What do the colors on the contour map of North Palisade (4341m) 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 North Palisade (4341m)?

The contour map of North Palisade (4341m) 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 North Palisade (4341m) show?

The elevation profile is a cross-section through North Palisade (4341m) from west to east, passing through the summit at 4,341m. 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 North Palisade (4341m)?

At North Palisade (4341m)'s latitude (37°), the estimated permanent snow line is approximately 3,800m. Since North Palisade (4341m) reaches 4,341m, about 541m of the mountain extends above the snow line. This is shown as a dashed blue line on the elevation profile.

Why does North Palisade (4341m) have elongated ridges?

North Palisade (4341m) 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.

North Palisade (4341m)

North Palisade stands at 4341 meters in United States, part of the Sierra Nevada, North America. This peak is classified as a Fold Mountain.

Elevation

4341 m

Prominence

— m

Coordinates

37.096667, -118.513889

Type

fold_mountain

Elevation Comparison

About This Mountain

North Palisade (4341m) is a fold mountain in the Sierra Nevada, United States. Grade 4/5: technical ascent requiring mountaineering skills and equipment. Formed by tectonic compression, it displays layered rock strata typical of fold ranges.

Routes

U-Notch Couloir (North Palisade) 4

22.00 km · 14.0h

Seasonal Conditions

Topographic Analysis

Contour Map

The topographic contour map of North Palisade (4341m) in the Sierra Nevada 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 4,341m 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 North Palisade (4341m) in the Sierra Nevada shows the terrain cross-section through the summit at 4,341m. 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.