Last updated: August 13, 2024
Place
Stony Man: Life Atop
Before heading out to the summit, stop to observe how the forest around you has changed since the beginning of your hike. How can you tell you're on top of a mountain even though you can't yet see the view? Although the weathered, gnarled trees here are not as tall, they are just as old, if not older, than the trees below. How do you think life on an exposed mountain summit has shaped these trees? Each living and non-living thing on this mountain tells its own part of Stony Man's history--all you need to do is listen!
Stony Man Mountain is rich with the lives of those people who lived before us. Standing by the hitching post, now used for recreational horseback riding, you might consider those that once used the resources of Stony Man as the building blocks for their own lives. Taking the chestnuts, hemlocks, and oaks to sawmills and tanneries; digging for copper in hopes of striking it rich. Soon, from the top of Stony Man, you will see a view to the west, over the Shenandoah Valley, with the towns of Luray and Stanley, along with several smaller communities, bustling beneath the sleeping giant. To the south, just below the viewpoint, lies Skyland Resort, one of the first draws for tourists to the ridge.
Out among the rocky outcroppings of the summit, there is more life teeming. After the early summer rains, vernal pools called opferkessels fill in with water, and provide ideal egg-laying habitat for the many frogs of the forest. Eventually, their tadpoles will leave the pool and return to the trees. Soaring overhead are found a variety of bird species. Black and turkey vultures float on warm updrafts sniffing for food, ravens play and chatter to one another just over the cliff edge, and maybe, just maybe, a peregrine falcon will dive on an unsuspecting songbird--exceeding 200 mph! Once upon a time, peregrine populations were plummeting in much of the eastern United States from agricultural pesticide use. Areas, such as Shenandoah National Park, worked diligently to collect and reintroduce infant peregrines in hopes of reestablishing a native population. Approximately 100 falcons have been introduced in Shenandoah to date.
Finally, while enjoying the view from Stony Man, perhaps resting on one of the many boulders that make up his brow, you may notice smaller life attached to the stone surface. What at first glance looks like leaves, moss, or mineral is actually lichen. Actually two organisms living together, one an alga and the other a fungus, lichens are primitive, living on the barren surface of Stony Man’s rocks. This delicate pair is a wonderful indicator of good air quality--the healthier the air, the healthier the lichen. However, they are fragile, so be mindful of where you step and avoid sitting on lichen-covered boulders. Many common lichens grow less than one millimeter in diameter per year!
Stony Man Mountain is rich with the lives of those people who lived before us. Standing by the hitching post, now used for recreational horseback riding, you might consider those that once used the resources of Stony Man as the building blocks for their own lives. Taking the chestnuts, hemlocks, and oaks to sawmills and tanneries; digging for copper in hopes of striking it rich. Soon, from the top of Stony Man, you will see a view to the west, over the Shenandoah Valley, with the towns of Luray and Stanley, along with several smaller communities, bustling beneath the sleeping giant. To the south, just below the viewpoint, lies Skyland Resort, one of the first draws for tourists to the ridge.
Out among the rocky outcroppings of the summit, there is more life teeming. After the early summer rains, vernal pools called opferkessels fill in with water, and provide ideal egg-laying habitat for the many frogs of the forest. Eventually, their tadpoles will leave the pool and return to the trees. Soaring overhead are found a variety of bird species. Black and turkey vultures float on warm updrafts sniffing for food, ravens play and chatter to one another just over the cliff edge, and maybe, just maybe, a peregrine falcon will dive on an unsuspecting songbird--exceeding 200 mph! Once upon a time, peregrine populations were plummeting in much of the eastern United States from agricultural pesticide use. Areas, such as Shenandoah National Park, worked diligently to collect and reintroduce infant peregrines in hopes of reestablishing a native population. Approximately 100 falcons have been introduced in Shenandoah to date.
Finally, while enjoying the view from Stony Man, perhaps resting on one of the many boulders that make up his brow, you may notice smaller life attached to the stone surface. What at first glance looks like leaves, moss, or mineral is actually lichen. Actually two organisms living together, one an alga and the other a fungus, lichens are primitive, living on the barren surface of Stony Man’s rocks. This delicate pair is a wonderful indicator of good air quality--the healthier the air, the healthier the lichen. However, they are fragile, so be mindful of where you step and avoid sitting on lichen-covered boulders. Many common lichens grow less than one millimeter in diameter per year!