What do the colors on the contour map of Kit Carson Peak (4317m) mean?

The contour map uses a hypsometric color scale where green represents lower elevations, yellow and orange indicate mid-range altitudes, and white marks the highest zones near the summit. Thicker contour lines (index contours) are drawn at wider intervals to help you quickly estimate elevation.

What is the contour interval for Kit Carson Peak (4317m)?

The contour map of Kit Carson Peak (4317m) uses a 100m contour interval. This means each line represents a 100m change in elevation. Closely spaced contours indicate steeper terrain, while widely spaced contours show gentler slopes.

What does the elevation profile of Kit Carson Peak (4317m) show?

The elevation profile is a cross-section through Kit Carson Peak (4317m) from west to east, passing through the summit at 4,317m. It reveals the mountain's shape, steepness, and relative height compared to the surrounding terrain. The horizontal axis shows distance in kilometers from the peak.

What is the snow line on Kit Carson Peak (4317m)?

At Kit Carson Peak (4317m)'s latitude (38°), the estimated permanent snow line is approximately 3,800m. Since Kit Carson Peak (4317m) reaches 4,317m, about 517m of the mountain extends above the snow line. This is shown as a dashed blue line on the elevation profile.

Why does Kit Carson Peak (4317m) have elongated ridges?

Kit Carson Peak (4317m) was formed by tectonic folding, which compressed rock layers into long, parallel ridges. The contour map shows elongated lines that follow the axis of the fold, rather than circular patterns.

Kit Carson Peak (4317m)

Kit Carson Peak stands at 4317 meters in United States, part of the Rocky Mountains, North America. This peak is classified as a Fold Mountain.

Elevation

4317 m

Prominence

— m

Coordinates

37.979722, -105.602500

Type

fold_mountain

Elevation Comparison

About This Mountain

Kit Carson Peak (4317m) is a fold mountain in the Rocky Mountains, United States. Grade 3/5: strenuous climb with technical sections demanding experience. Formed by tectonic compression, it displays layered rock strata typical of fold ranges.

Routes

Outward Bound Couloir (Kit Carson Peak) 3

18.00 km · 10.0h

Seasonal Conditions

Topographic Analysis

Contour Map

The topographic contour map of Kit Carson Peak (4317m) in the Rocky Mountains shows elongated parallel contours following the ridge axis. Contour lines are drawn at 100m intervals, with index contours (thicker lines) every 500m. The hypsometric color scale ranges from green (lower elevations) through yellow and orange to white (highest elevations near the 4,317m summit). Above 3,800m, the estimated snow line at this latitude, contours transition to cooler tones indicating permanent snow and ice.

Elevation Profile

The east–west elevation profile of Kit Carson Peak (4317m) in the Rocky Mountains shows the terrain cross-section through the summit at 4,317m. The color gradient transitions from green (valley floor) to white (summit zone), with the red summit marker indicating the peak. The dashed blue snow line at 3,800m marks the approximate elevation above which permanent snow persists year-round.