snowline
Where glaciers begin
The snowline is the elevation on a mountain or the latitude on Earth above which snow remains year-round.
Below the snowline, seasonal warming melts accumulated snow; above it, snow persists through summer.
Climate change has pushed snowlines higher on mountains worldwide.
Also spelled as two words: snow line.
Elevation limit for forests
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- elevationHeight above reference point
- summitPeak or diplomatic gathering
- peakUtmost height attained
ridge · tundra · meadow · scree · boulder · crags · pine · fir
Year-old compacting snow
- accumulationCollected mass over time
- ablationRemoval by cutting, melting
- equilibriumState of balance
- glacierSlow-moving ice mass
icefield · moraine · crevasse · permafrost · annual · seasonal · permanent · transient
Solid-to-liquid transition
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
- risingAct of ascending
- warmingIncreasing in temperature
- glacial retreatShrinking of ice masses
temperature · permafrost · icecap · polar · ecosystem · monitoring · indicator · seasonal shift
Geographic or personal freedom
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- elevationHeight above reference point
- equatorMidpoint circle of rotation
- topographyPhysical feature mapping
isotherm · terrain · contour · slope · aspect · hemisphere · tropical · temperate
Organized exploratory journey
- ascentUpward movement
- acclimatizationAdjusting to new conditions
- base campExpedition's operational hub
- high campDeliberately exaggerated bad taste
altitude sickness · crampons · ice axe · sherpa · climbing season · summit bid · approach · route
treeline
Elevation limit for forests
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- elevationHeight above reference point
- summitPeak or diplomatic gathering
peak · ridge · tundra · meadow · scree · boulder · crags · pine · fir · spruce
firn
Year-old compacting snow
- accumulationCollected mass over time
- ablationRemoval by cutting, melting
- equilibriumState of balance
glacier · icefield · moraine · crevasse · permafrost · annual · seasonal · permanent · transient · winter
melting
Solid-to-liquid transition
glacial retreat · temperature · permafrost · icecap · polar · ecosystem · monitoring · indicator · seasonal shift · precipitation
latitude
Geographic or personal freedom
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
- elevationHeight above reference point
- equatorMidpoint circle of rotation
topography · isotherm · terrain · contour · slope · aspect · hemisphere · tropical · temperate · arctic
expedition
Organized exploratory journey
- ascentUpward movement
- acclimatizationAdjusting to new conditions
- base campExpedition's operational hub
high camp · altitude sickness · crampons · ice axe · sherpa · climbing season · summit bid · approach · route · fixed ropes
- AlpsAlps, Swiss Alps, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Austrian Alps
- High Altitudealtitude sickness, thin air, hypoxia, oxygen deprivation, acclimatization
- mountain termsAlps, Himalayas, Rockies, Andes, peaks
- mountain terrainpeak, ridge, slope, gorge, pass
- snowy placessnowfields, igloo, snowbelt, snowbelts, ski lodge
- glaciersglacier, crevasse, glacial movement, moraine, iceberg
snowlinesea level
Elevation reference point
treeline · timberline · valley floor · lowlands · coastal plain
snowlinetropics
Warm equatorial region
desert · arid zone · tropical zone · equatorial region · hot zone