View Full Version : Gaps and Notches
Hey;
Have you ever noticed that in the south, the low points are usually called Gaps, while in New England, they're called Notches?
I was just looking over the AT Data Book, and noticed that there is only one "gap" north of New York; Chairback Gap (lean-to), Maine.
Similarly, there are no "notches" south of Mass.
At least this is true for the AT, but I suspect it's just part of the native speak of the area. Like, how many different names are there for a long sandwich?
Hero, Sub, etc, etc.
Arden
To make it more confusing, they are 'passes' out West... :sun
remington79
05-22-2010, 23:26
Don't forget to add that out west that the low area between two peaks are also called saddles.
The Weasel
05-23-2010, 04:47
Variants of hills? In GA and NC, they're often "knobs".
TW
I guess what they're called is what the namer decided was appropriate, and sounded good.
Then we've got the different ways to name mountains;
"Springer Mountain"
"Mount Katahdin"
"Clingmans Dome".
"Jay Peak"
There's a ridge running north to south in Harriman Park, NY called "West Mountain". It really should be called "West Ridge".
Like, "Blue Ridge Mountains".
Then, you have mountains in the Himalayas that are just called by alpha-numerics like "K2". It's not "K2 Mountain", or "Mount K2"; Just "K2"
What the hell. It's time to use my mind for something more constructive :)
Arden
The Old Fhart
05-23-2010, 12:25
Arden-“I was just looking over the AT Data Book, and noticed that there is only one "gap" north of New York; Chairback Gap (lean-to), Maine.”
Widen your view beyond the A.T. and you’ll find Lincoln Gap and Appalachian Gap on the Long Trail in Vermont.
remington79-“Don't forget to add that out west that the low area between two peaks are also called saddles.”
The dip between Katahdin and Hamlin Peak (Maine) is called the Saddle
Arden-“Then we've got the different ways to name mountains; …"Mount Katahdin"”
There is no "Mount Katahdin", just Katahdin which means ‘greatest mountain’
Widen your view beyond the A.T. and you’ll find Lincoln Gap and Appalachian Gap on the Long Trail in Vermont.
The dip between Katahdin and Hamlin Peak (Maine) is called the Saddle
There is no "Mount Katahdin", just Katahdin which means ‘greatest mountain’
I stand corrected. Back to school:)
The Old Fhart
05-23-2010, 17:09
There are a lot of kinda misplaced names out there. I had a sunset and a moonrise at the same time on top of Shenandoah Mountain which isn't in VA but in NY. Go figure.:D
Notches, for the most point, are way more vicious on the AT. I don't think that's on purpose, just plays out that way.
TIDE-HSV
05-23-2010, 23:41
In German, peaks are "Spitz" or "Gipfel," although the latter is mostly just in songs. However in Austria, some summits are called "Kogel." I puzzled over that for a while before I realized that "Kogel" was just dialect for "Kugel," which means "bullet." IOW, those were the mountains with rounded summits...
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt im Abendsonnenschein.
TIDE-HSV
05-24-2010, 00:02
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt im Abendsonnenschein.
"Alpingluh"
Lemni Skate
05-24-2010, 00:58
Shelters turn into lean-to's and huts in Virginia aren't the same as huts in the whites.
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt im Abendsonnenschein.
If you do that in public, they're going to make you clean up the mess yourself! :D
Blue Jay
05-25-2010, 09:49
I don't like that after I climb Bear and Brushy Mountains, trail crews dig them up and repile them in states in front of me.:eek:
Here's an interesting thread on the subject;
http://www.mail-archive.com/
[email protected]/msg00872.html
Arden
bigcranky
05-25-2010, 17:51
I don't like that after I climb Bear and Brushy Mountains, trail crews dig them up and repile them in states in front of me.:eek:
Yeah, I keep climbing the same Brushy Mountain and heading down into the same Deep Gap over and over again. And don't get me started on "Low Gap."
vonfrick
05-25-2010, 18:29
Widen your view beyond the A.T. and you’ll find Lincoln Gap and Appalachian Gap on the Long Trail in Vermont.
and in vermont you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a 'glen' of some kind
The dip between Katahdin and Hamlin Peak (Maine) is called the Saddle
and that whole 'saddleback mountain' thing in maine presents a quandry, don't it? :)
Rain Man
05-25-2010, 18:30
Hey;
Have you ever noticed that in the south, the low points are usually called Gaps, while in New England, they're called Notches?
