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The approach to Sounding Knob is through the imposing water gap of Davis Run,
a branch of the Bullpasture River. Bear Mountain and Buck Hill rise on either
side of the gap and form, with sounding knob, a sequestered wildland of rushing
water, moss-covered talus and deep-shaded mesic woodland rich in hemlock. This
luxuriant woodland yields gradually to dry ericaceous oak forest of the lower
and middle slopes, with attenuated mesic stands restricted to ravines and
topographic concavities. Apparently, at the highest elevations -at least by
our limited observations-the forest again becomes more mesic, although it does
not approach the richness and diversity of the lowland.
The crowning feature of the summit region is a small patch of spruce forest
and an associated boreal plant community. Like many Central Appalachian
mountains with extensive high elevation slopes overlooking deep valleys,
certain cool climate species also occur in the valleys in a mirroring effect
that is the result of cold air drainage from the heights, particularly during
the early growing season. Thus species such as Yellow Birch, Mountain Maple
and Canada Mayflower occur in the valley of Davis Run as well as the Sounding
Knob Summit but do not occur on the slopes between.
The traverse may conveniently be divided into the following stages: 1. low
and mid-slope, 2. upper slope and summit and 3. the spruce forest. An old
motor road access to a summit fire look-out was followed all the way.
The low and mid-slope flora, extending between approximately 2700 to 3400 ft
(820 to 1040 meters) asl, varies from quiet mesic, with abundant Hemlock low
down, to soon dry and ericaceous not far above. Doubtless the change is in
part due to aspect, which is generally southeast and south on this slope. Yet
the xeric character is only dominant and gives way from place to place to
persistent mesic remnants which intersect the trail. Over most of the route
the canopy is dominated by Chestnut, White, Northern Red, Scarlet and Black
Oak, with lesser numbers of Black Gum, Pignut Hickory, Red Maple, Sassafras,
Pitch and Table Mountain Pines. Within the mesic strips these yield to Sugar
Maple, White Ash, Basswood, Black Birch, Cucumber Magnolia, White Pine and an
occasional Butternut. Dutchmans Pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) is a
common vine. Shrubs in the ericaceous sections are dominated by Mountain
Laurel and Black Huckleberry with lesser amounts of Upland Low Blueberry and
Deer Berry. In mesic areas Witch Hazel is abundant.
Soils developed here are stony, of a podzolic nature, and based on the
vegetation, dominantly acid. Most have a well-defined mor layer of undecayed
vegetation under heavy moss and lichens. Among the mosses Leucobryum
cushions, robust mats of Pleurozium shreberii, various species of
Haircap and Wheat Moss (Diphysicum foliosum) were prominent. These were
usually accompanied by abundant intergrowths of lichens, which included
Bæomycos fungoides, with its conspicuous pink apothecia, as well
as various Cladonias and patches of Cladina.
As a result of abundant rains in the 1996 season fungi were much in evidence.
Among these were tiny colorful caps of Rickenella fibula in mossy beds,
Golden and Red Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius and C.
cinnabarinus), as well as other edibles such as Clitocybe clavipes,
C. gibba, Phylloporus rhodoxanthus, Lactarius volemus and
the Honey Mushroom (Armillariella mellia). Amanita, a genus with
many poisonous forms, was represented by the toxic A. rubescens and
A. inaurata. Additional species included various Russulas such
as R. emetica, a lover of mossy acid soils, Lætopurus
sulphureus, Collybia confluens, Leucopaxillus laterarius,
Xerula furturacea, Xeromphalina kaufmanni, Melanoleuca
alboflavida and unidentified species of Cortinarius and
Inocybe.
Also associated with the mor layer were various small heaths and other acid
lovers. Most abundant were Trailing Arbutus and Rattlesnake Weed (Hieracium
venosum) but Teaberry and Spotted Wintergreen were also common. In places
where the trees were widely spaced and on the trail itself, there was an
extended and quite lush cover of Allegheny Flyback (Danthonia
compressa), a grass with excellent forage qualities for herbivores.
