In glacial geomorphology, a horn refers specifically to a sharp peak that is left when cirque glaciers from all directions have eroded away the intervening ridges. Likewise, an arete is a sharp, narrow ridge (knife-edge) left by glaciers (cirque or valley glaciers) that have eroded back to the ridge from both sides. Cols are specifically gaps where cirque glaciers have eroded gaps in the ridge. These terms are often used without regard to glacial processes, but are specifically defined.
You also might want to add other glacial terms like "glacier", "cirque glacier", "valley glacier", "piedmont glacier", "icefields", "icecaps", "snowline", "alpine", etc.
"Bergschrund" was specifically mentioned as the sort of thing I wasn't going to include in the original version of this glossary. The list has evolved since then (notably, it has an alphabetical index), so I'm adding it now.
There's a "Gros Morne", which is a national park in Canada featuring a hill or bluff, but it's not a term I've heard in French before. I found a Canadian dictionary that identifies it as a loaf-shaped hill, equivalent to english "hillock", and states that the terms comes from the Antilles.
In northern Scandinavia many mountains are named in Sapmi language. Here is a list of words that are usaually included in our mountains name. The Sapmi spelling can differ from map to map.
tjåkkå = high altitude peak (blunt)
kaise = high altitude peak (steep)
pakte = very steep summit, cliff
jekna = glacier
jaure = lake
varre = hill w/o trees
åive = small head-shaped hill
vagge = valley
tjårro = ridge
kårso = ravine
According to "Hiking Circuits in Rocky Mountain National Park" by Jack and Elizabeth Hailman, the green on USGS topo maps represents where trees are sufficiently tall and dense enough to hide an army division.
So next time you are hiking in areas of green on topo maps, keep an keen eye out for those army divisions hiding in the trees ;^)
I'm a little confused on this term. Does it mean the difference in elevation from the saddle to the peak, (example the lowest point on the Sawtooth ridge is 13,200 and the summit of Evans is 14,264 for a prominence of 1064 feet) or the difference in elevation from the peak of one mountain from the elevation of its highest, nearest neighboring mountain (example Evans 14,264, Bierstadt 14,060 for a prominence of 204)? Or perhaps yet another definition?
It's the difference in height from the "key col" below the peak, to the peak. The "key col" is the lowest point along the highest possible path that leads to some higher peak.
Eyeballing a map, it looks like minimum-descent path from Mt Bierstadt to a higher peak (either Evans or Spalding - I think Sawtooth is lower than Bierstadt) passes over the col between Bierstadt and Sawtooth. That col is clearly the lowest point on the least-descent path from Bierstadt to a higher peak, so it's the "key col" for Bierstadt. I count 18 contour lines (40 feet each) from Bierstadt's summit to that col, so Bierstadt's prominence is about 18x40' = 720'.
Here's what Peakbagger.com says for Bierstadt:
Clean Prominence: 700 ft/213 m
Optimistic Prominence: 700 ft/213 m
Nearest Topographic Higher Peak: Mount Evans
Key Col: 13,360 ft/4072 m
If you're a visual thinker, imagine raising sea level until Mt Bierstadt is an island. Then lower the sea level until this island just barely connects to some higher point (Mt Evans in this case) via dry land. The point joining what had been two separate islands is the key col, and the prominence of Mt Bierstadt is the elevation of Bierstadt's summit above the new sea level (ie, above the key col).
As for Mt Evans (14,264'), according to peakbagger.com the least-descent path to a higher peak takes you to Grays Peak (14,270') via Guanella Pass (11,510 ft at 39° 36' N; 105° 42' W ), giving Evans a prominence of about 2750 feet (height of Evans above Guanella pass).
mrh - Mar 7, 2006 8:42 pm - Voted 10/10
NiceWe have needed this for a long time. Thanks.
lostman - Mar 9, 2006 10:21 pm - Hasn't voted
Glacial geomorphologyIn glacial geomorphology, a horn refers specifically to a sharp peak that is left when cirque glaciers from all directions have eroded away the intervening ridges. Likewise, an arete is a sharp, narrow ridge (knife-edge) left by glaciers (cirque or valley glaciers) that have eroded back to the ridge from both sides. Cols are specifically gaps where cirque glaciers have eroded gaps in the ridge. These terms are often used without regard to glacial processes, but are specifically defined.
You also might want to add other glacial terms like "glacier", "cirque glacier", "valley glacier", "piedmont glacier", "icefields", "icecaps", "snowline", "alpine", etc.
