2. What is an Arête?
An arête is a thin, knife-like, ridge of rock.
3. How are arêtes formed?
They are usually formed when two glaciers erode
parallel U-shaped valleys. The arête is the ridge
separating the two valleys.
They can also be formed when two corries
(cirques) erode towards each other.
The edge is then sharpened by freeze-thaw
weathering, and the slopes on either side are
steepened by plucking.
4. Arêtes Around the World
Clouds Rest is a mountain in
Yosemite Village in
California, USA.
Striding Edge is part of the
Helvellyn mountain in the Lake
District in England.
5. Arêtes Around the World (cont)..
The Sawtooth is joins onto
the Mount Bierstadt in
Colorado, USA.
The Garden Wall is in the
Glacier National Park in
Montana, USA.
6. QUESTIONS!
1. What is an arête?
2. Name 2 famous arêtes around the world.
3. Describe one way an arête can be formed.
