Mount Ramiel

Mount Ramiel
Mount Ramiel as seen from the Ramiel highlands
Highest point
Elevation	5,480 m (17,980 ft)
Prominence	5,480 m (17,980 ft)
Parent peak	Mount Basend
Listing	Highest peak in Lugida Ultra-prominent peaks Soltenna Major 10
Coordinates	31°33'23"N, 0°27'02"E
Naming
Translation	Icon of Elders (Lithian)
Geography
Location	Haseth Prefecture, Lugida
Parent range	Rietic Mountains
Geology
Mountain type	Stratovolcano (dormant)
Last eruption	10,000 BCE
Climbing
First ascent	1881
Normal route	Madam route

Mount Ramiel (Lithian: Arad Ramiel [ˈarat̚ rami.ɛl]) is the highest mountain in Lugida, standing 5,480 metres (17,980 ft) above sea level. It is a dormant stratovolcano, last known to have erupted in 10,000 BCE. Mount Ramiel comprises the southern edge of the Haseth Highlands, itself part of the Eastern Rietic Mountains, alongside nearby Mount Sherun at 4,143 m (13,593 ft). Its peak is only 40 kilometres (25 mi) from the nearest shoreline and lies 160 kilometres (99 mi) southwest of Nataliya, facing towards Bay of Nadir and the Gulf of Sharkunen.

Mount Ramiel is one of the most well-known natural landmarks of Lugida. The mountain was prominently used as a navigational landmark and is notable in Lugid culture, mythology, and arts. Mount Ramiel is site to the dwelling place of highest order deities in Lithian folk religion. In the folk legend of Lam, the eponymous figure is said to have obtained "the knowledge of civilization" through his pilgrimage to Mount Ramiel to establish a new kingdom by the Oriel River.

Since established in 1959, the mountain, Mount Sherun, and its surrounding areas are incorporated into the Haseth Highlands National Park, and has since become a tourist site, visited by tens of thousands every year, including (name) pilgrims. Visits and ascents to the mountain are most commonly done via the Madam route, located on the western side of the mountain near the town of Madam.

Etymology

Ramiel is the Lithian name of the mountain, derived from Rudanian Ramîel. It is written in zito remil as 帶佬, composed of 帶 (ran “display, icon”) and 佬 (el “old, elder”). However, the name Ramîel predates zito remil, and its true origin remains unclear. One prevailing theory supported by most studies is that Ramiel is an Oriel name adopted into Rudanian, and that 帶佬 is a reanalysis of the indigenous name. One other theory considers a Rietic, but pre-Merythic origin, based on 帶 being originally *ram in Proto-Rietic.

Other readings of 帶佬 give rise to alternate names Ran-El and more rarely Ran-Loah, from its constituent native readings (shamei notz), and Paza, its Quonco-Lithian reading (shamei gath). Other names for Mount Ramiel that have appeared in texts include Mount El (Arad-El) and Mount Lam, the latter after the eponymous character of a Lithian folklore.

Geography and climate

Standing 5,480 metres (17,980 ft) high, Mount Ramiel is a distinctive feature of Lugid geography. The mountain comprises one southernmost portion of the Haseth Highlands, which comprise the southern half of the Eastern Rietic Mountains. Its peak is located 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Nataliya, 35 kilometres (22 mi) north of Oris, 61 km (38 mi) west of Shinhan, 24 km (15 mi) south of Madam, and 70 km (43 mi) southeast of the neighboring Mount Sherun. Madam and Oris are popular locations for sightseeing of the mountain; during clear skies, Mount Ramiel is visible from as far as Hariyav, 200 km (120 mi) west of the summit.

Climate of the Mount Ramiel area is dominated by a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), but has temperatures near the summit average around −6.9 °C (19.6 °F). The mountain Mount Ramiel area mostly falls above the tree line at around 2,300 m (7,500 ft) to 2,800 m (9,200 ft) above sea level. At these areas, grass and rocks dominate the landscape, and vegetation is otherwise scarce. The high Ramiel peak is sometimes snow-capped during winter, despite its high snow line from the peak's latitude of 31°N.