Yeah, I've noticed. I'm married to a Yankee and they call lots of things by the wrong names!
:D
Rain:sunMan
.
Dictionary.com defines the following:
Pass: a narrow route across a relatively low notch or depression (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/depression) in a mountain barrier.
How's that for confusing.
Although, I always thought a pass had to be "passable" in that travel is possible through/over it to the other side of the mountain.
Arden
I just had to post this:
http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/pp335/CPSK/Hiking/davenportgap.jpg
Where is the "gap"? It's certainly not at the location marked "Davenport Gap".
Shouldn't it be just below the interstate?
OK. I've said my piece. Now I can get onto bigger things> Pinnacles!
Arden
The Old Fhart
05-25-2010, 21:46
Arden-"Where is the "gap"? It's certainly not at the location marked "Davenport Gap". Shouldn't it be just below the interstate?"This one had me confused when I first did a section back in 1987 but what it comes down to is your point of reference.
A 'gap' (or notch) is defined as a low point along a ridge so it is probably the easiest way to get from one side of the ridge to the other. If the trail was following the ridge line, the gap would be the low point. Because in your example the trail is approaching the ridge from some angle to the side, the gap isn't the lowest point on the trail but still the low point on the ridge. Where the trail profile shows Davenport Gap is where the true gap is. Check out a 3-D view on Google Earth, a topo map, or a trail map and you'll see this is correct.
If you do the JMT you'll find the 'passes' are generally the high points on the trail but they are still a low point along a ridge.
How about "drafts"? They seem to show up in central VA and west-central PA.
I should have paid more attention in Geography class. I think that was in middle school, not high school :D
Actually though, I recall having done fairly well in that class. It was history that bored me to sleep:rolleyes:
Arden
David@whiteblaze
05-29-2010, 22:08
Der Gipfel des Berges funkelt im Abendsonnenschein.
Ist das wirklich in die Diskussion einbringen?
Happy Trails und alles, was ...
-Wanderungen mit No-Sweat
TIDE-HSV
05-29-2010, 22:12
Es geht die Bergen um, so - ja!
....Then, you have mountains in the Himalayas that are just called by alpha-numerics like "K2". It's not "K2 Mountain", or "Mount K2"; Just "K2".... My ears are burning :rolleyes:.
BTW, Was sind sie alle Reden über? (What are you all talking about?) K2
TIDE-HSV
05-30-2010, 23:49
My ears are burning :rolleyes:.
BTW, Was sind sie alle Reden über? (What are you all talking about?) K2
I think of skis, when I see "K2." He asked, sort of, if the poetic remark about "alpenglow" was really in the discussion. I replied that, since it concerned mountains, yes, except that I worded my reply in such a manner that a German would understand it but no online translation page could decipher it...
K2 ist eine Frau. (K2 is a woman.) :)
I guess how gaps, peaks, etc are named has as much to do with why shelters are called, well, shelters, lean-tos, and huts.
K2
TIDE-HSV
05-31-2010, 00:22
K2 ist eine Frau. (K2 is a woman.) :)
I guess how gaps, peaks, etc are named has as much to do with why shelters are called, well, shelters, lean-tos, and huts.
K2
So, sind Sie "Frau" oder "Fräulein?" :) I have an entire book on Appalachian names. It's fascinating. Just one example - "Bote Mountain Road." The Cherokee had problems with some English sounds and usually voiced "V" as "B." When the Confederates were planning the road over the main ridge for gunpowder convoys, they asked the advice of the Cherokee. The winning route has since been known as "Bote" ("vote") Mountain. The adjacent, losing ridge is still known as "Defeat Ridge..."
We interrupt this thread for an important announcement:
K2 ist eine Fräulein.
In other words, K2 is a single woman; it makes life much simpler, don't you think?.:sun
And now we return to our regular programming.
TIDE-HSV
05-31-2010, 10:20
We interrupt this thread for an important announcement:
K2 ist eine Fräulein.
In other words, K2 is a single woman; it makes life much simpler, don't you think?.:sun
And now we return to our regular programming.
Ja, einfacher. BTW, one tricky grammatical rule - when you make a noun diminutive ("lein," "schen"), the gender goes to neutral. So, it's "eine Frau," but "ein Fräulein."