Portal:Mountains

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Appalachian Mountains

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). (Full article...)

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A rift valley is a linear shaped lowland between several highlands or mountain ranges produced by the action of a geologic rift. Rifts are formed as a result of the pulling apart of the lithosphere due to extensional tectonics. The linear depression may subsequently be further deepened by the forces of erosion. More generally the valley is likely to be filled with sedimentary deposits derived from the rift flanks and the surrounding areas. In many cases rift lakes are formed. One of the best known examples of this process is the East African Rift. On Earth, rifts can occur at all elevations, from the sea floor to plateaus and mountain ranges in continental crust or in oceanic crust. They are often associated with a number of adjoining subsidiary or co-extensive valleys, which are typically considered part of the principal rift valley geologically. (Full article...)

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View of the Blue Mountain Range looking into Saint Mary Parish

The Blue Mountains are the longest mountain range in Jamaica. They include the island's highest point, Blue Mountain Peak, at 2256 m (7402 ft). From the summit, accessible via a walking track, both the north and south coasts of the island can be seen. On a clear day, the outline of the island of Cuba, 210 km (130 mi) away, can also be seen. The mountain range spans four parishes: Portland, St. Thomas, St. Mary and St. Andrew. (Full article...)

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A fell (from Old Norse fell, fjall, "mountain") is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. The term is most often employed in Fennoscandia, Iceland, the Isle of Man, parts of northern England, and Scotland. (Full article...)

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Scrambling is a mountaineering term for ascending steep terrain using one's hands to assist in holds and balance. It is also used to describe terrain that falls between hiking and rock climbing (as a "scramble").

Sure-footedness and a head for heights are essential. Canyoning and stream climbing are other types of scrambling. (Full article...)

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General images

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

Image 1The Catskills in Upstate New York represent an eroded plateau. (from Mountain)
Image 2A mountain rescue team in Iran moving a casualty. (from Mountain rescue)
Image 3Fixed lines and ladders are distinguishing characteristics of expedition style mountaineering (from Mountaineering)
Image 4Mountaineers, c. 1900 (from Mountaineering)
Image 5A stand of mountain birch at around 750 m in Trollheimen, typical of Scandinavian subalpine forests (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 6Waimea Canyon, Hawaii, is known for its montane vegetation. (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 7Fuji volcano (from Mountain)
Image 8Pirin Mountain, Bulgaria, part of the fault-block Rila-Rhodope massif (from Mountain)
Image 9Illustration of mountains that developed on a fold that has been thrust (from Mountain)
Image 10British 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 11Chimborazo, Ecuador, whose summit is the point farthest away from the Earth's center (from Mountain)
Image 12Alpine flora near Cascade Pass (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 13Stretcher box in Cumbria, England, prepositioned equipment saves mountain rescue teams having to trudge up mountains with it. (from Mountain rescue)
Image 14Choppering out the injured – with Mt. Forbes in the background (from Mountain rescue)
Image 15Alpine landscape below Malyovitsa Peak, Rila Mountain, Bulgaria (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 16Mountaineers climbing in South Tyrol (from Mountain)
Image 17Edelweiss, a plant associated with mountain sports (from Mountaineering)
Image 18Antique climbing tools (from Mountaineering)
Image 19Mountain rescue team members and other services attend to a casualty in Freiburg Germany. (from Mountain rescue)
Image 20Climber approaching the summit of Manaslu at 8,163 metres (from Mountaineering)
Image 21Mountaineers proceed across snow fields on South Tyrol; other climbers are visible further up the slopes. (from Mountaineering)
Image 22Montes Apenninus on the Moon was formed by an impact event. (from Mountain range)
Image 23Edward Whymper (1840–1911), painting by Lance Calkin (from Mountaineering)
Image 24An alpine mire in the Swiss Alps (from Mountain)
Image 25Climbers ascending Mount Rainier looking at Little Tahoma Peak (from Mountaineering)
Image 26The Ocean Ridge, the world's longest mountain range (chain) (from Mountain range)
Image 27This 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 28The Namcha Barwa Himal, east part of the Himalayas as seen from space by Apollo 9 (from Mountain range)
Image 29The northern Urals at high latitude and elevation have an alpine climate and barren ground. (from Mountain)
Image 30The 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 31Iranian oak scrub in the Zagros Mountains (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 32Tropical montane forest at around 2,000 m in Malaysia (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 33Everest 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 34Temperate montane forest in Bavaria, Germany (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 35The city of La Paz reaches up to 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) in elevation. (from Mountain)
Image 36A subalpine lake in the Cascade Range, Washington, United States (from Montane ecosystems)
Image 37Winter campers bivouaced in the snow (from Mountaineering)
Image 38Mount Everest, Earth's highest mountain (from Mountain)
Image 39Cabane du Trient, a mountain hut in the Swiss Alps (from Mountaineering)
Image 40Car of Horská služba (Czech Republic) (from Mountain rescue)