What is a pass?
Q: What is a pass?
A: A pass is a path for crossing a mountain, usually located between two higher areas.
Q: How have passes been important throughout history?
A: Passes have been important throughout history in trade, war and migration due to the difficulty of travelling through mountain ranges.
Q: What form do passes typically take?
A: Passes typically take the form of a saddle between two mountains.
Q: Where are passes often found?
A: Passes are often found just above the source of a river, making a sort of "bridge" over to the headwaters of another river.
Q: Are all passes short with steep slopes?
A: No, some passes may be very long with valleys stretching for many kilometers.
Q: What is often built through passes?
A: Roads and railways are often built through passes.
Q: What makes passes good routes even when travelling between a summit and the valley floor? A: The fact that tracks meet at a pass makes them good routes even when travelling between a summit and the valley floor.
