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). (Full article...)

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Fluvial terraces are elongated terraces that flank the sides of floodplains and fluvial valleys all over the world. They consist of a relatively level strip of land, called a "tread", separated from either an adjacent floodplain, other fluvial terraces, or uplands by distinctly steeper strips of land called "risers". These terraces lie parallel to and above the river channel and its floodplain. Because of the manner in which they form, fluvial terraces are underlain by fluvial sediments of highly variable thickness. River terraces are the remnants of earlier floodplains that existed at a time when either a stream or river was flowing at a higher elevation before its channel downcut to create a new floodplain at a lower elevation. Changes in elevation can be due to changes in the base level (elevation of the lowest point in the fluvial system, usually the drainage basin) of the fluvial system, which leads to headward erosion along the length of either a stream or river, gradually lowering its elevation. For example, downcutting by a river can lead to increased velocity of a tributary, causing that tributary to erode toward its headwaters. Terraces can also be left behind when the volume of the fluvial flow declines due to changes in climate, typical of areas which were covered by ice during periods of glaciation, and their adjacent drainage basins. (Full article...)

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Location of Korab

Korab (Albanian: Maja e Korabit or Mali i Korabit; Macedonian: Голем Кораб, lit. 'Great Korab') is the highest peak of the eponymous mountain range and the fourth-highest mountain located entirely in the Balkan Peninsula, standing at 2,764 metres (9,068 feet).

Situated on the border between the two countries, Korab is the highest peak of both Albania and North Macedonia and is also one of only two summits in Europe to be the highest point for more than one country. It is also the 18th most prominent mountain peak in Europe and the third on the Balkan Peninsula. (Full article...)

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A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more viscous lava erupted from a stratovolcano. Repeated eruptions result in the steady accumulation of broad sheets of lava, building up the shield volcano's distinctive form.

Shield volcanoes are found wherever fluid, low-silica lava reaches the surface of a rocky planet. However, they are most characteristic of ocean island volcanism associated with hot spots or with continental rift volcanism. They include the largest active volcanoes on Earth, such as Mauna Loa. Giant shield volcanoes are found on other planets of the Solar System, including Olympus Mons on Mars and Sapas Mons on Venus. (Full article...)

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Selected climbing article

Spotting is a technique used in climbing, especially in bouldering, where the climbers are close to the ground and ropes are not normally used. The spotter stands below the climber, with arms raised or at the ready. If the climber falls, the spotter does not catch the climber, but redirects the climber's fall to land safely on a bouldering mat. At the very least the spotter ensures that the climber's head and back do not strike the ground directly. If the climber jumps down, the spotter can also help prevent stumbles and injuries on uneven ground. The spotter should stand with fingers together (known as "using spoons") to avoid broken fingers.

A spotter should always be used for accident prevention. A climbing spotter will typically stand with arms held up with hands in a supporting position for more or less vertical climbs. If the climber falls, the spotter's hands lightly hold the climber's hips or lower back, near the climber's center of gravity. This allows the spotter to help guide the climber's fall effectively, helping keep the center of gravity over the feet. When on steeper, past vertical climbs, the spotter will hold the climber's arms out in a cradling position. If the climber falls, the spotter supports the upper and middle back, helping the climber land on his or her feet. (Full article...)

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General images

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

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

Selected skiing article

A lift ticket or lift pass is an identifier usually attached to a skier's or snowboarder's outerwear that indicates they have paid and can ride on the ski lift(s) that transport people and equipment up or down a mountain. (Full article...)

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