Climate data

Lugid Geospatial Survey (LGS) began recording monthly temperatures of the area in 1971, upon installing a weather station in the Madam Route Base Camp, at an elevation of 3,632 m (11,916 ft) above sea level. Due to harsh climates of the Ramiel summit, LGS didn't install a weather station in that area. An eight-men team of students from the Bethalon Institute of Technology reached the summit to measure the climate of the area, in which a temperature of −28 °C (−18 °F) was recorded – the lowest temperature ever recorded in Mount Ramiel and even Lugida. A new, solar-powered weather station at an altitude of 4,531 m (14,865 ft) was installed in 2006 after funding by Pairo Society. It recorded average temperatures of −9.5 °C (14.9 °F), an average humidity of 52 percent, and wind speeds reaching 14.1 m/s (51 km/h; 32 mph).

Climate data for Madam Route Base Camp
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	3.7 (38.7)	4.2 (39.6)	5.6 (42.1)	7.7 (45.9)	11.9 (53.4)	16.4 (61.5)	20.1 (68.2)	21.0 (69.8)	19.5 (67.1)	16.8 (62.2)	12.1 (53.8)	6.3 (43.3)	21.0 (69.8)
Average high °C (°F)	−2.2 (28)	−2.2 (28)	1.8 (35.2)	4.1 (39.4)	7.6 (45.7)	9.8 (49.6)	11.1 (52)	12.4 (54.3)	10.7 (51.3)	7.3 (45.1)	3.0 (37.4)	−0.9 (30.4)	5.2 (41.4)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−5.5 (22.1)	−5.0 (23)	−2.4 (27.7)	1.6 (34.9)	4.3 (39.7)	6.1 (43)	7.5 (45.5)	8.5 (47.3)	6.8 (44.2)	3.0 (37.4)	−1.5 (29.3)	−4.4 (24.1)	1.6 (34.9)
Average low °C (°F)	−8.0 (17.6)	−8.2 (17.2)	−5.9 (21.4)	−1.9 (28.6)	0.4 (32.7)	2.2 (36)	3.5 (38.3)	4.5 (40.1)	3.6 (38.5)	0.1 (32.2)	−4.5 (23.9)	−7.2 (19)	−1.8 (28.8)
Record low °C (°F)	−13 (9)	−13.9 (7)	−12.9 (8.8)	−10.1 (13.8)	−8.8 (16.2)	−7.3 (18.9)	−6.4 (20.5)	−5.8 (21.6)	−6.9 (19.6)	−8.2 (17.2)	−9.6 (14.7)	−11.7 (10.9)	−13.9 (7)
Source: Lugid Geospatial Survey, as of 2016

Geology

Mount Ramiel was formed as part of the Rietic orogeny 60 million years ago. (Central Soltennan) Plate at the time already collided with the (West Soltennan) Plate to form the Ungagon Mountains, in which the former collided northwestwards in a rapid drift against the (West Soltennan) Plate that was moving eastwards. Relative eastward motion of the (West Soltennan) Plate increased and both tectonic plates eventually drifted eastwards. In the Rietic orogeny, Rietic Plate collided northwestwards with the (Central Soltennan) Plate, closing the Oculus Sea and leading to the obduction of oceanic ophiolite onto the Rietic Plate, and forming a convergent boundary which grew to become the Rietic Mountains as well as forming the Lake Soltenna basin. Unlike the Darkine orogeny, the tectonic plates collide at a much slower motion and thus giving mountains of the Rietic an average height 2,200 metres (7,200 ft). Most of the oceanic crust of the Rietic Plate was subducted.

The orogeny induced volcanic activity in the region. Most of the Rietic Mountains' highest mountains are formed through volcanism. Included is Mount Ramiel, that was highly active during Late Pleistocene, leading to its high elevation. Similar volcanisms leading to high elevation is found in the neighboring Mount Haiwa and the still-active Mount Metni. After its last geologically recorded eruption in 10,000 BCE, Mount Ramiel is currently dormant and show no signs indicative of volcanism, but is not classified as an extinct volcano.

Significance

Lithian mythology

In Lithian mythology, Mount Ramiel's area is inhabited by deities, making the mountain as their watchtower to the region while serving as the guardians of the gate to the divine realm. It described a legendary figure, Lam, that hiked the mountain after the deities "called" the Lithians in the region to climb the mountain and honor the deities. No gift was promised, and thus most dismissed the call; some answered the "call" by constructing a temple described to be located near modern-day Madam. He decided to climb the mountain and reach the summits where he meditated for few hours. A deity is described to have came to him with the gift, called "the knowledge of civilization", then used by Gamilami to found a kingdom that is believed to be located in modern-day Deshan.

National Park

As a National Park, the Mount Ramiel area is managed by (organization), under the direct auspices of the national government.