The Snow Hole
Encyclopedia
The Snow Hole is located in the Taconic Mountains
, New York
, USA along the ridge line between Bald Mountain and the White Rock (Taconic Mountains)
. It is a crevasse in which snow can be found well into the summer. The snow hole can be accessed by hiking the Taconic crest trail about 2.7 miles north from the Petersburgh
pass parking area off Route 2. The snow hole is located at 42°45.538′N 73°16.840′W. Finding the location of the snow hole can be confusing, as several maps (including Google maps) mark the location of the snow hole summit at 42.743671°N 73.275118°W. However, this is a separate mountain summit and not the actual snow hole. The hiking map at the entrance to the Taconic crest trail at Petersburgh pass has the location correctly identified. Typically the crevasse has snow at the bottom of it year round.
Numerous engravings in the rocks surrounding the Snow Hole include names and dates of visitors dating to the 19th century. The oldest carving found is from the early 19th century.
Other examples of persistent snow include the snow patches in Scotland
. These areas are associated with a characteristic cold-loving flora and fauna and it is likely that the Snow Hole also serves as a refugium for small ice age species. Both are examples of nivation
hollows.
Taconic Mountains
The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range are a physiographic section of the larger New England province and part of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA along the ridge line between Bald Mountain and the White Rock (Taconic Mountains)
White Rock (Taconic Mountains)
White Rock, , is the name of the high point on a 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...
. It is a crevasse in which snow can be found well into the summer. The snow hole can be accessed by hiking the Taconic crest trail about 2.7 miles north from the Petersburgh
Petersburgh, New York
Petersburgh is a town located in the northeast section of Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,563 at the 2000 census. The town was named after an early settler.- History :...
pass parking area off Route 2. The snow hole is located at 42°45.538′N 73°16.840′W. Finding the location of the snow hole can be confusing, as several maps (including Google maps) mark the location of the snow hole summit at 42.743671°N 73.275118°W. However, this is a separate mountain summit and not the actual snow hole. The hiking map at the entrance to the Taconic crest trail at Petersburgh pass has the location correctly identified. Typically the crevasse has snow at the bottom of it year round.
Numerous engravings in the rocks surrounding the Snow Hole include names and dates of visitors dating to the 19th century. The oldest carving found is from the early 19th century.
Other examples of persistent snow include the snow patches in Scotland
Snow patches in Scotland
Long-lying snow patches in Scotland have been noted from at least the 18th century, with snow patches on Ben Nevis being observed well into summer and autumn...
. These areas are associated with a characteristic cold-loving flora and fauna and it is likely that the Snow Hole also serves as a refugium for small ice age species. Both are examples of nivation
Nivation
Nivation is a collective name for the different processes that occur under a snow patch. The primary processes are mass wasting and the freeze and thaw cycle, in which fallen snow gets compacted into firn or névé...
hollows.