South Mountain (Nova Scotia)
Encyclopedia
South Mountain is a Canadian
range on the mainland portion of Nova Scotia
. A granitic
ridge stretching from the Annapolis Basin
to Mount Uniacke
, it forms the southern edge of the Annapolis Valley
and shelters the valley from the climate effects of the pelagic coast along the Atlantic Ocean
.
In contrast to its northern counterpart, North Mountain
, South Mountain rises gradually over dozens of kilometres from the Atlantic coast and descends sharply at its northern edge where it meets the Meguma strata
to form the south wall of the valley. The South Mountain range is also known as the South Mountain Batholith
, the largest body of granitoid rocks in the entire Appalachians
and comprises both granite barrens and granite uplands. It is estimated to have developed during the late Devonian Age.
The highest point on the ridge is at an unnamed point in Kings County
, 26 kilometres southeast of Berwick
near Lake George
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
range on the mainland portion of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia peninsula
The Nova Scotia peninsula is a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of North America.-Location:The Nova Scotia peninsula is part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada and is connected to the neighbouring province of New Brunswick through the Isthmus of Chignecto...
. A granitic
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
ridge stretching from the Annapolis Basin
Annapolis Basin
The Annapolis Basin is a sub-basin of the Bay of Fundy, located on the southwestern shores of the bay, along the northwestern shore of Nova Scotia and at the western end of the Annapolis Valley....
to Mount Uniacke
Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia
Mount Uniacke is an unincorporated community in Hants County, Nova Scotia Canada. It lies about 40 km to the north of Halifax. , there were about 3,500 residents in the community ....
, it forms the southern edge of the Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
and shelters the valley from the climate effects of the pelagic coast along the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
In contrast to its northern counterpart, North Mountain
North Mountain (Nova Scotia)
North Mountain is a narrow southwest-northeast trending volcanic mountain range on the mainland portion of southwestern Nova Scotia, stretching from Brier Island to Cape Split...
, South Mountain rises gradually over dozens of kilometres from the Atlantic coast and descends sharply at its northern edge where it meets the Meguma strata
Meguma terrane
The Meguma terrane is a terrane exposed in southern Nova Scotia, that became joined to the present North American landmass as part of the Appalachian orogeny. Composed largely of Cambrian to Ordovician sedimentary deposits, it is joined to the Avalon terrane along the Minas Fault Zone, which runs...
to form the south wall of the valley. The South Mountain range is also known as the South Mountain Batholith
Batholith
A batholith is a large emplacement of igneous intrusive rock that forms from cooled magma deep in the Earth's crust...
, the largest body of granitoid rocks in the entire Appalachians
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
and comprises both granite barrens and granite uplands. It is estimated to have developed during the late Devonian Age.
The highest point on the ridge is at an unnamed point in Kings County
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
, 26 kilometres southeast of Berwick
Berwick, Nova Scotia
Berwick is a Canadian town in Kings County, Nova Scotia. The town is located in the eastern part of the Annapolis Valley on the Cornwallis River. The town site stretches south from the river and Exit 15 of Highway 101 to Highway 1...
near Lake George
Lake George (Kings County, Nova Scotia)
Lake George is a lake of Kings County, in Nova Scotia, Canada.There is a Provincial Park beach area at the south end of the lake.-See also:* List of lakes in Nova Scotia* Lake George, Kings County, Nova Scotia* Royal eponyms in Canada...
.