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.
Mountain passes make use of a gap, saddle, col or notch. A topographic saddle is analogous to the mathematical concept of a saddle surface, with a saddle point marking the minimum high point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge. [2] [3] On a topographic map, passes can be identified by contour lines with an hourglass shape, which indicates a low spot between two higher points. [4] In the high mountains, a difference of 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) between the summit and the mountain[ clarification needed ] is defined as a mountain pass. [5]
Passes are often found just above the source of a river, constituting a drainage divide. A pass may be very short, consisting of steep slopes to the top of the pass, or a valley many kilometers long, whose highest point might only be identifiable by surveying.
Roads and railways have long been built through passes. Some high and rugged passes may have tunnels bored underneath a nearby mountainside, as with the Eisenhower Tunnel bypassing Loveland Pass in the Rockies, to allow faster traffic flow throughout the year.
The top of a pass is frequently the only flat ground in the area, and may be a high vantage point. In some cases this makes it a preferred site for buildings. If a national border follows the ridge of a mountain range, a pass over the mountains is typically on the border, and there may be a border control or customs station, and possibly a military post. For instance, Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border, 5,300 kilometres (3,300 mi) long, which runs north–south along the Andes mountains and includes 42 mountain passes. [6] [7]
On a road over a pass, it is customary to have a small roadside sign giving the name of the pass and its elevation above mean sea level.
Apart from offering relatively easy travel between valleys, passes also provide a route between two mountain tops with a minimum of descent. As a result, it is common for tracks to meet at a pass; this often makes them convenient routes even when travelling between a summit and the valley floor. Passes traditionally were places for trade routes, communications, cultural exchange, military expeditions etc. A typical example is the Brenner pass in the Alps.
Some mountain passes above the tree line have problems with snow drift in the winter. This might be alleviated by building the road a few meters above the ground, which will make snow blow off the road.
There are many words for pass in the English-speaking world. In the United States, pass is very common in the West, the word gap is common in the southern Appalachians, notch in parts of New England, and saddle in northern Idaho. [8] The term col, derived from Old French, is also used, particularly in Europe.
In the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas, passes are denoted by the suffix "La" in Tibetan, Ladhakhi, and several other regional languages. Examples are the Taglang La at 5,328 m (17,480 ft) on the Leh-Manali highway, and the Sia La at 5,589 m (18,337 ft) in the Eastern Karakoram range.
Scotland has the Gaelic term bealach (anglicised "balloch"), while Wales has the similar bwlch (both being insular Celtic languages). [9] [10] In the Lake District of north-west England, the term hause is often used, although the term pass is also common—one distinction is that a pass can refer to a route, as well as the highest part thereof, while a hause is simply that highest part, often flattened somewhat into a high-level plateau.
In Japan they are known as tōge, which means "pass" in Japanese. The word can also refer to narrow, winding roads that can be found in and around mountains and geographically similar areas, or specifically to a style of street racing which may take place on these roads.
There are thousands of named passes around the world, some of which are well-known, such as the Khyber Pass close to the present-day Afghanistan-Pakistan border on the ancient Silk Road, the Great St. Bernard Pass at 2,473 metres (8,114 ft) in the Alps, the Chang La at 5,360 metres (17,590 ft), the Khardung La at 5,359 metres (17,582 ft) in Ladakh, India and the Palakkad Gap at 140 metres (460 ft) in Palakkad, Kerala, India. The roads at Mana Pass at 5,610 metres (18,410 ft) and Marsimik La at 5,582 metres (18,314 ft), on and near the China–India border respectively, appear to be world's two highest motorable passes. Khunjerab Pass between Pakistan and China at 4,693 metres (15,397 ft) is also a high-altitude motorable mountain pass. One of the famous but non-motorable mountain passes is Thorong La at 5,416 metres (17,769 ft) in Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal.
Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa, is a mountain in Snowdonia, a region of North Wales. It has an elevation of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level, which makes it both the highest mountain in Wales and the highest in the British Isles south of the Scottish Highlands. Snowdon is designated a national nature reserve for its rare flora and fauna, and is located within Snowdonia National Park.
Goat Fell is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres (2,867 ft), it is one of four Corbetts on the island. The mountain, along with nearby Brodick Castle, is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.
Pillar is a mountain in the western part of the English Lake District. Situated between the valleys of Ennerdale to the north and Wasdale to the south, it is the highest point of the Pillar group. At 892 metres (2,927 ft) it is the eighth-highest mountain in the Lake District. The fell takes its name from Pillar Rock, a prominent feature on the Ennerdale side, regarded as the birthplace of rock climbing in the district.
Crib Goch is described as a "knife-edged" arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means "red ridge" in Welsh.
Tryfan is a mountain in the Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia, Wales. It forms part of the Glyderau group, and is one of the most recognisable peaks in Britain, having a classic pointed shape with rugged crags. At 917.5 metres above sea level, it is the fifteenth-highest mountain in Wales. Tryfan was voted Britain's favourite mountain by Trail magazine.
The Cobbler is an 884 metres (2,900 ft) mountain located near the head of Loch Long in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is a Corbett, and is an important site for rock climbing in the Southern Highlands. Many maps include the name Ben Arthur, but the name The Cobbler is more widely used. In the 19th century it was referred to as The Cobbler and his Wife.
