Snowy Buffalo Gap, gateway to far western Augusta County and beyond

By Lynn R. Mitchell

Ten miles west of Staunton is Buffalo Gap, a pass through Little North Mountain in western Augusta County. It lies in the shadow of Elliott’s Knob at 4,456 feet elevation. At an elevation of almost 1,800 feet, it is the gateway to Goshen, Warm Springs, Hot Springs and The Homestead and further west but many years ago when buffalo still roamed the area it was their gateway to the Shenandoah Valley for winter grazing.

December Appalachian sunset

December sunset over Elliott’s Knob and North Mountain in the Appalachian Mountains. By the time I retrieved my camera, it was beyond the moment when the sky was at its most brilliant. It still was stunning.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
December 13, 2014

Search for pilot moves closer to Staunton

By Lynn R. Mitchell

From the Staunton News Leader:

“UPDATE 11:54 A.M.: Searchers are concentrating on the southeast area of Crawford Mountain, which is part of the Great North Mountain Trail, which is a line including Elliot Knob.”

This area is practically my front yard so we’ve had helicopters and airplanes flying overhead all day. The crash site is further west near Deerfield but this current search area for the pilot is located about four or five miles west of Staunton at Buffalo Gap.

Weather conditions today are sunny, hot with temp in upper 80s, barely a breeze, and white puffy clouds dotting the dark blue sky. It’s a typical hot late August day.