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Quiz about Not Quite the Tallest Mountains

Not Quite the Tallest Mountains Quiz

Sure, the tallest mountains always get all the press and publicity, but what about their shorter and not necessarily lesser known relatives? Let's see just how much you know about them!

A multiple-choice quiz by thelancinator. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
thelancinator

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
329,870

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
674

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The most famous of the Colorado Fourteeners (mountains over 14,000' or 4,267m in elevation) isn't the tallest mountain in the state. In fact, it isn't in the top ten or even the top twenty. What is the name of this famous Colorado mountain, which comes in at 14,110 feet high (4,301 m) and where the view from the summit was the inspiration for the song "America the Beautiful"? Hint

Mt Massive

Mt McKinley

Pike's Peak

Mt Elbert

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Question 2 of 10

2. Moving onto the Alps, we come to the Matterhorn. This famous peak isn't the tallest in this mountain range (it's the 12th highest) but it still comes in at 14,690' (4477.5 m) high. Where exactly is this great peak located? Hint

Switzerland only

Italy only

Angola

Italy and Switzerland

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Question 3 of 10

3. Referring to the title of this quiz, K2 is the second highest peak in the world, making it not-quite-the-tallest mountain in the world. From where did the designation K2 come? Hint

Great Algebraic Survey

Great Trigonometric Survey

Great Lakes Survey

Great Geometric Survey

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Question 4 of 10

4. Now let's head back to the United States; New Hampshire to be more exact. Here we find Mt Washington, which may be the highest point in New Hampshire, but at a height of only 6,288 ft (1,917 m), it comes in as NOT one of the tallest mountains. Something rather remarkable, however, did happen at this rather low mountain. What weather record was set on the summit of Mt Washington? Hint

Highest 24 hour snowfall total

Highest recorded wind speed at the time

Coldest recorded temperature at the time

Highest seasonal snowfall total

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Question 5 of 10

5. The next stop on the tour is Hawaii. Here we find the dormant volcano of Mauna Kea with an elevation of 13,796' (4,205 m). This makes it the highest point in Hawaii. True or false: if Mauna Kea is measured from its true base on the sea floor, it is actually the highest mountain on Earth.

True

False

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Question 6 of 10

6. Now let's venture down to Antarctica (bet you didn't think there were any mountains there). As we approach the continent, we pass by Ross Island which is home to Mount Erebus which comes in at 12,448' (3,794 m) high. There does seem to be one thing that is pretty odd about Mount Erebus, though. Do you know what that is? Hint

It has never been climbed

It is claimed by the country of Egypt

There is a settlement of people living on it

It's an active volcano

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Question 7 of 10

7. Our next stop brings us to India. In northern India, near the border with Tibet, we come across the mountain known as Kamet. It is the third highest point in India with an elevation of 25,643' (7,816 m). Now, the name Kamet may not be familiar to you like Everest, McKinley, or Kilimanjaro, but it is famous for a big 'first'. What is it? Hint

First remote mountain to have a McDonald's opened on it

First recorded death of a mountain climber

First mountain over 25,000' to have its summit reached

First mountain over 25,000' to have a Hollywood movie filmed on it

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Question 8 of 10

8. The next stop on our tour of not-quite-the-tallest mountains brings us to Mount Ararat. This peak comes in at an impressive 16,854' (5,137 m). Mount Ararat is probably best known for its role in Judeo-Christian writings, as the Mountains of Ararat are where Noah's Ark rests according to the Book of Genesis. You may have already known all of that, but do you know the answer to this: where exactly is Mount Ararat located? Hint

Lebanon

Iran

Turkey

Syria

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Question 9 of 10

9. Now we find ourselves in China, in the Yunnan province to be specific. Here we find Kawagebo, a mountain that rises to an elevation of 22,113' (6,740 m). Kwagebo is located in the Meili Xue Shan sub-range, which has six peaks that are permanently snow-capped and all above 19,700' (6,000 m). Sounds like a great place to go for a climb, right? Well, maybe not. Why hasn't this been a popular place to climb? Hint

