Hype for the Future 99M: Notable Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina Edition

Introduction

Within the State of North Carolina are many of the highest elevations located east of the Mississippi River within the United States of America. While Mount Mitchell represents the highest natural point in the State of North Carolina as well as in the east in general, neither the Eastern Continental Divide nor the Great Smoky Mountains divide between the States of North Carolina and Tennessee contain the official highest point. Mount Mitchell is, in fact, situated directly in between the two, east of the Tennessee state line but entirely west of the Eastern Continental Divide, thus associating with the Tennessee Valley first by way of associated river tributaries in the region of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Additional Mountains of Intersst

Apart from Mount Mitchell, two of the other most notable mountain peaks in the State of North Carolina include Kuwohi (formerly Clingman’s Dome) and Grandfather Mountain. While Kuwohi is the highest point of the Great Smoky Mountains and of the North Carolina and Tennessee state line, Grandfather Mountain contains the geographical high point of the Eastern Continental Divide through the United States of America. Also associated with the Blue Ridge Mountains, albeit north of the Great Smoky Mountains, is the highest natural peak in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mount Rogers, directly within the limits of Grayson County and within reach of the Town of Independence.

Hype for the Future 96F: McDowell County, West Virginia

Introduction

Geographically the southernmost of the fifty-five (55) counties representing the State of West Virginia, McDowell County is located deep within the Appalachian Mountains, west of the Bluefield area and east of Pikeville, Kentucky. Today the poorest county in the United States of America per capita, the region is historically known for coal mining operations, along with nearby regions in southern West Virginia, western Virginia, and eastern Kentucky. The coalfields are of cultural and historical significance because of resource extraction, in which the communities have depended on such a monoculture to thrive.

Context

The Town of Welch serves as the county seat of McDowell, the southernmost county located in the State of West Virginia, with the Jack Caffrey Arts and Cultural Center representing the primary tourist attraction for the local community. To the west along Route 52 is the Wilmore Dam, most notable for the ATV culture of the surrounding area; however, even the industry of tourism has not successfully enabled the distressed county to recover in any way.

Hype for the Future 96A: Highland and Bath Counties, Virginia

Overview — Highland County

One of the least populated and highest-elevation counties in the eastern United States, Highland County, Virginia, is located relatively near the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the intersection of Routes 220 and 250. The Monterey Inn is the chief place to stay within the county, which may contain limited cell service as a result of being physically located within the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ). The National Radio Quiet Zone, originating at the sensitive Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, has influenced the rural communities of the region, including east into the Commonwealth of Virginia. Smaller museums and attractions in the county include the 3rd Space, the Charles Pinckney Jones House Museum, and the Sounding Knob Fire Tower.

Overview — Bath County

Located immediately to the south of Highland County is Bath County, Virginia, most notable as the home county of significant golfer Sam Snead. However, the Warm Springs Pools serve as the primary tourist attraction within the county.

Hype for the Future 54H: Route 8 of New England

Introduction

Within the westernmost part of New England and within fair proximity to Route 7 is Route 8, a north-to-south state highway that services the western parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and southern Vermont. Though commonly associated with Route 7, especially because of the strong connections between such communities as North Adams and Williamstown in the northern Berkshires of Massachusetts, the entirety of Route 8 is identified as physically further east than Route 7, regardless of the physical locations on either route.

Hype for the Future 49G: The Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are a mountain range associated with Spain, France, and the microstate of Andorra in between. The southern side of the Pyrenees is associated with Catalonia in Spain, while the northern side is associated with Occitania in France. The Spanish flag, like the Portuguese flag, contains an emblem appropriate to the nation, though the color scheme for Spain is red, then yellow, then red, from top to bottom. Andorra also contains an Andorran emblem on the national flag, differentiating the nation from Moldova, Romania, and even Chad—all of which maintain the same color scheme as one another: blue, yellow, red, from left to right. And finally, France is the plainest of the flags, blue, white, and red from left to right.

Nations with Flags Similar to Andorra

Andorra, as mentioned previously, is not unique for having a flag with such a color scheme. The other countries are Romania, Chad, and Moldova: 🇷🇴 🇹🇩 🇲🇩 🇦🇩

Hype for the Future 30/284: Delayed Notice

Unfortunately, novaTopFlex was unable to write more notices for Sunday, November 30, 2025. However, on that day, novaTopFlex was adding numerous locations within the Rocky Mountains, the Permian Basin, the Black Hills, and a few locations in the southern Great Plains (Texas specifically) to the novaTop Travel Itinerary. Locations of potential novaTop interest have expanded toward Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Quarter Horses of Amarillo, numerous attractions in the Midland and Odessa areas, and the popular tourist and even local sites of the Front Range Urban Corridor extending into Cheyenne and the Laramie Range, from Colorado into Wyoming. Additional interests include the Ernest Leonard Blumenschein House and the art colony associated with Taos and the historic Taos Pueblo area in northern New Mexico, with Angel Fire, a ski resort, located almost directly to the east over the mountains.

On the Horizon 24G: The Town of New Marlborough, Massachusetts

New Marlborough is a town located in the extreme south-central portion of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, along the Connecticut state line. Unlike numerous surrounding towns on the Massachusetts side, New Marlborough is actually home to a state forest unit with a name different from the town itself: Cookson. Cookson State Forest is located in the southeastern corner of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and with the Berkshire County location of New Marlborough, the region can certainly accomplish majestic scenes from the Berkshires and the surrounding areas as well.

On the Horizon 24E: The Town of Egremont, Massachusetts

The Town of Egremont is located on the New York state line of what is perhaps the General Henry Knox Cannon Trail, renowned for historical significance in the American Revolutionary War for the trail from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, immediately across the Charles River from what has been the City of Boston since 1822 (and the Town of Boston as of the American Revolution).

Not much exists in terms of active tourist amenities within the extremely small, rural community of Egremont. The only notable amenities for tourists include mountain resorts and associated state reservations. Not even Mount Greylock is of significance, as the highest point in Massachusetts is significantly to the north of the Taconic town of Egremont.

On the Horizon 23C: The State Forests of Western Mass

Western Massachusetts is very differently organized from the more dominant eastern side of the Commonwealth. Throughout much of Berkshire County in particular, the state forests share names with potentially namesake towns, a feature that also continues into select portions of Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Worcester Counties. In Hampden County, Tolland and Granville are names of towns where state forests exist under such town names. In Berkshire County, Otis and Florida may be additional towns with associated state forests.

Adirondack Park: Locations of Interest

Not quite within the Adirondack Park, Plattsburgh is a city in Northern New York largely associated with south of Montréal in culture and identity alike. The City of Plattsburgh is located at the mouth of the Saranac River into Lake Champlain. However, the Saranac Lakes and the Upper Saranac are located within the Adirondack Park, and Saranac Lake is a village and community located within the Park. Tupper Lake is further to the west, and Lake Placid is further to the east. But further south is Hamilton County, New York, the smallest and least densely populated county in the State of New York, with approximately six thousand people. Also of interest further to the northeast is Ticonderoga, the origin of the General Henry Knox Cannon Trail, located at least slightly south of the City of Plattsburgh. Also, the sources of numerous rivers, including the mighty Hudson River, are physically located within the Park. While the true source of the Hudson River may appear underrated and minuscule, the Hudson River is also associated with Lake Tear of the Clouds, which is also located within the Adirondack Park. For additional information, please check back on the novaTop blog or with external resources for more information.