Three-thousanders are
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 area, and is usually higher t ...
s with a height of between , but less than
above sea level
Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as '' orthometric heights''.
The ...
. Similar terms are commonly used for mountains of other height brackets e. g.
four-thousanders or
eight-thousander
The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...
s. In Britain, the term may refer to mountains above .
Climatological significance
In temperate latitudes three-thousanders play an important role, because even in summer they lie below the zero degree line for weeks. Thus the chains of three-thousanders always form important climatic divides and support glaciation - in the Alps the contour is roughly the general limit of the "nival step"; only a few glaciated mountains are under (the
Dachstein, the easternmost glaciated mountain in the Alps, is, at , not a three-thousander). In the Mediterranean, however, the three-thousanders remain free of ice and, in the tropics, they are almost insignificant from a climatic perspective; here the
snow line
The climatic snow line is the boundary between a snow-covered and snow-free surface. The actual snow line may adjust seasonally, and be either significantly higher in elevation, or lower. The permanent snow line is the level above which snow wil ...
lies at around to , and in the dry continental areas (Trans-Himalayas, Andes) it may be up to high.
Alpinism
The designation "three-thousander" is often used for
touristic
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...
reasons where only a few individual
summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous.
The term (mountain top) is generally used only for a m ...
s exceed this height – e. g. in the
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps (; officially Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana) is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the range's western side. The name "Souther ...
, in the eastern part of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, in the
Limestone Alps, in the
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
or the rest of
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...
. For example, the
Parseierspitze in the
Lechtal Alps at is the only three-thousander in the
Northern Limestone Alps
The Northern Limestone Alps (german: Nördliche Kalkalpen), also called the Northern Calcareous Alps, are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located in Austria and the adjacent Bavarian lands of southeastern Germany ...
.
In the Alps or Pyrenees, expeditions to areas of over , with their often steep mountainsides and sudden changes in weather conditions, require
mountaineers to have considerable experience and weatherproof equipment, which distinguishes them from ascents of many two-thousanders.
The term "easy three-thousander" (''Leichte Dreitausender'')
or "Hikable three-thousander" (''Wanderdreitausender'') describes mountains above with routes that do not pose any particular challenges. Typical "easy" three-thousanders, for example, include the
Piz Boe () in South Tyrol, which is an hour's walk from the Pordoi Cable Car, or the high
Piz Umbrail
Piz Umbrail (3,033 m) is a mountain of the Ortler Alps, south of the Umbrail Pass (2,503 m), located on the border between Lombardy (Italy) and Graubünden ( Switzerland).
The mountain surface is partly of rubble and partly covered by grass ...
, accessible from the
Umbrail Pass. Amongst the highest easy three-thousanders in the Alps are the
Üsser Barrhorn () in the
Wallis Alps and the
Monte Vioz (, southern
Ortler Alps
The Ortler Alps ( it, Ortles-Cevedale ; german: Ortler-Alpen; rm, Alps da l'Ortler) are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps mountain group in the Central Eastern Alps, in Italy and Switzerland.
Geography
The Ortler Alps are separat ...
).
[
] For ascents of these mountains the main risk is the lack of
acclimatisation at these heights. The highest technically accessible three-thousanders in the Alps (and also the highest cable cars in Europe) are the
Klein Matterhorn () near Zermatt and the
Aiguille du Midi () on Mont Blanc.
Alps
The easternmost three-thousanders in the Alps are in the Hafner Group in the east of the
High Tauern
The High Tauern (pl.; german: Hohe Tauern, it, Alti Tauri) are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian states of S ...
(from west to east:
Großer Hafner
Großer Hafner is a high partly- glaciated mountain of the Ankogel Group in the High Tauern range, located at the border between the Austrian states of Carinthia and Salzburg. It is the easternmost three-thousander peak (with at least promine ...
, Lanischhafner , Lanischeck , Großer or
Malteiner Sonnblick , and Mittlerer Sonnblick ). The northernmost 3,000ers are in the northern chains of the
High Tauern
The High Tauern (pl.; german: Hohe Tauern, it, Alti Tauri) are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian states of S ...
,
Zillertal
The Ziller Valley (german: Zillertal) is a valley in Tyrol, Austria that is drained by the Ziller River. It is the widest valley south of the Inn Valley (german: Inntal) and lends its name to the Zillertal Alps, the strongly glaciated section of ...
,
Ötztal, and
Stubai Alps
The Stubai Alps (in German ''Stubaier Alpen'') is a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps of Europe. It derives its name from the Stubaital valley to its east and is located southwest of Innsbruck, Austria. Several peaks form the border bet ...
(as well as the Parseierspitze in the
Lechtal Alps). The southernmost 3,000ers are on the main chain of the
Maritime Alps
The Maritime Alps (french: Alpes Maritimes ; it, Alpi Marittime ) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the regions of France, French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the regions of Italy ...
(Argentara Group), the
Mercantour and the Pelat Group with about a dozen main peaks over above sea level.
[Zusammenstellung in ]
Vanoise Groups
' and
Haute Provence Groups
', both at summitpost.org In the eastern Alps the southern boundary lies in the
Bergamo Alps
The Bergamasque Alps or Bergamo Alps (Italian: ''Alpi Orobie'', sometimes translated into English as Orobic Alps) are a mountain range in the Italian Alps. They are located in northern Lombardy and named after the city Bergamo, south of the mount ...
