North Mountain (Virginia-West Virginia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids North Mountain |
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North Mountain's Roundtop summit in the distance seen from Shanghai, West Virginia, to the west.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,673 ft (510 m) |
| Prominence | 1,073 ft (327 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Frederick County, Virginia / Berkeley County, West Virginia, U.S. |
| Parent range | Allegheny Mountains, part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians |
| Topo map | USGS Tablers Station |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Drive |
North Mountain is a long, narrow mountain range. It's part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians in the eastern United States. This mountain stretches across parts of Virginia and West Virginia.
Contents
Exploring North Mountain's Geography
North Mountain is about 23.5 miles (37.8 km) long. It runs from the Potomac River in the north. In the south, it ends near Green Spring in Frederick County, Virginia.
North and South Sections
The mountain ridge is split into two main parts. These are the northern and southern sections.
The northern part goes from the Potomac River to Hedgesville, West Virginia. Hedgesville is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of the Potomac. This area has lower peaks. Its highest point is 920 feet (280 m) tall. There are also many low areas called gaps.
The southern part is much longer, about 20 miles (32 km). It is also much higher. The highest point on North Mountain is in this section. It's called Roundtop summit. Roundtop is 1,673 feet (510 m) above sea level. It is located near Arden in Berkeley County, West Virginia. This southern section also has gaps, but they are higher up.
Valleys Around the Mountain
To the west of North Mountain is Back Creek Valley. To the east is the famous Shenandoah Valley. Early settlers in the 1700s named Back Creek. They called it "back" because it was behind the mountain when they came from the east.
Cold War History on Roundtop
During the Cold War, the Roundtop summit had a secret facility. It was called Cowpuncher. This facility helped with microwave communication. It was a special emergency center for Washington, D.C.
Other Names for North Mountain
North Mountain has been known by other names. The Geographic Names Information System lists them. People sometimes called it Great Ridge. It was also known as Little North Mountain. This was especially when compared to the much larger Great North Mountain to the south.
Peaks and Gaps of North Mountain
North Mountain is one long ridge. But it has many smaller peaks, knobs, and gaps. Each of these has its own name. Here are some of them, listed from north to south:
- Potato Hill, 787 feet (240 m)
- Skinners Gap, 640 feet (near Hedgesville, West Virginia)
- High Knob, 938 feet (286 m)
- Parks Gap, 1,100 feet (on Dry Run Road)
- Boyds Gap, 1,480 feet (on Tuscarora Pike)
- Roundtop, 1,673 feet (510 m) (the highest point)
- Mills Gap, 1,180 feet (on Apple Harvest Drive and Gerrardstown Road)
- Dutton Gap, 1,290 feet
