White Rock (Taconic Mountains) Explained

White Rock
Photo Size:300px
Elevation Ft:2550
Parent Peak:42° 43' 29"N, 73° 16' 34"W
Location:Williamstown, Massachusetts, Pownal, Vermont, and Petersburgh, New York
Range:Taconic Mountains
Coordinates:High point:
42.7539°N 73.28°W
Ridgeline:
42.8072°N 73.3197°W to
42.7247°N 73.2761°W
Type:Thrust fault
metamorphic rock and sedimentary rock
Age:Ordovician
Easiest Route:Taconic Crest Trail

White Rock, 2550feet, is the high point on a 7miles ridgeline in the Taconic Mountains. The ridge is located in the tri-state corner of New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont in the towns of Petersburgh, Williamstown, and Pownal. The ridge has several distinct knobs; those with names are, from south to north: White Rocks, 2365feet; Smith Hill, 2330feet; White Rock, the high point 2550feet; and Bald Mountain 2485feet. The Snow Hole, located along the ridgeline between Bald Mountain and the White Rock, is a crevasse in which snow can be found well into the summer.

Geography

The summit and west side of the ridge are located in New York, the east side in Vermont, and the southeast 2miles in Massachusetts. The summit ridge is part meadow and part wooded with red spruce, balsam fir, and northern hardwood tree species. It is notable for its views of the Hoosic River valley and Hudson River Valley. The 35miles Taconic Crest Trail traverses the mountain. Portions of the ridge are within protected conservation land, but much of it is privately owned.

The Taconic Mountains continue north from White Rock ridge across the Hoosic River valley as Mount Anthony and south over Petersburgh Pass as Mount Raimer. The White Rock ridge is flanked to the east across the Hoosic River Valley by the western escarpment of the Green Mountains. The west side of the ridge drains into the Little Hoosic River, thence into the Hoosic River, the Hudson River, and Long Island Sound. The east side drains into the Hoosic River. Petersburg Pass, located on New York Route 2/ Massachusetts Route 2, cuts over the gap between the southernmost knob of the ridge, White Rocks, and Mount Raimer, at an elevation of 1650feet.

References

External links