Draper, one old mountain. EarthCache
Draper, one old mountain.
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Located 1.77 miles from I81 off exit 89. There is plenty of parking for passenger vehicles at Draper Mountain lookout.
Draper Mountain is located in Pulaski County, VA. It's highest summit is 3,350 feet above sea level. It is named after John Draper. At this overlook you will see a great view of a valley were you can see for miles, and see a parallel mountain range. There is another overlook on the other side of the road facing the oposite direction with another mountain range view . All types of wildlife live in this area. Just take a walk on the mountian trail and enjoy the fresh air. Visit the historical marker and read about John Draper and his family. Visit http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMD4J
What created Draper Mountain?
Mountains can be created in several different ways:
Volcanic Mountain
These are mountains formed by volcanoes and further shaped by the eruption, lava flows and collaspes. Mount St. Helen is an example of a volcanic mountain.
Dome Mountain
Dome mountains have a dome shape or top. Black Hills of South Dakota has some excellent examples of dome top mountains. It is believed that erosion is a major factor in the developement of this type of mountain.
Fold Mountain
As the name implies, the Earth has with great pressure taken pieces of itself over time upward and folded them over onto itself. Land masses colided into one another. An example here is the Appalachian mountains.
Plateau Mountains
Just look at the Catskills of New York to see this type of mountain. It is describe as 'high levels' of flat land.
Draper Mountain is a fold mountain. Since their formation, the Appalachians have been greatly eroded. What we see today are simply the remnants of what was once a great mass. They are made mostly of sedimentary rock.
In an event called the Alleghanian Orogeny, the oceanic crust was subducted beneath the continent that would someday be called North America. This massive collision caused the land to fold upward, creating the Appalachian Mountains. It used to stand as tall as the Alps untill the Ice Age came and eroded the sharper peaks down.
The Alps is a example of a fold mountain. Notice the sharper pointed peaks.
What is a Timberline?
It is where timber growth no longer occurs on a mountain, also referred to as the tree line. Depending on the mountain range, the height of the actual timberline varies greatly. In part, this is due to the area where the mountain is located, or the normal climate of this surrounding area. Soil also has a great affect, as does the latitude of the mountain range. In the Alps, the timberline is at about 5,500 feet. Compare this to the Himalayas, where growth still exists at 15,000 feet.
To claim this cache you must email the answers to the following questions at or before the time you log your find:
1. Is there a timberline here?
2. What do you notice about the mountain peaks that you see around here? Describe them as compared to the Alps.
Do not post answers in log or your log could be deleted.
Feel free to post your pictures.
Some random Mountain Facts The Himalayas are the worlds overall tallest mountains.
The Andes, which runs more than 4,900 miles, is the longest mountain range in the world.
Mauna Kea, Hawaii, with an elevation of 13,796 feet, is actually 32,000 feet tall from its start on the sea floor, making it the world highest island peak from base to tip.
Mount Mitchell is the Appalachians highest peak at 6,684 feet
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