What do the colors on the contour map of Mount Columbia CO (4240m) 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 Mount Columbia CO (4240m)?

The contour map of Mount Columbia CO (4240m) 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 Mount Columbia CO (4240m) show?

The elevation profile is a cross-section through Mount Columbia CO (4240m) from west to east, passing through the summit at 4,240m. 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 Mount Columbia CO (4240m)?

At Mount Columbia CO (4240m)'s latitude (39°), the estimated permanent snow line is approximately 3,800m. Since Mount Columbia CO (4240m) reaches 4,240m, about 440m of the mountain extends above the snow line. This is shown as a dashed blue line on the elevation profile.

Why does Mount Columbia CO (4240m) have elongated ridges?

Mount Columbia CO (4240m) 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.

Mount Columbia CO (4240m)

Mount Columbia CO stands at 4240 meters in United States, part of the Rocky Mountains, North America. This peak is classified as a Fold Mountain.

Elevation

4240 m

Prominence

— m

Coordinates

38.903889, -106.297222

Type

fold_mountain

Elevation Comparison

About This Mountain

Mount Columbia CO (4240m) is a fold mountain in the Rocky Mountains, United States. Grade 2/5: moderate trek requiring good physical fitness. Formed by tectonic compression, it displays layered rock strata typical of fold ranges.

Routes

West Slopes Standard (Mount Columbia CO) 2

14.00 km · 8.0h

Seasonal Conditions

Topographic Analysis

Contour Map

The topographic contour map of Mount Columbia CO (4240m) 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 4,240m 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 Mount Columbia CO (4240m) in the Rocky Mountains shows the terrain cross-section through the summit at 4,240m. 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.