Double summit

A double summit, double peak, twin summit or twin peak refers to a mountain or hill that has two summits, separated by a col or saddle.

A syncline forms this double summit in Patagonia

One well known double summit is Austria’s highest mountain, the Großglockner, where the main summit of the Großglockner is separated from that of the Kleinglockner by the Glocknerscharte col in the area of a geological fault.[1] Other double summits have resulted from geological folding. For example, on Mont Withrow in British Columbia resistant sandstones form the limbs of the double summit, whilst the softer rock in the core of the fold was eroded.[2]

Triple peaks occur more rarely - one example is the Rosengartenspitze in the Dolomites. The Illimani in Bolivia is an example of a quadruple summit.

Well known double summits (selection)

Well known double summits are (roughly from east to west):

Limestone Alps
The Furchetta in the Dolomites

Central Alps
The Großglockner with the twin summits of the Kleinglockner (l) and Großglockner (r)

Other mountain ranges of Europe
The twin-peaked Elbrus in the Caucasus

Asia
Ushba in the Caucasus

Other mountain regions
Double Peak in Washington (USA)

References
  1. "Geologische Karte der Republik Österreich, 1:50.000, Blatt 153, Wien 1994". Geologische Bundesanstalt. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  2. Mt. Withrow syncline Archived 2006-04-04 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 12 May 2009.
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