High Knob: Difference between revisions

| photo = Cnv0147High Knob Tower.jpg

| elevation_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger |pid=7467 |name=High Knob, Virginia |accessdateaccess-date=2012-12-18}}</ref>

'''High Knob''' is the peak of Stone Mountain, that forms part of the border between [[Scott County, Virginia|Scott County]] and [[Wise County, Virginia|Wise County]], [[Virginia]], near the city of [[Norton, Virginia|Norton]] that rises to {{convert|4,223&nbsp;feet (1,287&nbsp;meters)|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} above mean sea level.

High Knob is found on the western front range of the [[Appalachian Mountains]], along the mountainous southeastern edge of the [[Cumberland Plateau]] of [[Southwest Virginia]]. It is unique to Virginia in containing both [[Appalachian Plateau]] and [[Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians|Ridge and Valley]] topography;, although it is largely a [[karst]]ic landform of the Ridge and Valley Province.

High Knob stretches across portions of southern Wise County, northern [[Scott County, Virginia|Scott County]], and the northeastern tip of [[Lee County, Virginia|Lee County]]. It is a significant physical featuresfeature in Virginia and is among the widest singular mountains in the southern Appalachians, being locally greater than 13&nbsp;miles ( 21&nbsp;km ) wide from base to base and more than {{convert|26&nbsp;miles (42&nbsp;|mi|km)}} long. It represents the "pivot point" of the Cumberland Mountain Overthrust Block.<ref>http://www.geo.arizona.edu/web/DeCelles/geos456_556/references/Rich.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612090729/http://www.geo.arizona.edu/web/DeCelles/geos456_556/references/Rich.pdf |date=2011-06-12 }} Cumberland Mountain Overthrust Block</ref> (first described in notable detail during the 1920s and 1930s by geologists [[Charles Butts (paleontologist)|Charles Butts]] and John Rich).

Although some {{convert|1,000 |to |1,500 feet (300 to 450 |ft|m)|abbr=off}} lower in elevation than the [[Mount Rogers (Virginia)|Mount Rogers]] highcountry to the east (Mount Rogers is the highest peak in Virginia), the terrain surrounding the High Knob of Stone Mountain forms a true highcountry with respect to the western slopes of the Appalachians in Virginia (i.e., the [[Cumberland Mountains]]).

The area around High Knob is dominant structural feature of the Powell Valley Anticline of the Cumberland Mountain Overthrust Block. With its adjoining faults (Hunter Valley-Clinchport system), this region possesses the greatest concentration of significant caves in Virginia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/UpperTennessee2008.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2009-04-25 |archive-date=2009-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501105319/http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/documents/UpperTennessee2008.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

High Knob unofficially holds the record for the most snow ever measured in Virginia during a single season, with {{convert|200.5&nbsp;inches (509&nbsp;|in|cm)}} during the 1995–96 winter.

During a typical year, {{convert|60.0&nbsp;inches |to |70.0&nbsp;inches (152.4&nbsp;|in|cm to 178.0&nbsp;cm)|abbr=off}} of total precipitation falls across the area, to make it one of the wettest areas north of the [[Great Smoky Mountains|Great Smokies]], and the wettest in Virginia for which there are available records. Significant additional moisture contributions occur from [[fog drip]] off trees and [[Hard rime|rime]] deposition on trees, with many days during the year being spent amid [[orographic lift|orographic]] feeder butts that cap its upper elevations.

At its peak stood one of the few remaining fire towers of the Appalachian Mountains. Built in 1938–39 by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]], the original structure was a 14'&nbsp;×&nbsp;14' wooden house. The replacement lookout, a three-story structure, was built by the Flatwoods [[Job Corps]] in 1978–79. High Knob's fire tower is listed in the National Historic Lookout Registry.<ref>http://www.firetower.org National Historic Lookout Registry</ref>

On October 31, 2007, the High Knob Lookout Tower was destroyed by [[arson]]. The tower was set on fire in the early hours of [[Halloween]] morning. By the time the Jefferson Forest Service and local fire departments arrived on scene, the fire tower was fully engulfed in flames, and could not be saved. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the rest of the Knob, which was suffering from drought conditions. In 2009 work began in earnest to replace the destroyed tower. A tower replacement project was spearheaded by The High Knob Enhancement Corporation who raised required funding from donations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highknob.org/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716070519/http://highknob.org/ |archive-date=2011-07-16 |title=Welcome to the High Knob Enhancement Corporation!}}</ref> Under the direction of the NationalUSDA, ParkForest serviceService, Hill studio architects and Landscape Architects submitted designs and construction documents for the new tower now roughly standing where the lost tower once stood. The tower was built by DOT Construction.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dotconstructioninc.com/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120903000739/http://www.dotconstructioninc.com/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=2012-09-03 |title=Home}}</ref> The tower was completed on August 22, 2014. The new tower achieves accessibility for physically impaired visitors by conceiving a properly graded and surfaced loop trail that culminates in a bridge crossing which connects the tower with the trail.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wcyb.com/news/the-return-of-high-knob-tower/27212950 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730153903/http://www.wcyb.com/news/the-return-of-high-knob-tower/27212950 |archive-date=2014-07-30 |title=The return of High Knob's tower {{!}} News - Home}}</ref>

* {{cite web | last = TopoQuest | first = | author-link = | year = | url = http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?z=17&n=4084183&e=354785&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25 | title = USGS Quad Norton, VA | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdateaccess-date = 2008-06-29 }}

* {{cite web | last = ''[[Kingsport Times-News]]'' | first = | author-link = | year = | url = http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9003674 | title = Arsonists destroy High Knob tower | format = | work = | publisher = | accessdateaccess-date = 2007-10-31 }}