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I know the Appalachians are covered with trees, and the summits that are treeless are called Balds. I love our mountains and I think they are beautiful.
However, are there any particular mountains that have rocky summits, or have features like the Rockies or the Alps? In addition, most of the Southern Appalachians have flat summits, or they do not have chiseled looks due to the fact that glaciers have not worn and shaped them like the Rockies, or even the Adirondacks.
Are there a few mountains that are out of character by looking more like they belong in Colorado or Utah?
No. The apps are some of the oldest mountains in the world. Erosion has worn them down into gentle rolling beasts over time. Higher more drastic ranges are from much more recent plate collisions. Millions of years from now the Rockies will look the same.
Yup, they're extremely old. The Atlas Mountains in northwestern Morocco and Algeria were formed as part of a secondary orogeny of the Appalachian Mountains during the late Paleozoic, back when Africa and the Americas were joined as part of Pangaea. Prior to that, the initial chain was formed during the Ordovician Period which dates back nearly half a billion years ago, before complex life even existed on earth.
I think Grandfather Mountain has the most rugged, rockiest top of any mountain in the area that I can think of. It's nothing like the Tetons or the Alps, though.
I know the Appalachians are covered with trees, and the summits that are treeless are called Balds. I love our mountains and I think they are beautiful.
However, are there any particular mountains that have rocky summits, or have features like the Rockies or the Alps? In addition, most of the Southern Appalachians have flat summits, or they do not have chiseled looks due to the fact that glaciers have not worn and shaped them like the Rockies, or even the Adirondacks.
Are there a few mountains that are out of character by looking more like they belong in Colorado or Utah?
There is rocky section of the Appalachians further north of this state. The closest would be in Kentucky and West Virginia.
I would suggest a trip to Cumberland Gap for the closet, or Lake Cumberland, or Mammoth Cave and if your really into a grueling but fun drive go to Kentucky Black Mountain. The next to tallest mountain other than Mitchell.
The best way from mountains is take interstate 26 to Hwy 23 to Hwy 160. Hwy 160 goes from Big Stone Gap to Cumberland.
There is a narrow stopping spot on top of Black Mountain between Kentucky and Virginia border.
Here is a picture from Lake Cumberland
The southern part of Kentucky closest town is Harlan and from there you will see mountains like this
My 90 year old grand mother lives near Hazard and I try to see her when I can but I will warn you that it best to have a map in glove compartment you will loose cell phone reception and might become confuse on the winding roads.
The closest thing in North Carolina that pops in mind that you are referring to would be Stone Mountain and Pilot Mountain.
uhwarrie are beautiful too geologically according to my son. I haven't seen them myself
If you spend time in the Appalachians you would think the Uwharrie mountains are foot hills.
Uwharrie is over 500 million years old and once was coastal mountains.
They eroded and spread now only over four counties in the Piedmont with the highest point 1,000 feet.
There is no unique feature to the short chain but a great place to fish, hunt and boat on nearby Badin lake.
understand what you are saying but I was speaking geologically. and the documentary on uhwarrie was interesting
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photo by Hugh Morton
