Tag Archives: Mountain

Dolomites

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Dolomites

Take in a deep breath of mountain air at the Dolomites.

  • The Dolomites is a mountainous region located in Italy’s northeast, in Europe, and it is part of the Southern Limestone Alps.
  • The ‘Dolomites’, or ‘Dolomiti’ in Italian, are also known as the ‘Dolomite Mountains’ and ‘Pale Mountains’, the latter translated from the Italian term ‘Monti Pallidi’.
  • The Dolomites cover an area totaling 1,419 square kilometres (548 square miles) and includes nine mountain ranges.
  • At least 18 peaks of the Dolomites, have an elevation greater than 3,000 metres (9,843 feet).
  • The Dolomites are often noted for their picturesque scenery, from their rocky wall faces, glacial peaks and lush forests and plains.
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Part of the Dolomites
Image courtesy of Navin/Flickr
  • The Dolomites were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, and the mountain region features numerous nature reserves.
  • At an elevation of 3,343 metres (10,968 feet), Punta Penia, of the Marmolada range, is the tallest peak of the Dolomites.
  • The light grey rocks of the Dolomites are mostly sedimentary rock, such as limestone, as well as dolomite, which the mountains are named after, and the area is renowned for its quantity and quality of fossil reef specimens.
  • Various sporting activities can be undertaken in the Dolomites’ region, including mountain climbing, skiing, cycling, paragliding and hiking.
  • The Dolomites area was a battlefield during the course of World War I, with fighting going on between Austro-Hungary and Italy; and evidence of the war can still be seen in the region.
Bibliography:
The Dolomites, 2016, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1237
Dolomites, 2016, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomites
The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, n.d, Dolomite Mountains, http://www.dolomitemountains.com/en/dolomite_mountains/about_the_dolomites.htm
The Dolomites, 2010, UNESCO World Heritage, http://www.dolomitemountains.com/res/download/pdf/34_en.pdf

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Mount Etna

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Mount Etna

Mount Etna is explosive tonight!

  • Mount Etna is a volcanic mountain found near Sicily’s coast, in Italy, Europe, that actively erupts in a stratovolcanic way.
  • Mount Etna reaches approximately 3,330 metres (10,925 feet) in height, taking the position of being Europe’s most elevated active volcano.
  • Mount Etna became a national park area in 1987, and in mid 2013, the main part of the volcano was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Mount Etna spreads 1,190 square kilometres (459 square miles) in area, and is 140 kilometres (87 miles) in circumference.
  • ‘Mount Etna’ is also known as ‘Mongibello’ or ‘Montebello’ and ‘Mungibeddu’ in Italian and Sicilian respectively, as well as ‘Muntagna’.
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Mount Etna
Image courtesy of Dennis Jarvis/Flickr
  • In 2008, Mount Etna had five primary craters and at least 300 side vents that have been used in the past to eject eruptions; while parts of the mountain have collapsed on a number of occasions.
  • The name ‘Mount Etna’ probably originates from either ‘attuna’ or ‘aithō’, meaning ‘furnace’ in Phoenician or ‘I burn’ in Greek respectively, and the volcano features prominently in Greek mythology and literature.
  • Records of Mount Etna eruptions date back thousands of years, and there have been numerous significant eruptions, including many in the last hundred years.
  • Mount Etna is the one of the most popular tourist areas in Sicily, and it can be either hiked or driven up using suitable vehicles, and it is also a leading site of volcanic research.
  • Mount Etna is surrounded by numerous communities, that, in the event of an eruption, are generally protected from lava flow using diversion tactics that include deposits, explosives and holes.
Bibliography:
Mount Etna, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Etna
Mount Etna, 2015, BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/earth/collections/mount_etna
Mount Etna, 2015, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1427

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Selkirk Mountains

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Selkirk Mountains

Welcome to the not so Scottish, Selkirk Mountains.

