Rich Mountain, in North Carolina’s High Country about three miles northwest of Boone, rises to 4,748 feet and is sometimes confused with nearby Howard Knob, while Snakeden Mountain extends the same ridge to the west. Though about 800 feet lower than Beech Mountain, it has an unusually cold summit climate because of its position and prevailing winds funneled through a northern valley. Snowfall on the summit and upper north face is far heavier than in Boone, with winter totals 50 to 90 percent higher; in the 2017–2018 winter, 68 inches were recorded, with measurable snow as late as the end of April. Its slopes also feed the South Fork New River and the Watauga River systems.