Portal:Mountains

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Introduction

View of the south side of the Santa Catalina Mountains as seen from Tucson, Arizona.

A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher than a hill, typically rising at least 300 metres (980 ft) above the surrounding land. A few mountains are isolated summits, but most occur in mountain ranges.

Mountains are formed through tectonic forces, erosion, or volcanism, which act on time scales of up to tens of millions of years. Once mountain building ceases, mountains are slowly leveled through the action of weathering, through slumping and other forms of mass wasting, as well as through erosion by rivers and glaciers.

High elevations on mountains produce colder climates than at sea level at similar latitude. These colder climates strongly affect the ecosystems of mountains: different elevations have different plants and animals. Because of the less hospitable terrain and climate, mountains tend to be used less for agriculture and more for resource extraction, such as mining and logging, along with recreation, such as mountain climbing and skiing.

The highest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest in the Himalayas of Asia, whose summit is 8,850 m (29,035 ft) above mean sea level. The highest known mountain on any planet in the Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars at 21,171 m (69,459 ft). The tallest mountain including submarine terrain is Mauna Kea in Hawaii from its underwater base at 9,330 m (30,610 ft) and some scientists consider it to be the tallest on earth. (Full article...)

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A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both human and animal migration throughout history. At lower elevations it may be called a hill pass. A mountain pass is typically formed between two volcanic peaks or created by erosion from water or wind. (Full article...)

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Sierra San Pedro Mártir and Devils Peak, Southern Baja California, Mexico

The Peninsular Ranges (also called the Lower California province) are a group of mountain ranges that stretch 1,500 km (930 mi) from Southern California to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Pacific Coast Ranges, which run along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. Elevations range from 150 to 3,300 m (500 to 10,834 ft). (Full article...)

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The Dammersfeldkuppe, a *kuppe* or domed hill in the Rhön

A Kuppe is the term used in German-speaking central Europe for a mountain or hill with a rounded summit that has no rock formation, such as a tor, on it. A range of such hills is called a Kuppengebirge. In geology the term also refers to corresponding stratigraphic forms. The term is similar to the English topographical and geological terms, knoll and dome. It is also analogous to the French word ballon which means a mountain with a rounded summit.

In cartography in German-speaking countries, the term is used more widely to refer to all eminences (biaxially convex landforms) i.e. including those with a more pointed appearance. (Full article...)

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A hitch is a type of knot used to secure a rope to an object or another rope. Hitches are used in a variety of situations, including climbing, sailing, and securing loads. They are classified based on their ability to be tightened or released, their resistance to slipping, and their strength. Some common types of hitch knots include the clove hitch, the timber hitch, and the round turn and two half-hitches. (Full article...)

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General images

The following are images from various mountain-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Mountaineers proceed across snow fields on South Tyrol; other climbers are visible further up the slopes. (from Mountaineering)
Image 2Climber approaching the summit of Manaslu at 8,163 metres (from Mountaineering)
Image 3The Andes, the longest mountain range on the surface of the Earth, have a dramatic impact on the climate of South America (from Mountain range)
Image 4Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria, part of the fault-block Rila-Rhodope massif (from Mountain)
Image 5Mountaineers climbing in South Tyrol (from Mountain)
Image 6British mountaineer William Cecil Slingsby became known as the father of Norwegian mountaineering and contributed greatly to its popularization with his classic book Norway, the Northern Playground (from Mountaineering)
Image 7The Ocean Ridge, the world's longest mountain range (chain) (from Mountain range)
Image 8Edward Whymper (1840–1911), painting by Lance Calkin (from Mountaineering)
Image 9Iranian oak scrub in the Zagros Mountains (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 10Fixed lines and ladders are distinguishing characteristics of expedition style mountaineering (from Mountaineering)
Image 11Edmund Hillary (left) and Tenzing Norgay after successfully completing the first ascent of Mount Everest, 29 May 1953
Image 12Mountaineers, c. 1900 (from Mountaineering)
Image 13Montes Apenninus on the Moon was formed by an impact event. (from Mountain range)
Image 14Fuji volcano (from Mountain)
Image 15Car of Horská služba (Czech Republic) (from Mountain rescue)
Image 16The Catskills in Upstate New York represent an eroded plateau. (from Mountain)
Image 17Temperate montane forest in Bavaria, Germany (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 18Distribution of mountains by location and elevation (from Mountain)
Image 19Mount Everest, Earth's highest mountain (from Mountain)
Image 20The northern Urals at high latitude and elevation have an alpine climate and barren ground. (from Mountain)
Image 21Chimborazo, Ecuador, whose summit is the point farthest away from the Earth's center (from Mountain)
Image 22This 1848 "Sketch showing the actual elevation of the Snow Line in different Latitudes" by Alexander Keith Johnston shows the snow lines of mountains in America, Europe and Asia (from Snow line)
Image 23Edelweiss, a plant associated with mountain sports (from Mountaineering)
Image 24Antique climbing tools (from Mountaineering)
Image 25An alpine mire in the Swiss Alps (from Mountain)
Image 26The city of La Paz reaches up to 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) in elevation. (from Mountain)
Image 27Illustration of mountains that developed on a fold that has been thrust (from Mountain)
Image 28Tropical montane forest at around 2,000 m in Malaysia (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 29Choppering out the injured – with Mt. Forbes in the background (from Mountain rescue)
Image 30Alpine flora near Cascade Pass (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 31Everest is highest from sea level (green), Mauna Kea is highest from its base (orange), Cayambe is farthest from Earth's axis (pink) and Chimborazo is farthest from Earth's centre (blue) (from Mountain)
Image 32The Dolomite Mountains, Italy, in summer. The climate of the Dolomites is characterized by short but warm and mild summers, while winters are long and very cold. (from Mountain)
Image 33Mont Blanc in Aosta Valley, Italy, the highest point in the European Union (from Mountain)
Image 34Winter campers bivouaced in the snow (from Mountaineering)
Image 35A subalpine lake in the Cascade Range, Washington, United States (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 36Cabane du Trient, a mountain hut in the Swiss Alps (from Mountaineering)
Image 37Climbers ascending Mount Rainier looking at Little Tahoma Peak (from Mountaineering)
Image 38A stand of mountain birch at around 750 m in Trollheimen, typical of Scandinavian subalpine forests (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 39Stretcher box in Cumbria, England, prepositioned equipment saves mountain rescue teams having to trudge up mountains with it. (from Mountain rescue)
Image 40Waimea Canyon, Hawaii, is known for its montane vegetation. (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 41The Namcha Barwa Himal, east part of the Himalayas as seen from space by Apollo 9 (from Mountain range)
Image 42Alpine landscape below Malyovitsa Peak, Rila Mountain, Bulgaria (from Montane ecosystems)