Other herbs noted on these acid soils were Wild Indigo (Baptisia
tinctoria) on 7-4-96 in bloom, Spiked Lobelia (Lobelia spicata),
also in bloom, Yellow Stargrass (Hypoxis hirsuta), Summer Bluets
(Houstonia tenuifolia), in bloom, Cow Wheat (Melampyrum
lineare) in bloom, Lance-leaved Loosestrife (Lysimachia
lanceolata), Wild Flax (Linum virginianum), Arrow-leaf
violet (Viola sagittata), Starved Panic Grass (Panicum
depauperatum), a plant of "sterile woods," Hairy Panic Grass (P.
lanuginosum), Bushy Panic Grass (P. dichotomum), Variable Panic
Grass (P. commutatum), Little Bluestem (Andropogon scoparius),
the Bush Clovers, Lespedeza hirta and L. intermedia, the sedges
Carex pensylvanica, C. virescens, C. radiata, C.
cephalophora and C. muhlenbergi. The most common fern was
Hay-scented (Dennstædtia punctilobula) with fewer occurrences of
New York Fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis), both being concentrated in
more mesic areas. Although not common, a scattering of Bracken Fern
(Pteridium aquilinum) characterized the most acid areas.
Generally bird calls and sightings were infrequent in the dry slope forest,
although Wood Thrush were heard in the lower more mesic part. July, 1995 was
marked by extensive Gypsy Moth defoliation of these slopes and clouds of
breeding males of the species circulated wildly among the stripped Chestnut
Oaks of the dryest spurs. However in 1996 no evidence of the Gypsy Moth was
seen
At approximately 3400 ft (1040 meters) elevation, just before the trail enters
a prominent saddle, the forest assumes a more mesic character with Sugar Maple,
more abundant Northern Red Oak and a dense ground cover of Hay-scented Fern.
At the saddle, which contains a 3516 ft (1072 meter) benchmark, the canopy
consists of Red Maple, White, Northern, Red, Black and Chestnut Oaks, Black
Birch, Pignut Hickory, Black Cherry, Cucumber Magnolia, Black Locust and a few
scattered Hemlock. Red Maple seedlings are abundant and there are some Sugar
Maple seedlings as well. However sedges (probably mostly Carex
pensylvanica ) and Hay-scented Fern dominate the ground cover. Other herbs
noted were White Snakeroot, Nodding Fescue (Festuca obtusa), the
Woodrush Luzula echinata, Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) and
Whorled Loosestrife (Lysimachia quadrifolia). In dryer areas there is
also some Upland Low Blueberry.
Above the saddle the trail ascends a slope that faces south and then
eventually southeast. The forest continues dry mesic with occasional seeps
along the trail, but dryer ericaceous patches also occur. Although mostly
found below 3500 ft (1070 meters) asl, Chestnut Oak remains a minor component
on this slope. Striped Maple and Witch Hazel, which occur at all elevations,
increase in abundance while the sedges Carex debilis and C.
baileyi respectively appear in dry areas and in seeps at the trail side.
Patches of moss on intervals of acid mor include the Haircap Polytrichum
juniperinum. Beyond 3800 ft (1160 meters) White Ash and Serviceberry are
conspicuous, Smooth Rock Cress (Arabis lævigata) and the first
Mountain Aster (Aster accuminatus) is noted. Here we also hear the call
of a Cuckoo, likely a Yellow-billed (Coccyzus americanus) and
conceivably a product of the Gypsy Moth invasion that was still advancing the
previous year.
Continuing upward through the abundant Black Birch, trailside seeps with Fowl
Managrass (Glyceria striata) and a lone Butternut contrast with a few
weathered Chestnut Oak and a little Mountain Laurel on higher ground. A little
beyond, the trail levels as it reaches a bench of decidedly mesic character on
which Northern Red Oak, Cucumber Magnolia, Red Maple, Black Birch, Striped
Maple, Witch Hazel and Hay-scented Fern are all very abundant. Not far above a
little Great Rhododendron, Black Oak, Pitch Pine and a single Red Spruce occur
at near 4000 ft (1220 meters) asl in somewhat degraded forest. Beyond this
point abundant moisture along the trail gives rise to large vigorous culms of
the sedges Carex sporganioides, C. tenera and C. scoparia
before a dryer segment is again entered and the first Bear Oak and Rose Azalea
(Rhododendron roseum) are encountered.
