C00LBREEZE (from AAA World, May2003)

In one part of West Virginia, it never gets much above freezing.

During the dog days of summer, it the coldest spot in the Mid-Atlantic region. In a nature preserve, the world’s largest and only natural outdoor refrigerators lie at the foot of Ice Mountain, near the village of Slanesville, in Hampshire County, West Virginia. Here, the air blowing through natural vents is so cold (38 degrees Fahrenheit) that hikers place their coolers over them while exploring one of the last isolated and unspoiled retreats in the nation.

Looking at Ice Mountain, it seems as though a mass of rocks were heaped against an immense wall of sandstone by the world’s largest dump truck. In actuality, the pile is formed from rock fragments, leaf litter and other (less pleasant) natural remains tumbling down the steep slopes. Every winter, snow drifts into the pile’s crevices and becomes ice underneath. As temperatures increase, the cold air escapes.

Both Native Americans and early pioneers used the site as an icebox to store perishable foods like meats and milk. Maurice Brooks wrote in The Appalachians that “in the days of homemade ice cream,” picnickers brought old-fashioned crank freezers and salt to make ice cream. Ice Mountain is also responsible for sustaining species endemic to the distant Arctic, such as twinflower and bunchberry plants.

Today, local families in North River Mills and the Nature Conservancy host the annual Ice Mountain Festival in June, and trained volunteers lead free trips to the preserve from April through November. Independent visits to the mountain are nor permitted; all tours must be arranged three weeks to a month in advance.