Snow, Ice, Avalanches, and Glaciers - Mountain Geography: Physical and Human Dimensions - page 206

lent information about past conditions if care is used in their interpretation (Flint 1971:
138; Embleton and King 1975: 223; Trenhaile 1976; Porter 1989).
The headward erosion of cirque glaciers (along with frost processesandavalanch-
ing)islargelyresponsiblefortherugged topography of glaciated mountains. When cirque
glaciers develop on opposite sides of a ridge, they erode headward, and eventually meet
to create a saddle or notch in the ridge crest ( col ) (Figs. 4.41c, 4.30). This also tends
to reduce the thickness of the ridge, making it narrow and knife-like. The continuation
of this process along the ridge creates sawtoothed arête ridges (Figs. 4.41c, 4.30). The
headward erosion of cirque glaciers on all sides of a summit may result in a pyramidal
peak called a horn. The Matterhorn in the Alps is the classic example, but such features
are common in most glaciated mountains (Figs. 4.43, 4.41c, 4.30). An indication of their
prominent position in glaciated mountains is that many languages have their own dis-
tinctive term: tind (Norwegian); tindur (Icelandic); pike (English Lake District).