Now, again entering a more mesic segment, we see the first Mountain Holly
(Ilex montana), a generally high elevation species which, however,
usually first appears at lower elevations than this, and indeed, may have been
missed by us below. It is here accompanied by nearby Dutchmans Pipe vine and
along the trail by the alien Goats Beard Tragopon dubius, not to be
confused with the similarly-named native. Then in succession appear Smooth
Gooseberry (Ribes rotundifolium), an unidentified grass, Tree Clubmoss
(Lycopodium obscurum), abundant American Chestnut sprouts, Mountain
Laurel in bloom, Fly Poison (Amianthium muscætoxicum), also in
bloom, Moccasin Flower (Cypripedrum acaule) and several old contorted
White Oak trees, here at near 4000 ft, at their elevational limit.
At a map elevation of 4107 ft (1251 meters) asl the trail/road divides with
the left branch leading to the summit. The aspect initially is southeast on a
small spur, but changes gradually to east and then north. At first the way
leads through a patchwork of openings with large spreading Hawthorns, stands of
small (about 4 inch dbh) Black Locust and stunted Northern Red Oak.
Hay-scented Fern is the dominant ground cover with tall Deer Tongue Grass
(Panicum clandestinum) and White Snakeroot in moist areas. As the trail
winds to a more northerly exposure, the mesic character of the vegetation
becomes more pronounced and the first Yellow Birch, Choke Cherry and Mountain
Maple as well as a single bush of Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) are
noted. Other species occurring here are American Basswood, Clematis
virginiana, Christmas Fern, Maryland Figwort (Scrofularia
marilandica), Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), Marginal Shield
Fern, Spinulose Shield Fern (Dryopteris intermedia). Early Saxifrage
(Saxifraga virginiensis), on rock, Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum
virginianum), Lycopodium flabelliforme, Leatherleaf Meadowrue
(Thalictrum coriaceum), Carex platyphylla, Hog Peanut
(Amphicarpa bracteata) and Drooping Wood Reedgrass (Cinna
latifolia), a grass characteristic of the Allegheny Mountains and which
ranges to Alaska and Eurasia.
The summit of Sounding Knob, degradedby human action, is open and the site of
a derilict observation tower. The opening is however surrounded by a stunted
forest of Northern Red Oak with a few stands of small, probably transitional,
Black Locust. As is common for this tree at high elevations, Northern Red Oak
here possesses the spreading "orchard" form and bark with a pink tinge. There
are also a few White Ash, and Striped Maple is a common understory species.
The summit opening is rocky, with abundant blocks and slabs of brown sandstone.
Hay-scented Fern forms a ground cover in places under the trees, while a
variety of native and alien herbs populate the opening. These include
Potentilla simplex/canadensis , White Snakeroot, Allegheny
Flyback, Deer Tongue and Timothy grasses and the disjunct northern Wild Rye,
Elymus trachycaulum. Shrubs in the opening include Chokecherry and
Smooth Gooseberry (Ribes rotundifolium) with the latter heavily browsed
by deer. No ericaceae are present.
Not far beyond the seepy area the road intersects a small (perhaps ten acre or
4 ha), stand of spruce forest. The slope is gentle but very rocky, with a
northwest aspect. Although blocks and slabs of sandstone in the open along the
road are brown in color, those within the spruce forest are a light gray and
resemble many occurrences of Silurian Sandstone that occur on peaks throughout
the region. They also resemble rocks that form the substrate of many summit
spruce stands in the Alleghenies, where however, they are of younger age. It
seems likely that the rocks here are Clinch Sandstone, but this could not be
confirmed.
The canopy of this forest is dominated by Red Spruce, which represents on the
order of ninety percent of the trees. Minor codominants are Red Maple,
Northern Red Oak, Black Birch, Black Cherry and a few White Pines. Smaller
trees and shrubs include abundant Mountain Ash, Ilex montana, Witch
Hazel and Mountain Laurel, with the latter in bloom at the time of our visit.
