Key takeaways
- A col is the lowest point on a ridge between two peaks — a saddle-shaped dip.
- It's the natural place to cross from one side of a ridge or massif to the other.
- Cols often serve as mountain passes and key waypoints on climbing routes.
- 'Col' is essentially synonymous with 'saddle', favored in mountaineering contexts.
From French 'col' (neck/pass), from Latin 'collum' (neck).
What a col is
A col is the lowest point on a ridge between two peaks — a saddle-shaped dip in a mountain ridgeline. It’s the natural low spot where you can cross from one side of a ridge or massif to the other. The word comes from the French for ‘neck’ or ‘pass’, and in mountaineering it’s a common feature and reference point.
How it’s used
Because a col is the lowest, easiest place to cross a ridge, it often serves as a mountain pass and a key waypoint on a route. A climbing route might gain a col before continuing up a ridge toward a summit, and travelers use cols to move efficiently through mountainous terrain rather than climbing over a peak.
On an alpine route, a team climbs a couloir to gain a col on the summit ridge, then follows the ridgeline from that low notch up to the top — using the col as the natural, lowest crossing point onto the ridge.
Col vs saddle
A col and a saddle describe the same feature — the low point on a ridge between two summits. ‘Col’ is favored in mountaineering and alpine contexts, ‘saddle’ in general hiking, but both refer to the dip you’d cross to get over a ridge at its lowest point.
The bottom line
A col is the low point on a ridge between two peaks — the natural pass for crossing from one side to the other, and a key feature on many mountain routes. Essentially a saddle by another name (favored in alpine contexts), the col is where mountaineers gain a ridge or travelers cross a range at its lowest, most efficient point.
Frequently asked questions
What is a col?
A col is the lowest point on a ridge between two peaks — a saddle-shaped dip in a mountain ridgeline. It's the natural low spot where you can cross over a ridge from one side to the other, and it's a common feature and reference point in mountaineering. The word is essentially synonymous with 'saddle'.
How is a col used by mountaineers and hikers?
Cols are the easiest, lowest places to cross a ridge or pass between two valleys or sides of a mountain, so they often serve as mountain passes and key waypoints on routes. A climbing route might gain a col before continuing up a ridge to a summit, and travelers use cols to move efficiently through mountainous terrain rather than going over a peak.
What's the difference between a col and a saddle?
Very little — they describe the same feature, the low point on a ridge between two summits. 'Col' (from the French for 'neck' or 'pass') tends to be used in mountaineering and alpine contexts, while 'saddle' is more common in general hiking. Both refer to the dip you'd cross to get over a ridge at its lowest point.
Sources
- Mountain terrain & landforms — USGS
- Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills — The Mountaineers