MOUNTAINEEERING

I bet you didn't know Bonnie and Ja'Vonne were Mountaineers.... Gotcha! No we are not but that doesn't mean we don't love mountains and their beauty.

On this weeks show we're exploring Mountains, Mountain Ranges and we've even researched the 101 on hiking and climbing.  Let's see if it inspires us to climb or hike a mountain. Time will tell.

I found some great resources and articles with National Geographic, Britannica and Wikihow on mountains, mountain ranges and the basics of climbing and hiking.  Here are some of what I found.

I was interested in the difference between a mountain and a mountain range: Most geologists classify a mountain as a landform that rises at least 1,000 feet (300 meters) or more above its surrounding area. A mountain range is a series or chain of mountains that are close together.

How are mountain ranges formed?The world's tallest mountain ranges form when pieces of Earth's crust—called plates—smash against each other, in a process called plate tectonics, and buckle up like the hood of a car in a head-on collision.

What is the tallest mountain? The tallest mountain measured from top to bottom is Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano on the island of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Measured from the base, Mauna Kea stands 33,474 feet (10,203 meters) tall, though it only rises 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) above the sea.

What is the highest mountain range? The summit of Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet (8,850 meters), is the highest point on Earth.

The Andes Mountains are the longest mountain chain in the world. They stretch along the entire west coast of South America from Cape Horn to Panama, a distance of 4,500 miles.

Flat-topped Kilimanjaro is Africa’s highest mountain. Located on Tanzania’s northern border with Kenya, the mountain is made up of three extinct volcanoes, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira. The highest peak, Uhuru, is 19,340 feet (5,899 meters) high.

The Matterhorn is the most recognized mountain on the European continent. In the shape of a roughly chiseled rock pyramid, this peak serves as a defining geographical landmark. For many climbers, ascending the Matterhorn, the birthplace of the sport of mountaineering, represents a return to the purist traditions of climbing. Elevation: 14,692' (4,478 m)

These beautiful photos are in Yosemite.

Yosemite Mountains, Cliffs & Rock Formations

Top of Form

Yosemite Valley, approximately 3,000 feet deep and less than a mile wide, is known for its incredible rock formations, created from plutonic rock that cooled far below the earth’s surface. Some of the most famous Yosemite cliffs, mountains & rock formations are:

• Half Dome (8,842 ft.) among the most recognized natural features in Yosemite, its western face is a sheer cliff of Plutonic granite - the youngest in Yosemite.
• Sentinel Rock (7,038 ft.) on the south side of Yosemite Valley, named for its likeness to a watchtower. 

El Capitan (7,569 ft.) towers 3,593 ft. above the valley floor. Rock climbers from around the world come to this Yosemite mountain to challenge their abilities on its granite face giving visitors an excellent opportunity to view this unique sport.

How to Climb a Mountain (Wikihow)
How to Be Prepared for a Hike (Wikihow)
Mountains and Mountain Range Information (National Geographic)
Great Mountain Ranges (Britannica)

Photos by Christy Sharp

Tune in this week to hear more about mountains!

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"The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page"
Ja'Vonne