It has been in an active war zone for centuries

There is high danger of being attacked by a Yeti

It is considered the easiest mountain in the world to climb, so it's 'no big deal'

It was not successfully ascended prior to the 21st century

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Question 10 of 10

10. Our last stop on our tour of the not-quite-tallest mountains takes us to Canada and Mount Thor. There is more than one peak in Canada with that name, but this one is the most famous and is located in Nunavut on Baffin Island. This peak isn't terribly high, coming in at 5,495' (1,675 m), but it does have one thing that no other mountain on the face of the earth has. What is it? Hint

The only peak that comes to a sharp point at the summit

Longest pure vertical drop

Only mountain with a convenience store at the summit

It's the only mountain made of solid ice

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Pike's Peak

Even though Pike's Peak is an impressive 14,110' (4,301 m) high, it only ranks in at number 30 in the list of mountain peaks over 14,000' high in the state of Colorado. Mt Elbert is the highest peak in Colorado at 14,433' and, all told, there are 53 peaks over 14,000' high in Colorado.

Answer: Italy and Switzerland

The Matterhorn is arguably the most recognizable mountain peak due to its unique shape. Along with being one of the most famous peaks in the Alps, it is also the deadliest. In the period from 1865 when it was first ascended through 1995, there were 500 recorded deaths of climbers trying to make it to the top of this remote and isolated peak.

3. Referring to the title of this quiz, K2 is the second highest peak in the world, making it not-quite-the-tallest mountain in the world. From where did the designation K2 come?

Answer: Great Trigonometric Survey

In the 1800s, the Great Trigonometric Survey was part of the survey of India and one of the goals of the project was to accurately measure the height of the tallest mountains in the Himalayas. K2 comes in at 28,251 ft (8,611 m); only Mount Everest is taller. Even though it is second in height, K2 can take pride in the fact that it is harder to climb than Mount Everest, earning itself the nickname "Savage Mountain".

Answer: Highest recorded wind speed at the time

During a storm in April of 1934, a sustained (at least 60 seconds) wind speed of 231 mph was recorded with a heated wire anemometer, whose accuracy was later confirmed by the US National Weather Bureau.

Answer: True

It's a fact! If you were to measure Mauna Kea from its sea floor base, then this giant actually measures 33,476' (10,203 m) in height, making Mt Everest not-quite-the-tallest mountain in the world. Another fun fact about this peak is that it also is snow-covered for most of the winter season in the northern hemisphere.

Answer: It's an active volcano

Mount Erebus is the southernmost active volcano on the face of the earth. It was discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross, who named the volcano after one of his ships, the Erebus. From high above the peak, you can visibly see the lake of lava down inside the volcano.

Answer: First mountain over 25,000' to have its summit reached

In 1931 Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton, R.L. Holdsworth and Lewa Sherpa became the first known people to summit a mountain of higher than 25,000' in elevation. Higher elevations had been reached by climbers on Mount Everest, but the summit of that mountain wasn't reached until 1953.

Answer: Turkey

Mount Ararat is located in far eastern Turkey near the borders with Iran and Armenia. Mt Ararat is also a dormant volcano whose last major eruption is unknown (thought to be as long as four to five thousand years ago); however, in 1840 an earthquake did strike the Mt Ararat region which some scientists have attributed to volcanic activity.

Answer: It was not successfully ascended prior to the 21st century

As of 2003 (the most recent date where statistics are available), Kwagebo has never been successfully climbed. In fact in 1990-91, a group of 17 climbers attempting to climb the mountain were all killed in an avalanche which as of 2010 is one of the deadliest accidents ever in mountain climbing. And not only has Kwagebo never been climbed, neither have any of the major peaks in this sub-range.

Answer: Longest pure vertical drop

Even though Mount Thor is less than 5,500' high, it has the longest pure vertical drop on the face of the earth. At an average angle of 105�, Mount Thor has a vertical drop of 4,101' (1,250 m). Consequently, the first world record for the longest rappel was accomplished on Mount Thor in 2006.

Source: Author thelancinator

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