If I said to you I had a bit of trouble in a couloir, or a nasty fright looking up a chimney you may think I had gone a bit crazy and yes some people tell me this anyway.
There are many terms to describe mountain terrain and here are a few that you may find interesting
arête – a narrow ridge
avalanche - previously stationary snow, rock, or both moves down a mountain
cairn - pile of rock, wood or both used to mark a route or route junction
chimney – narrow vertical gully in rock or ice just large enough to climb
cirque – steep walled feature resembling an amphitheatre
col – depression in a mountain range. Similar to a pass but not necessarily able to be crossed
cornice – overhanging mass of snow or ice on a ridge, shaped like a crest or wave. Very dangerous to climb along
couloir – gully or furrow on a mountain usually filled with snow and ice
crevasse – a fissure in a glacier, often of great depth
cwm – an enclosed valley on the side of a hill. A Welsh word similar to corrie or a cirque
krummholz – small weathered trees at treeline / also ‘elfin tree’
moraine - random accumulation of boulders, rocks, scree and sand carried down the mountain and deposited by a glacier.
notch – same as saddle
pass – low point where you can cross between two peaks
saddle (& col or low Point) - The lowest point of elevation between two peaks. A col more often refers to a low point between two lesser points, for example, a low point in a ridge. Saddles and cols are common waypoints in routes because routes often follow the low ground.
scree – slope of small loose stone
serac - ice stack or tower that may be unstable
snow bridge - a layer of snow or ice covering a crevasse or river
spur: A rock or snow rib on a mountain; a lateral ridge.
step – vertical or steep rise on a mountain
talus: An accumulation of rock larger than scree that has fallen to its location. The presence and amount of talus should be considered when crossing a slope or climbing the pitch above it.
If you would like to add to this list please let me know
Bancroft Mountain in the Front Range - Colorado 2008