Pawel Krol - Mar 16, 2006 7:10 pm - Voted 9/10
Great job !thanx a lot !
Holsti97 - May 2, 2006 12:00 pm - Voted 10/10
Where is...bergschrund?
sé·rac also se·rac (s-rk, s-)
n.
A large pointed mass of ice in a glacier isolated by intersecting crevasses.
nartreb - May 2, 2006 1:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Where is..."Bergschrund" was specifically mentioned as the sort of thing I wasn't going to include in the original version of this glossary. The list has evolved since then (notably, it has an alphabetical index), so I'm adding it now.
nartreb - May 2, 2006 4:48 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: wow, very niceThere's a "Gros Morne", which is a national park in Canada featuring a hill or bluff, but it's not a term I've heard in French before. I found a Canadian dictionary that identifies it as a loaf-shaped hill, equivalent to english "hillock", and states that the terms comes from the Antilles.
soderkisen - May 29, 2007 8:52 am - Hasn't voted
North Scandinavia / LapplandIn northern Scandinavia many mountains are named in Sapmi language. Here is a list of words that are usaually included in our mountains name. The Sapmi spelling can differ from map to map.
tjåkkå = high altitude peak (blunt)
kaise = high altitude peak (steep)
pakte = very steep summit, cliff
jekna = glacier
jaure = lake
varre = hill w/o trees
åive = small head-shaped hill
vagge = valley
tjårro = ridge
kårso = ravine
Vic Hanson - Aug 25, 2007 5:56 pm - Voted 10/10
Very helpfulGreat article and was a big help to me, especially with the photos. Thanks a lot.
Vic
argothor - Oct 26, 2007 3:40 pm - Voted 10/10
re treelineAccording to "Hiking Circuits in Rocky Mountain National Park" by Jack and Elizabeth Hailman, the green on USGS topo maps represents where trees are sufficiently tall and dense enough to hide an army division.
So next time you are hiking in areas of green on topo maps, keep an keen eye out for those army divisions hiding in the trees ;^)
nartreb - Oct 26, 2007 5:07 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: re treelineMechanized, alpine, or airborne?
argothor - Oct 26, 2007 3:56 pm - Voted 10/10
re prominenceI'm a little confused on this term. Does it mean the difference in elevation from the saddle to the peak, (example the lowest point on the Sawtooth ridge is 13,200 and the summit of Evans is 14,264 for a prominence of 1064 feet) or the difference in elevation from the peak of one mountain from the elevation of its highest, nearest neighboring mountain (example Evans 14,264, Bierstadt 14,060 for a prominence of 204)? Or perhaps yet another definition?
nartreb - Oct 26, 2007 4:21 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: re prominenceIt's the difference in height from the "key col" below the peak, to the peak. The "key col" is the lowest point along the highest possible path that leads to some higher peak.
Eyeballing a map, it looks like minimum-descent path from Mt Bierstadt to a higher peak (either Evans or Spalding - I think Sawtooth is lower than Bierstadt) passes over the col between Bierstadt and Sawtooth. That col is clearly the lowest point on the least-descent path from Bierstadt to a higher peak, so it's the "key col" for Bierstadt. I count 18 contour lines (40 feet each) from Bierstadt's summit to that col, so Bierstadt's prominence is about 18x40' = 720'.
Here's what Peakbagger.com says for Bierstadt:
Clean Prominence: 700 ft/213 m
Optimistic Prominence: 700 ft/213 m
Nearest Topographic Higher Peak: Mount Evans
Key Col: 13,360 ft/4072 m
If you're a visual thinker, imagine raising sea level until Mt Bierstadt is an island. Then lower the sea level until this island just barely connects to some higher point (Mt Evans in this case) via dry land. The point joining what had been two separate islands is the key col, and the prominence of Mt Bierstadt is the elevation of Bierstadt's summit above the new sea level (ie, above the key col).
See theWikipedia definition of Prominence
As for Mt Evans (14,264'), according to peakbagger.com the least-descent path to a higher peak takes you to Grays Peak (14,270') via Guanella Pass (11,510 ft at 39° 36' N; 105° 42' W ), giving Evans a prominence of about 2750 feet (height of Evans above Guanella pass).
argothor - Oct 26, 2007 5:04 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: re prominenceThanks. That made things much clearer than the original definition.
Sierra Ledge Rat - Apr 8, 2024 12:04 pm - Hasn't voted
another termRandkluft