A spur is a lateral ridge or tongue of land descending from a
hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct Summit (topography), summit.
Terminology
The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally con ...
,
mountain
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 (topography), summit area, and ...
or main crest of a
ridge
A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...
. It can also be defined as another hill or
mountain range
A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have arise ...
which projects in a lateral direction from a main hill or mountain range.
Examples of spurs include:
*
Abbott Spur
The Royal Society Range () is a mountain range in Victoria Land, Antarctica. With its summit at , the massive Mount Lister forms the highest point in this range. Mount Lister is located along the western shore of McMurdo Sound between the Koet ...
, which separates the lower ends of
Rutgers Glacier
Rutgers Glacier () is a steep glacier on the west side of the Royal Society Range in the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. Rutgers Glacier descends southwest from Johns Hopkins Ridge and Mount Rucker to enter the Skelton Glacier. Abbott Spur separat ...
and
Allison Glacier
Allison Glacier () is an ice stream on the west side of Heard Island in the southern Indian Ocean. Allison Glacier flows from Big Ben massif down to the sea to the south of Cape Gazert.
To the north of Allison Glacier is Vahsel Glacier, whose ...
on the west side of the
Royal Society Range
The Royal Society Range () is a mountain range in Victoria Land, Antarctica. With its summit at , the massive Mount Lister forms the highest point in this range. Mount Lister is located along the western shore of McMurdo Sound between the Koett ...
in
Victoria Land
Victoria Land is a region in eastern Antarctica which fronts the western side of the Ross Sea and the Ross Ice Shelf, extending southward from about 70°30'S to 78°00'S, and westward from the Ross Sea to the edge of the Antarctic Plateau. It ...
,
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...
*
Boott Spur
Boott Spur is a minor peak located in Coos County, New Hampshire. The mountain is named after Francis Boott (1792–1863), and is part of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Boott Spur stands on the shoulder of Mount Washington, abo ...
, a subpeak of
Mount Washington
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.
The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
*
Kaweah Peaks Ridge
Kaweah Peaks Ridge is a spur of the Great Western Divide, a sub-range of California's Sierra Nevada.
The ridge is located in Sequoia National Park and is composed of mostly rugged and loose metamorphic rock.
Named mountains
There are severa ...
, a spur of the
Great Western Divide
The Great Western Divide is a Sierra Nevada mountain range that forms part of the border between the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. Some of the summits of the Great Western Divide reach well over . The High Sierra Trail crosses the ra ...
, a sub-range of
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
's
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...
*
Kelley Spur Kelley Spur is a rock spur east of Spear Spur on the south side of Dufek Massif in the Pensacola Mountains of Antarctica. It was mapped by the United States Geological Survey from surveys and United States Navy air photos, 1956–66, and was named ...
, east of
Spear Spur Spear Spur is a rock spur 3 nautical miles (6 km) east of Clinton Spur and 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) west of Kelley Spur, on the south side of Dufek Massif, Pensacola Mountains. Mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) from surveys ...
on the south side of
Dufek Massif
Dufek Massif, Augusto Pinochet Massif or Santa Teresita Massif is a rugged, largely snow-covered massif long, standing west of the Forrestal Range in the northern part of the Pensacola Mountains. It was discovered and photographed on January 13, 1 ...
in the
Pensacola Mountains
The Pensacola Mountains are a large group of mountain ranges of the Transantarctic Mountains System, located in the Queen Elizabeth Land region of Antarctica.
Geography
They extend 450 km (280 mi) in a NE-SW direction. Subranges of the ...
, Antarctica
*
Geneva Spur
The Geneva Spur, named Eperon des Genevois and has also been called the Saddle Rib "Chapter Two ..Saddle Rib" is a geological feature on Mount Everestit is a large rock buttress near the summits of Everest and Lhotse. The Geneva spur is above C ...
on
Mount Everest
Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
*
Sperrin Mountains
The Sperrins or Sperrin Mountains () are a range of mountains in Northern Ireland and one of the largest upland areas in Northern Ireland. The range stretches from Strabane eastwards to Slieve Gallion in Desertmartin and north towards Limavady ...
in
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
''Golden Light in the Sperrins, Spurs and Geography''
at panoramicireland.com. Accessed on 31 Jan 2020.
See also
*Draw
Draw, drawing, draws, or drawn may refer to:
Common uses
* Draw (terrain), a terrain feature formed by two parallel ridges or spurs with low ground in between them
* Drawing (manufacturing), a process where metal, glass, or plastic or anything ...
or re-entrant, the low ground between two spurs
*Spur castle
A spur castle is a type of medieval fortification that is sited on a spur of a hill or mountain for defensive purposes. Ideally, it would be protected on three sides by steep hillsides; the only vulnerable side being that where the spur joins the ...
References
Landforms
{{Topography-stub