The Crimea Pass is a mountain pass in North Wales, on the A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Dolwyddelan connecting the counties of Gwynedd and Conwy.
The Carneddau are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. They include the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fifteen Peaks. The range also encloses a number of lakes such as Llyn Cowlyd and Llyn Eigiau, and the Aber Falls waterfall. It is delimited by the Irish Sea to the north, the Conwy valley to the east, and by the A5 road from Betws-y-Coed to Bethesda to the south and west. The area covers nearly 200 square kilometres (80 sq mi), about 10% of the area of Snowdonia. The area is bordered by three main roads—the A55, the A5 to the south and the A470 to the east.
Thorong La or Thorung La is a mountain pass with an elevation of 5,416 metres (17,769 ft) above sea level in the Damodar Himal, north of the Annapurna Himal, in central Nepal. Thorong Ri is on the slope of Khatung Kang and Yakawa Kang are the mountains forming Thorong La. The pass is located on a trail that connects the village of Manang in the Manang District to the east, with the temple of Muktinath and the nearby village of Ranipauwa, in the Mustang District to the west. Thorong La is the highest point on the Annapurna Circuit, a 300 km (190 mi) route around the Annapurna mountain range. In addition to trekkers, the pass is regularly used by local traders.
Am Basteir is a mountain peak in the northern Cuillin range on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is 934 metres high and classed as a Munro. It forms a narrow blade of rock, which bears comparison with the Inaccessible Pinnacle in the same range.
A col in geomorphology is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks. It may also be called a gap or pass. Particularly rugged and forbidding cols in the terrain are usually referred to as notches. They are generally unsuitable as mountain passes, but are occasionally crossed by mule tracks or climbers' routes. Derived from the French col from Latin collum, "neck", the term tends to be associated more with mountain than hill ranges. The distinction with other names for breaks in mountain ridges such as saddle, wind gap or notch is not sharply defined and may vary from place to place. Many double summits are separated by prominent cols.
Sgùrr na Sgine is a mountain in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. Its height is 946 metres (3,104 ft), making it a Munro. It lies eight kilometres south of Shiel Bridge in the Glenshiel Forest, between Glen Shiel and Loch Hourn.
Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen is a mountain pass in Conwy county borough, north Wales, traversable only on foot or horseback, following the former Roman road from Caerhun (Canovium) to Caernarfon (Segontium). The route may be followed by road to Rowen or to Llanbedr-y-Cennin and from either, the way, through a mountain gate, is a clearly marked green path to Abergwyngregyn. The route lies between the peaks of Tal y Fan and Drum, in the Carneddau range in north Snowdonia. The distance from Rowen to Abergwyngregyn is about nine miles of mostly high mountain footpath. Near the Abergwyngregyn end, the route forms part of the North Wales Path.
Tilicho Lake is a glacial lake located in the Manang district of Nepal, 55 kilometres (34 mi) as the crow flies from the city of Pokhara. It is situated at an altitude of 4,919 metres (16,138 ft) in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. Another source lists the altitude of Lake Tilicho as being 4,949 metres (16,237 ft) above mean sea level. According to the Nepali Department of Hydrology & Meteorology (2003), no aquatic organism has been recorded in the lake.
Bimberi Peak or Mount Bimberi with an elevation of 1,913 metres (6,276 ft) located within the Brindabella Ranges is the highest mountain in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It is located on the border between New South Wales (NSW) and the ACT, the NSW portion in Kosciuszko National Park and the ACT portion in Namadgi National Park. It is accessible by bush walking trails and requires no specialised climbing skills, although there is no marked trail to the very summit.
The San Francisco Pass is a pass over the Andes mountains which connects Argentina and Chile. The highest point of this pass is at 4,726 m (15,505 ft) AMSL.
The Paso de Jama is a mountain pass through the Andes between Chile and Argentina, at an elevation of 4,200 m (13,800 ft) at the border. It is the northernmost road border crossing between the two countries. The pass is reached via Chile Route 27 and via National Route 52 (Argentina). The Chile Route 27 reaches an altitude according to OpenStreetMap of 4,831 metres (15,850 ft) at 23°04′21″S67°30′17″W in a road distance of 57.6 kilometres (35.8 mi) west of the border, making it one of the highest highways in South America.
The B4329 is a scenic route and a former turnpike in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. It links Eglwyswrw in the north of the county to Haverfordwest, the county town in the south, in an approximately southwesterly direction, crossing the Preseli Mountains. It links to the A487 trunk road at both its northern and southern ends.
The Pichachén Pass is a pass over the Andes mountains that connects Argentina and Chile. The border crossing between Argentina and Chile is at 2,060 m (6,760 ft) AMSL.
Bealach (mountain-pass)
The word Bwlch is used in Welsh not only to signify a pass or easy route over a ridge, usually a depression between higher ground on either side, but also ...
The word Bwlch is used in Welsh not only to signify a pass or easy route over a ridge, usually a depression between higher ground on either side, but also ...
Media related to Mountain passes at Wikimedia Commons
