Randy Olson, Melissa Farlow Photography

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View of the iconic Matterhorn and surrounding mountains in the Alps. First ascent of the 14,692-foot mountain was in 1865 although four climbers died on the descent.
The National Snow and Ice Data Center describes Matterhorn geology in "All About Glaciers." Cirques are rounded hollows or bowl shapes after a glacier has melted away. Aretes are jagged narrow rides created when two glaciers meet eroding on both sides. And horns are created when several cirque glaciers erode until all that is left is a steep, pointed peak with sharp ridge-like Arêtes leading to the top.

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MELISSA FARLOW
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6000x4000 / 137.4MB
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Contained in galleries
Alps_National Geographic magazine 2/2006
View of the iconic Matterhorn and surrounding mountains in the Alps. First ascent of the 14,692-foot mountain was in 1865 although four climbers died on the descent. <br /> The National Snow and Ice Data Center describes Matterhorn geology in "All About Glaciers." Cirques are rounded hollows or bowl shapes after a glacier has melted away. Aretes are jagged narrow rides created when two glaciers meet eroding on both sides. And horns are created when several cirque glaciers erode until all that is left is a steep, pointed peak with sharp ridge-like Arêtes leading to the top.