  • Selkirk Mountains is a range of mountains located in Canada’s British Columbia and the United State’s Idaho and Washington states, and it is made primarily of granite rock and forms part of the Columbia Mountains group.
  • Selkirk Mountains cover a distance of 525 kilometres (326 miles) and are 175 kilometres (109 miles) in width.
  • The Selkirk Mountains are named after the 5th Earl of Selkirk, Thomas Douglas, a Scottish nobleman, who purchased land in Canada and helped to colonise some areas with poor Scottish farmers.
  • The peak of Mount Sir Sandford is the highest point of Selkirk Mountains, at 3,519 metres (11,545 feet) above sea level.
  • A number of valuable metals or stone deposits have been found in some areas of the Selkirk Mountains, including coal, copper, mercury, zinc, silver, marble and gold, while the latter was discovered in the mid 1800s.
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Part of Selkirk Mountains
Image courtesy of Jesse Taylor/Flickr
  • A major obstacle of the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway was the Selkirk Mountains; and a pass through the mountains was discovered by American surveyor, Albert Rogers in 1881, and as a result the pass was named ‘Rogers Pass’.
  • Selkirk Mountains is the home to much wildlife, including woodland caribou, deer, bears, eagles, herons, wolves, moose, foxes and bobcats, while vegetation and trees such as conifers and cedars are prominent.
  • Selkirk Mountains are predominately cared for and managed by the Idaho Panhandle National Forest agency.
  • Selkirk Mountains have been previously inhabited by native American Indians of the tribe, the Lower Kootenai.
  • Selkirk Mountains are the home to many sights including 76 lakes, such as the very clear Priest Lake, and numerous mountain peaks, including 30 that are over 2133 metres (7,000 feet) high.
Bibliography:
Selkirk Mountains, 2014, The Free Dictionary, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Selkirk+Mountains
Selkirk Mountains, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkirk_Mountains
Selkirk Range, 2013, SummitPost.org, http://www.summitpost.org/selkirk-range/171132

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Mount Ararat

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Mount Ararat

Mount Ararat, the tallest peak in Turkey.

  • Mount Ararat is a stratovolcanic mountain and the most elevated peak in Turkey, West Asia, and is part of the Armenian Highlands.
  • Mount Ararat consists of two peaks, the ‘Greater’ and the ‘Lesser’, reaching 5,137 metres (16,854 feet) and 3,896 metres (12,782 feet) in height respectively.
  • ‘Mount Ararat’ is also known as ‘Ağri Daği’, ‘Çiyayê Agirî’ and ‘Kuh-e-Nuh’, meaning ‘Mountain of Ağri’, ‘Fiery Mountain’ and ‘Noah’s Mountain’ respectively, and it is also called ‘Masis’,
  • The main peak of Mount Ararat is always covered in ice and snow that begins at an elevation of 4,800 metres (15,750 feet), and is likely to increase the peak’s height.
  • Mount Ararat is said to have last erupted in 1840 after an earthquake, although the history of its eruptions is uncertain, and specimens found in the area have been dated back to the Bronze Age.Mount Ararat, Mountain, Volcano, Stratovolcano, Snow, Mist, Turkey, Landform, Ten Random Facts
Mount Ararat
Image courtesy of Arthur Chapman/Flickr
  • The first climb to the summit of Mount Ararat during the modern age was in 1829 by naturalist Dr Friedrich Parrot, a German, also known as Johann Jacob von Parrot, who was accompanied by Khachatur Abovian, an Armenian.
  • Mount Ararat is often described as the final resting place of Noah’s Ark that is depicted in the Bible, and there have been many expeditions to the area for the purpose of finding evidence.
  • Climbing Mount Ararat can only be achieved once a permit has been obtained from the government, and a qualified guide has been secured.
  • Mount Ararat is Armenia’s national symbol and in Armenian mythology, it is the home of the mythical gods and a sacred place.
  • The lower parts of Mount Ararat are the home to juniper trees and fields of grass, often used for sheep breeding; and a monastery and village were constructed on the mountain although these were destroyed in the 1840 avalanche, however, some buildings were rebuilt.
Bibliography:
Mount Ararat, 2014, All About Turkey, http://www.allaboutturkey.com/ararat.htm
Mount Ararat, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Ararat
Mount Ararat, n.d, Encyclopaedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/32131/Mount-Ararat

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Mount Kilimanjaro

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Mount Kilimanjaro

Mount Kilimanjaro… not for the faint and weary!

