6 Striking Facts About the Appalachian Mountain Range
For this mountain range, every day is a “No Bones” day.
Growing up in Appalachia, day-to-day living typically centered around the Appalachian Mountains in our community. Visitors often associate the mountains with the Appalachian Trail and/or the unique culture and dialect found throughout the region. Forming roughly 480 million years ago, the mountains are an ancient reminder of a world long past — a rare glimpse into a land before time. Here are 6 striking facts about the Appalachian Mountains.
1. The Appalachian Mountains may have been taller than the Himalayas
It is impossible to know just how tall the Appalachian Mountains once stood as the mountain range formed long before humans existed. However, scientists believe that the Appalachians may have been exponentially taller in the past.
Currently, the highest peak of the mountains lies in Yancey County, North Carolina, about 19 miles northeast of Asheville. Known as Mount Mitchell, the elevation stands at only 6,684 feet above sea level — but geologists say that this has not always been the case. Before millions of years of erosion, the Appalachian Mountains may have even stood as tall as the Himalayas (and that includes Mount Everest as well)!
2. The First Woman to Hike the Appalachian Trail was 67 Years Old
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail was first conceived in 1921. Finally reaching completion in 1937, the entire trail spans a whopping 2,200 miles. The trail is a daunting task to complete — even for the most experienced hikers — and often takes several months to complete.
However, Emma “Grandma” Gatewood completed a solo thru-hike in 1955 at the ripe old age of 67 after escaping 3 decades of domestic abuse and raising 11 children. She was most famously quoted saying, “If those men can do it, I can do it.”
3. The Appalachian Mountains are Older Than Bones
I know what you’re thinking: How can that possibly be? Well, they are just that unbelievably old. The Appalachians are one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet and are estimated to be about 480 million years old. An interesting Twitter thread from user @alexpetrovnia explains the mountains predate most of our modern world — including our bones.
The Appalachian Mountains were formed about 100 million years before the first animals stepped foot onto land. This means that the majority of fossil remains present in the rock are from when all life existed in oceans. There are some exceptions to the “No Bones” makeup of the Appalachians, however.
4. The Appalachians are Home to One Very Special Dinosaur
Auburn University scientist, David King, discovered Appalachiosaurus in July of 1982. The near-tyrannosaurid is one of the most complete fossils ever discovered in the American South. The dinosaur thrived during the Late Cretaceous, Alabama, USA and, with a bite force of around 32,500 newtons, or 7,193 pounds per square inch, was a force to be reckoned with.
Today, Appalachiosaurus can be found at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama. Because the only fossil remnants found were those of a juvenile, the full adult weight and height remain unknown.
5. The Appalachians Might Have Plunged the World Into An Ice Age
The Appalachians have been admired for thousands of years as a region with bountiful and diverse flora and fauna that reside within the mountains. However, the mountains have not always been the wooded paradise it is today. In fact, the emergence of the Appalachian Mountains appears to have triggered an ice age approximately 450 million years ago.
Researchers found evidence of minerals washing down from the mountains and into the oceans preceding the sudden cold snap, which carried atmospheric carbon dioxide with it sucking necessary CO2 from the Earth’s atmosphere. The dimmer sun, needing the CO2 to warm the Earth, plunged the world into an ice age. Carbon Dioxide levels were thinned to levels only a few times higher than they are today.
6. Appalachia is Home to 25 Million People
Although it may seem like a desolate region from the surface, Appalachia is home to approximately 25 million people — once including myself. In addition, the Appalachians can be found in 420 counties across 13 states, about 205,000 square miles in total.
I no longer live in Appalachia, but I still fondly remember the rolling blue mountains and chilly sunrises that made me the person I am today. Standing the test of time against all odds, the Appalachian Mountains are a must-see natural wonder.
