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Mountain pass

May 04, 2023

For the mine, see Mountain Pass mine. For the town, see Mountain Pass, California.

A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented 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.

A mountain pass as it appears on a contour map: Bwlch Maesgwm in Snowdonia, north Wales, United Kingdom.[1]

Overview

 
Idealised mountain pass represented as the green line; the saddle point is in red.

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 highest point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge.[2][3] On a topographic map, passes are characterized 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 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 have long been built through passes, as well as railways more recently. 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 is a high vantage point. In some cases this makes it a preferred site for buildings. If a national border follows 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 as well. For instance Argentina and Chile share the world's third-longest international border, 5,300 kilometres (3,300 mi) long. The border runs north–south along the Andes mountains, with a total of 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.

Synonyms

 
Col between Kensgriff and Yarlsidine in the Howgill Fells, England

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, or 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.

Around the world

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), and the Khardung La at 5,359 metres (17,582 ft) in Ladakh, 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.

Gallery

See also

  • List of mountain passes
  • Defile – Narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills
  • Water gap – opening or notch which flowing water has carved through a mountain range
  • Wind gap – Topographic gap made by a former waterway

References

Notes

  1. ^ 53°4′52.8″N 4°7′57″W / 53.081333°N 4.13250°W / 53.081333; -4.13250, height contours from SRTM data.
  2. ^ Eberhart 2004, p. 232.
  3. ^ Bishop & Shroder 2004, pp. 86–87.
  4. ^ Harvey & Simer 1999, p. 185.
  5. ^ Bishop & Shroder 2004, p. 103.
  6. ^ (in Spanish). Gendarmería Nacional Argentina. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  7. ^ (in Spanish). Gendarmería Nacional Argentina. Archived from the original on 2007-07-18. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  8. ^ Map showing "saddle" names in Idaho
  9. ^ Nicolson, A. (1945). Modern Gaelic: A Basic Grammar. A. Maclaren. p. 28. Retrieved 18 January 2021. Bealach (mountain-pass)
  10. ^ The Geology of Snowdonia – A Collection of Historical Articles on the Physical Features of the Peaks of Snowdonia. City: Read Books Limited. 2013. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-4733-9043-0. Retrieved 18 January 2021. 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 ...

Bibliography

  • Bishop, Michael P.; Shroder, John F. (2004). Geographic Information Science and Mountain Geomorphology. Berlin New York: Springer Publishing. pp. 86–87. ISBN 978-3-540-42640-0. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  • Eberhart, Mark E. (2004). Why Things Break: Understanding the World by the Way it Comes Apart. New York: Random House, Harmony Books. p. 232. ISBN 978-1-4000-4883-0. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  • Harvey, Mark William Thornton; Simer, Peter (1999). The National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness Guide: The Classic Handbook. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 185. ISBN 978-0-684-85909-5. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  • The Geology of Snowdonia – A Collection of Historical Articles on the Physical Features of the Peaks of Snowdonia. City: Read Books Limited. 2013. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-4733-9043-0. Retrieved 18 January 2021. 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 ...

External links

  •   Media related to Mountain passes at Wikimedia Commons

May 04, 2023
mountain, pass, mine, mountain, pass, mine, town, mountain, pass, california, mountain, pass, navigable, route, through, mountain, range, over, ridge, since, many, world, mountain, ranges, have, presented, formidable, barriers, travel, passes, have, played, ro. For the mine see Mountain Pass mine For the town see Mountain Pass California A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge Since many of the world s mountain ranges have presented 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 Sani Pass in Mokhotlong Lesotho A mountain pass as it appears on a contour map Bwlch Maesgwm in Snowdonia north Wales United Kingdom 1 Contents 1 Overview 2 Synonyms 3 Around the world 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksOverview Edit Idealised mountain pass represented as the green line the saddle point is in red 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 highest point between two valleys and the lowest point along a ridge 2 3 On a topographic map passes are characterized 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 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 have long been built through passes as well as railways more recently 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 is a high vantage point In some cases this makes it a preferred site for buildings If a national border follows 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 as well For instance Argentina and Chile share the world s third longest international border 5 300 kilometres 3 300 mi long The border runs north south along the Andes mountains with a total of 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 Synonyms Edit Col between Kensgriff and Yarlsidine in the Howgill Fells England 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 or 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 Around the world EditThere 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 and the Khardung La at 5 359 metres 17 582 ft in Ladakh 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 Gallery Edit Stelvio Pass in the Alps Italy Agua Negra Pass between Argentina and Chile The Bealach na Ba linking Applecross in the Scottish North west Highlands Dead Woman s Pass on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru Pass in Tatras Ornak Poland Zadielska tiesnava Pass in Slovak Karst Slovakia Trail from Manang to Mustang via Thorong La pass Nepal Winding road below Shingo La in Himachal Pradesh India Crawford Notch in New Hampshire U S See also Edit Mountains portal Geography portalList of mountain passes Defile Narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills Water gap opening or notch which flowing water has carved through a mountain rangePages displaying wikidata descriptions as a fallback Wind gap Topographic gap made by a former waterwayReferences EditNotes Edit 53 4 52 8 N 4 7 57 W 53 081333 N 4 13250 W 53 081333 4 13250 height contours from SRTM data Eberhart 2004 p 232 Bishop amp Shroder 2004 pp 86 87 Harvey amp Simer 1999 p 185 Bishop amp Shroder 2004 p 103 Principales Pasos Nacionales e Internacionales Estado de los Pasos Fronterizos in Spanish Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina Archived from the original on 28 March 2010 Retrieved 4 March 2010 Pasos Chile in Spanish Gendarmeria Nacional Argentina Archived from the original on 2007 07 18 Retrieved 4 March 2010 Map showing saddle names in Idaho Nicolson A 1945 Modern Gaelic A Basic Grammar A Maclaren p 28 Retrieved 18 January 2021 Bealach mountain pass The Geology of Snowdonia A Collection of Historical Articles on the Physical Features of the Peaks of Snowdonia City Read Books Limited 2013 p 45 ISBN 978 1 4733 9043 0 Retrieved 18 January 2021 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 Bibliography Edit Bishop Michael P Shroder John F 2004 Geographic Information Science and Mountain Geomorphology Berlin New York Springer Publishing pp 86 87 ISBN 978 3 540 42640 0 Retrieved 6 November 2010 Eberhart Mark E 2004 Why Things Break Understanding the World by the Way it Comes Apart New York Random House Harmony Books p 232 ISBN 978 1 4000 4883 0 Retrieved 6 November 2010 Harvey Mark William Thornton Simer Peter 1999 The National Outdoor Leadership School Wilderness Guide The Classic Handbook New York Simon amp Schuster p 185 ISBN 978 0 684 85909 5 Retrieved 6 November 2010 The Geology of Snowdonia A Collection of Historical Articles on the Physical Features of the Peaks of Snowdonia City Read Books Limited 2013 p 45 ISBN 978 1 4733 9043 0 Retrieved 18 January 2021 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 External links Edit Media related to Mountain passes at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mountain pass amp oldid 1152229012, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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