  • Mount Kilimanjaro is a volcano mountain with three volcanic peaks, Mawenzi, Shira and Kibo, and the first two are extinct, while Kibo is dormant, and is located in Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania, Africa.
  • At 5,895 metres (19,341 feet), Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest African mountain and highest mountain that is free-standing on earth, as well as one of the largest volcanoes.
  • The name ‘Kilimanjaro’ of ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’ is often regarded to mean ‘Mountain of Greatness’, although ‘Kilima’ means ‘hill’,  while it also could be called ‘Mountain of Caravans’ or ‘Mountain of Light’, and is often spelt incorrectly as ‘Mount Kilamanjaro’.
  • The summit of Mount Kilimanjaro was first climbed successfully by German Hans Meyer, a geologist, and Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller, a mountaineer, and their team in 1889.
  • Mount Kilimanjaro covers an area of around 388,000 hectares (958,000 acres), and its summit can be reached by 7 official paths, taking around 5 to 8 days.
Mount Kilimanjaro, kibo peak, Africa, second mountain, ice, snow, volcano, Ten Random Facts
Mount Kilimanjaro
Image courtesy of Pius Mahimbi/Flickr
  • It is said that 6 to 8 people die on Mount Kilimanjaro every year, often caused by heart attacks, hypothermia, or altitude sickness.
  • Mount Kilimanjaro is the native home of the giant groundsel plant, among other vegetation found on the mountain, and in the forest areas, although seen rarely, there are honey badgers, primates, leopards, bush pigs, rodents, birds and bugs.
  •  Mount Kilimanjaro’s peak was originally covered by a glacier, although over 80% has melted, and it is said that the ice will possibly disappear by 2022 to 2033.
  • Mount Kilimanjaro is visited by approximately 35,000 people every year, and while no special skills are necessary to climb the mountain, many thousands never reach the summit due to altitude sickness, not being properly equipped, and lack of fitness.
  • In 2010, Spanish 22 year old Kilian Jornet became the record holder for the fastest two way climb of Mount Kilimanjaro, and completed the round trip in 6 hours and 29 minutes.
Bibliography:
Background Information on Kilimanjaro, n.d, Climb Mount Kilimanjaro, http://www.climbmountkilimanjaro.com/kilimanjaro-conquered.html
Mount Kilimanjaro, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Kilimanjaro

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Mount Everest

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Mount Everest

A very, very, very, very large mountain.

  • Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world and its highest peak is 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level.
  • Mount Everest is located in the Himalayas and Everest’s peak is on the border of Nepal and China.
  • Mount Everest was named by Andrew Waugh, a Surveyor General of India, and the Royal Geographic Society, after Sir George Everest, Waugh’s predecessor, who actually opposed the idea.
  • The traditional name of Mount Everest is ‘Qomolangma’, sometimes spelled ‘Chomolungma’, in Tibetan, meaning ‘Holy Mother’, and ‘Zhumulangma’ or ‘Shengmu Feng’ in Chinese.
  • The first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953, and they were part of the 9th British expedition.

Mount Everest, Asia, China, Tibet, Snowy, Cloudy, Scenary, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Mount Everest
Image courtesy of Bartmani/Flickr
  • On Mount Everest , the small black jumping spider, Euophrys omnisuperstes and a type of moss has been found at heights of 6,700 meters (22,000 feet) and 6,480 meters (21,260 feet) respectively.
  • Five thousand kilograms of rubbish has been removed from Mount Everest, on expeditions organised by climber Apa Sherpa.
  • There is very low oxygen at heights of 8000 meters (26,000 feet) or higher which makes it necessary for most climbers to use oxygen masks.
  • By the end of 2010, there were 5104 climbs of Mount Everest by 3142 people, and over 75% of these were in the last ten years (2001-2010).
  • In 1996, 15 people died whilst climbing Mount Everest; the most in one year, and 8 of those died in one day.
Bibliography:
Mount Everest, 2013 Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest>
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