Snow cornice even being on the snow on top of rock exposes the alpinist to hazard in this situation. The best practice in mountaineering is to stay far enough back from the edge so as not to be able to see the drop, as an approximate metric of exposure. In avalanche safety, cornices are a high avalanche danger as they often break and trigger larger avalanches that permeate several snow layers. Cornices are particularly vulnerable to collapse during periods of solar warming. Snow cornice A snow cornice or simply cornice (from the Italian cornice meaning "ledge") is an overhanging edge of snow
White Oak Ridge-Terrapin Mountain areas, Apple Orchard Mountain and Camping Ridge. Special biological areas have large biological diversity with rare fauna and significant forest communities. There is a small track of old growth forest near Camping Ridge, and large tracts on and east of Onion Mountain. Much of the northern side of Terrapin Mountain and Camping Ridge between Camping Gap and the Thunder Ridge Shelter are at least 140 years old. The deep forests offer habitat for black bear, salamanders, trout, and other species dependent on this habitat. Wild natural trout streams in Virginia are classified by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries