A climber taking the final few steps to the 6,160 m (20,210 ft)[1] summit ofImja Tse (Island Peak) inNepal, 2004View from the summit ofSwitzerland's highest peak,Monte Rosa
Asummit is a point on a surface that is higher inelevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Thetopographic termsacme,apex,peak (mountain peak), andzenith aresynonymous.
The termtop (mountain top) is generally used only for amountain peak that is located at some distance from the nearest point of higher elevation. For example, a big, massive rock next to the main summit of a mountain is not considered a summit. Summits near a higher peak, with someprominence orisolation, but not reaching a certain cutoff value for the quantities, are often consideredsubsummits (orsubpeaks) of the higher peak, and are considered part of the same mountain. Apyramidal peak is an exaggerated form produced by iceerosion of a mountain top. For summits that are permanently covered in significant layers of ice, the height may be measured by the highest point of rock (rock height) or the highest point of permanent solid ice (snow height).
Whether a highest point is classified as a summit, a sub peak or a separate mountain is subjective. TheInternational Climbing and Mountaineering Federation's definition of a 4,000 m peak is that it has a prominence of 30 metres (98 ft) or more; it is a mountain summit if it has a prominence of at least 300 metres (980 ft).[5] Otherwise, it is a subpeak.
Summit may also refer to the highest point along a line, trail, or route. In many parts of theWestern United States, the termsummit is used for the highest point along a road, highway, or railroad, more commonly referred to as apass. For example, the highest point alongInterstate 80 inCalifornia is referred to asDonner Summit and the highest point onInterstate 5 isSiskiyou Mountain Summit. This can lead to confusion as to whether a labeled "summit" is a pass or a peak.