The Red Spruce have the appearance of maturity, ranging up to perhaps 20 inches
(50 cm) or more dbh, although rather squat as to height. Herbs identified were
Spinulose Shield Fern (Dryopteris intermedia), Canada Mayflower, Painted
Trillium (Trillium undulatum), Indian Cucumber-root (Medeola
virginiana), Fly Poison and, on sandstone blocks, the Rock Fern
Polypodium virginianum. Down tree trunks, roots and rocks were frequently
covered by mosses such as Hypnum and Leucobryum and the leafy
liverwort Bazzania trilobata. There are also patches of Haircap Moss
and various lichens such as species of Cladonia and Cladina.
Mountain Laurel and Black Huckleberry are abundant in openings adjoining spruce
and there is a little Rose Azalea as well. An unusual feature of the forest
interior is the great amount of large dead shrubs such as laurel bushes. It is
possible that these shrubs invaded the forest at a time when the spruce canopy
had been opened up by fire or logging and were subsequently shaded out as the
canopy closed again. It is also possible, although unlikely, that they were
killed by humans in an attempt to increase spruce reproduction.
By and large the Red Spruce seem healthy and, based on the abundant seedlings
and saplings, are reproducing well. The same seems to be true of the Mountain
Ash of which there are also abundant seedlings as well as older trees. Since
both Red Spruce and Mountain Ash are rather demanding of boreal or near boreal
conditions, it would seem that no drastic climatic warming has occurred here
recently. Like a number of such cool climate communities an isolated Central
Appalachian peaks, there is a question regarding their survival through the
period of drought and warmth during the hypsithermal interval (Pielou, 1991).
As on the climb to these heights, few birds were in evidence except Ravens who
indulged their varied repertoire of calls as they flew over us. Perhaps this
lack was in some way related to the unseasonable cold, even for this elevation,
a cold which made a fire comfortable as we ate our noon meal.
The configuration of slopes about the summit of Sounding Knob is such as to
discourage unusual accumulations of cold air by gravity. Consequently the
conditions must be a consequence of the universal lapse rate or decrease in
temperature with the elevation. The result here is a spruce forest that,
except for the presence of a few species such as Fly Poison, closely resembles
spruce forests of the high Alleghenies rather than others in the Valley and
Ridge.
The several hours spent on the summit are of course quite inadequate to
inventory this peak. The area above 4000 ft (1220 meters) is of the order of
0.5 square mile (2 square kilometers) and has the potential of intersecting a
variety of rock and soil types. Other disjunct northern species, in addition
to those inventoried in this traverse, may occur. Possibilities are Rubus
strigosus, Polygonum cilinode, and a number of lichens as well as
certain faunal elements such as birds and Lepidoptera.Ascent of Sounding Knob
General
Lower Slope to Summit Area
Sounding Knob, at almost 4400 feet (1340 meters) asl, is one of the
highest points in Highland County, Virginia. Topographically it is an offshoot
of Jack Mountain, a range with an irregular anticlinal structure continuous
with Warm Springs Mountain to the southwest Like the latter and a number of
other ranges of the region, Jack Mountain is capped by erosion-resistant
Silurian sandstone which has been breached to reveal older Ordovician rocks.
On Sounding Knob these different rock types form a contrasting pattern of
topography and habitats. The mountain and a large part of its environs have
been designated a State Wildlife Management Area, which offers minimal
protection to its ecological assets.
Source Walks: 7-9-95 and 7-4-96
There is an air of expectancy in climbing even a modest Appalachian mountain
that fails to appear on a lowland traverse. Part consists in the stimulation
of leaving behind stifling summer heat, part in the thrill of the unknown that
only elevation can bring. The traverse of 7-9-95 extended to perhaps the 3000
ft (910 meter) level while that of 7-4-96 reached the summit. Weather
conditions differed as much on the two dates as is likely in a temperate
climate. Those in 1995 were seasonable and warm whereas July 4, 1996 was the
coldest ever experienced by any of our party and wool shirts and jackets were
the garb of choice.
The Spruce Forest
Source Walk: 7-4-96
Only a little below the Sounding Knob Summit, at an elevation at near 4300 ft
(1310 meters), there is a gated road that extends southwest along the gentle
northwest slope of the mountain. This road at first leads through a seepy area
where it is bordered by the disjunct Wild Rye referred to earlier as well as
Blue Joint Grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), another northern species
usually found on glades in the high Allegenies.