Mountains in Europe play a major role in maintaining biodiversity, making the place rich in minerals which is good for the economy. The Mediterranean Sea in Europe was a major route for trade between three continents- West Asia, North Africa, and Southern Europe.
Mountains in Europe have provided better livelihood to the country and the people who live in low-lying areas. They are great tourists’ attractions, which promote travel, tourism and give fresh water and air to the people living nearby. The highest peak mountains lead to increased tourist attractions in alpine countries such as Switzerland, France, Italy, and other countries.
Carpathian Mountains are quite a famous mountain range as it is the natural habitat of European brown bears, wolves, and other animals. They are newly formed peaks in Europe and are a continuation of the Alps. The Caucasus Mountain rises 5,642 m above sea level and remains covered with snow. Throughout the year, they sustain a rocky, rough structure and are believed to be million years old.
10 Famous Mountains in Europe
1. Mount Elbrus
Mount Elbrus holds the glory of being the highest peak among all the mountains in Europe and is the 7th largest peak in the world. It is one of the tallest peaks in Europe. Elbrus has two summits, and both are dormant volcanic domes formed 2.5 million years ago.
It is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in Europe, hence, mountaineering is a major activity for tourism in Elbrus.
Weather is the dangerous aspect of climbing Mount Elbrus because storms occur suddenly and create extreme cold weather, making climbing difficult for climbers.
2. Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc mountain in Europe is a destination for those who are crazy about winter sports and is also known as ‘White Mountain.’ Its height varies each year depending on the depth of the summit’s snowcap. Also, it has the highest fatality rate and is among the most dangerous mountains because of its highest peak.
Mont Blanc has a wide range of sports and is perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and other adventurous winter sports. For adventure seekers and climbers, Mont Blanc also owns the Mer de Glace glacier eyes, which is the second-longest in the Alps. Here, the view is an absolute treat to the eyes of viewers.
3. Monte Rosa
This snow-covered, pink-tinted mountain is the massif of the Pennine Alps, the highest mountain in both Switzerland and the Pennine Alps, and the second-highest mountain in the Alps and Europe outside the Caucasus. Mountain Climbing of Monte Rosa is the favourite activity of mountaineers.
Visiting this massif requires proper guidance and a guide who is familiar with the mountain. He will be able to help you with planning, and most importantly show you the right way to do hiking properly to have a lifetime experience.
4. Mount DYKH Tau
Mount Dykh Tau is in Russia and a part of the Caucasus mountain system. It holds the place of being the second highest of the Caucasus Mountain ranges. It has two peaks and reaching these peaks is challenging as they are steeped and covered with snow.
This mountain in winters is bitterly cold, and the roughness of the dangerous treacherous traverse rocky route towards the mountain can be witnessed during summer.
5. Mount Ushba
Mount Ushba is one of the most spectacular peaks in the Caucasus region. It is located within the Svaneti region Georgian summit. This spire-shaped double-summit mountain has southern and northern peaks, the northern peak is higher than the southern peak, and the slopes are covered with snow.
There are 50 routes to climb mount Ushba, making it possible for experienced climbers to complete the trek of Mount Ushba within 12 days.
The weather here changes several times in a day similar to the other mountains of the Caucasus. The best time to climb Mount Ushba is from July to August.
6. Matterhorn
Matterhorn is a pyramid-shaped mountain of the Alps and the most famous in Europe. It gives a unique visual feast to the eyes and a breathtaking view of the Alpine attracts adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. Hörnligrat is one of the easiest and most popular routes that begin from Zermatt via the Hörnli Hut.
Matterhorn has formed millions of years ago when several landmasses slammed into one another. It is usually crowded during the peak season with 3000 or more climbers annually.
7. Dom Mountain
Dom is a mountain in the Pennine Alps and is among the main Alps chain located between Randa and SaasFee in the Valais region of Switzerland. After Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa (Dufourspitze, Nordend, Zumstein, and Signalkuppe), Dom is the third highest peak in the Alps with hiking as a major regional activity.
The area around Dom is best reached by cable car- Längflue. The Swiss part of the mountain is sometimes called the Walliser Alpen (German) or the Alpes du Valais (French).
The ascent of Dom by its standard route is straight but has a certain height and steep elevation of 3,100 feet from the valley. It takes 6 hours to reach the summit from Dom Hut.
8. Shkhara Mountain
Shkhara is considered to be Georgia’s highest summit and Mount Shkhara in Europe is the ninth highest, and one of the highest and most beautiful peaks in the central Caucasus between Russia and Georgia.
There are more than ten routes to reach this mountain. The road to Shkhara is compact and requires good trekking skills, rock climbing, rope access, and good physical fitness.
9. Koshtan Tau
The word ‘Kosh’ means a habitat located in the mountains of the Caucasus. Koshtan Tau is one of the ‘Bezengi brothers’, the other being Dychtau or Dykh Tau which is the second largest mountain in Europe.
Koshtan Tau marks the eastern end of the Northern Massif and rises to a height of 5151 meters, becoming the fourth-highest in Europe. Its pyramid shape is an impressive sight for mountaineers and photographers alike.
Even though summer is the best time to climb the mountain, it is surrounded by mountaineers in all seasons. Here, winters can be very cold, so people avoid coming here due to the risk of avalanches.
10. Tetnuldi Mountains
Tetnuldi mountains is one of charming Georgia’s icecaps, located in the middle of the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range. The Tetnuldi peak holds a position in the list of the top 10 peaks in the Caucasus and offers spectacular views of its neighbors, including Mount Elbrus, and the village of Mestia.
The glacier and ice all over the mountains in Europe make it an ideal home and a popular tourist destination for many new and upcoming ski resorts. Those who love skiing will enjoy the wide variety of new ski resorts from Tetnuldi and surrounding areas. The slopes of the mountains are often frozen at over 10,000 feet.
Other Mountain Ranges in Europe
1. The Ural Mountains
Out of all the mountains in Europe, the Ural Mountains is the oldest mountain in the world with a rich mineral deposit of approximately 1,000 valuable minerals- coal, metal ores, and some valuable stones which play a huge role in the economy of the country.
The highest peak of the Ural mountains is Mount Narodnaya. Besides being a resource of minerals, it is suitable for trekking as well.
2. The Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian mountains form a range of mountains that form an arc shape across Central and Eastern Europe. It is described as the third-longest European range (1,50o km) after the Ural Mountains (2,500 km).
The mountain range is geologically young and 50% of the mountains are located in the premises of the borders of Romania. The highest peak in the Carpathian mountains is Gerlachovsky stit, towards the northern part of Slovakia.
A Message to Take Away
There are several famous mountains in Europe that retreat sore eyes with the beauty of Alpine meadows, snow-covered high mountains, and impressive Europe’s highest peaks. So, for travellers, the highest point of European mountains is the destination, for photographs and nature lovers, the breathtaking view of the mountain ranges is the destination.
To climb the highest peak of mountains in Europe, one should be properly equipped with necessities and aware of safety measures to withstand the risk of dynamic weather conditions. Some of the mountain ranges are dormant volcanoes namely Mount Elbrus, Mount Etna, Teide, Mount Pico, and the list goes on.
The eight alpine countries -France, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Slovenia cover the largest mountain area. In Southern Europe, there are Apennines, Pyrenees, and Cantabrian ranges, while in the Northern, there is the second-longest range, the Scandinavian mountains
Europe has many amazing places to visit such as the glorious Eiffel Tower, Stonehenge, and many others. One cannot resist exploring the places and snow-covered mountains.
Visiting mountains in Europe and knowing about 13 famous mountains in Europe give a lifetime experience and will leave you in amazement.
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