route 50U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
/West Virginia Route 29 wye fork between Augusta
Augusta, West Virginia
Augusta is an unincorporated community in central Hampshire County, West Virginia. It is located along the Northwestern Turnpike at the northern terminus of Augusta-Ford Hill Road between Shanks and Pleasant Dale, east of Romney...
and Pleasant Dale
Pleasant Dale, West Virginia
Pleasant Dale is an unincorporated community in Hampshire County in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Pleasant Dale is located between Capon Bridge and Augusta on the Northwestern Turnpike . Tearcoat Creek flows through Pleasant Dale and offers whitewater rafting in the Spring from the U.S. Route 50...
reads the following:
See also
- North River (Cacapon River)North River (Cacapon River)North River is a tributary of the Cacapon River, belonging to the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The river is located in Hampshire and Hardy counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The mouth of North River into the Cacapon is located at Forks of Cacapon...
- North River MountainNorth River MountainNorth River Mountain is a mountain ridge that runs southwest to northeast in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. Named for the North River that parallels its western flanks for its entire length, North River Mountain reaches its highest elevation of near the community of Delray. North...
- Climate change in West VirginiaClimate change in West VirginiaClimate change in West Virginia is of a concern due to the effects on the environment.Over the last century, the average temperature in Charleston, West Virginia, has increased 1.1°F , and precipitation has increased by up to 10% in many parts of the state...