(3 main summits),
[ Alpi Orobie: Vette, Italian Wikipedia] of the
Adamello–Presanella Group (about a dozen)
[ Gruppo dell'Adamello: Cime principali, Italian Wikipedia] and the
Dolomites
The Dolomites ( it, Dolomiti ; Ladin: ''Dolomites''; german: Dolomiten ; vec, Dołomiti : fur, Dolomitis), also known as the Dolomite Mountains, Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps, are a mountain range located in northeastern Italy. They form pa ...
(about 50 peaks).
[ Dolomiti: Le vette più alte, Italian Wikipedia] So the ranges of the Alps that contain mountains over the 3,000 m mark comprise roughly two thirds of the area, the 3,000er zone in the Western Alps coming much closer to the edge of the Alpin region than in the Eastern Alps with their extensive system of foothills. The easternmost 3,000er is over from the Pannonian Alpine perimeter, the westernmost only about from the
Rhone valley. A large part of this sensitive, high Alpine region is protected by conservation areas, but it also forms the touristic heart of the Alps.
Switzerland,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
have many hundreds of Alpine peaks over 3,000 metres. Germany's
Zugspitze
The Zugspitze (), at above sea level, is the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains as well as the highest mountain in Germany. It lies south of the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and the Austria–Germany border runs over its western su ...
, at , just falls below the line, whilst
Slovenia
Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...
's
Triglav
Triglav (; german: Terglau; it, Tricorno), with an elevation of , is the highest mountain in Slovenia and the highest peak of the Julian Alps. The mountain is the pre-eminent symbol of the Slovene nation. It is the centrepiece of Triglav Nat ...
is well under it.
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German language, German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constit ...
, despite being the only country lying entirely within the Alps, has no 3,000ers on its territory.
Rest of Europe
Apart from the Alps, the dominant range in Europe – if one excludes the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia (country), Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range ...
, which otherwise, in
Mount Elbrus (5,642 m), would have the highest mountain in the continent – only the following ranges have three-thousanders:
*
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
:
Pico de Aneto
Aneto (''pic d'Aneto'' in French language, French, formerly ''pic de Néthou'') is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees and in Aragon, and Spain's third-highest mountain, reaching a height of . It stands in the Spanish province of Huesca (provi ...
(3,404m),
Pico Posets (3,375m),
Monte Perdido
Monte Perdido (in Spanish; Mont Perdu in French; Mont Perdito in Aragonese;all four meaning ''lost mountain'') is the third highest mountain in the Pyrenees. The summit of Monte Perdido (3355 m), located in Spain, lies hidden from France by ...
(3,355m),
Vignemale
The Vignemale (; Occitan: ''Vinhamala'', Aragonese: ''Comachibosa'', Catalan: ''Vinyamala''), at 3,298 metres, is the highest of the French Pyrenean summits (the highest in the whole of the range is Pic d' Aneto). It lies on the border between ...
(3,298m),
Pica d'Estats (3,143m). The
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
have more than two hundred three-thousanders
[Pyrenäen](_blank)
Vuelta Rad- und Wandertouren (www.vuelta.de)
*
Baetic Ranges
The Baetic System or Betic System ( es, Sistema Bético) is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in Spain. Located in the southern and eastern Iberian Peninsula, it is also known as the Cordilleras Béticas (Baetic Mountain Ranges) or Baet ...
-
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 primari ...
:
Mulhacén (3,482 m, highest in southwest Europe),
Veleta (3,392m), with a good dozen three-thousander massifs.
Ski-Durchquerung Sierra Nevada-Nationalpark
Abanico Individuell Reisen (www.abanico-reisen.de)
* Mount Etna
Mount Etna, or simply Etna ( it, Etna or ; scn, Muncibbeḍḍu or ; la, Aetna; grc, Αἴτνα and ), is an active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, in the Metropolitan City of Catania, between the cities of Messina a ...
Sicily, Italy, 3,329m
Musala
Musala ( bg, Мусала ); from Arabic through Ottoman Turkish: from '' Musalla'', "near God" or "place for prayer" is the highest peak in the Rila Mountains, as well as in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula, standing at .
With a top ...
at 2,925 m, the highest mountain in southern Europe (i.e. excluding the Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula (),
**
* Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica''
**
**
* french: Péninsule Ibérique
* mwl, Península Eibérica
* eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, defi ...
), does not come close to the mark. The Apennine Mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
reach 2,912 m in the Gran Sasso
Gran Sasso d'Italia (; ) is a massif in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. Its highest peak, Corno Grande (2,912 metres), is the highest mountain in the Apennines, and the second-highest mountain in Italy outside the Alps. The mountain lies wit ...
. The Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps (), also Dinarides, are a mountain range in Southern and Southcentral Europe, separating the continental Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and He ...
, Carpathian Mountains, Sistema Central
The Central System, Spanish and pt, Sistema Central, is one of the main systems of mountain ranges in the Iberian Peninsula. The 2,592 m high Pico Almanzor is its highest summit.
The Central System is located just north of the 40th parallel a ...
and Cantabrian Mountains
, etymology=Named after the Cantabri
, photo=Cordillera Cantábrica vista desde el Castro Valnera.jpg
, photo_caption=Cantabrian Mountains parallel to the Cantabrian Sea seen from Castro Valnera in an east-west direction. In the background, ...
are less than 2,700 m high, and the other ranges in Europe are below 2,500 m.
See also
* Two-thousander
* Four-thousander
*Eight-thousander
The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...
* List of Alpine three-thousanders
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Three-Thousander
01
Mountains by height
Oronyms