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 part of the Haseth highlands, which includes 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.
The high Ramiel peak is sometimes snow-capped during winter, despite its latitude of 31°N making the snow line particularly high. The mountain is one of the most well-known natural landmarks of Lugida, as prominently featured in Lugid mythology, culture, 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.
To conserve and protect the forests and fauna around the mountain from rapid urbanization, Haseth Highlands National Park, comprising Mount Ramiel, Mount Sherun, and surrounding areas, was established in 1959, and has since become a tourist site.
Etymology
Geography and climate
Standing 5,480 metres (17,980 ft) high, Mount Ramiel is a distinctive feature of the geography of Lugida. The mountain comprises the southernmost portion of the Rietic Mountains, and its summit 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 Nurkaila, 200 km (120 mi) west of the summit.
Climate of Mount Ramiel region is dominated by a humid subtropical climate with temperatures near the summit averaging around −6.9 °C (19.6 °F). Its wide permanent ice cap near the summit, shaped by coastal wind, feeds 14 glaciers, which in turn feed the Ori and Romit rivers. Lithe River and its watershed provides inundation for a substantial portion of agriculture in Lugida, comprising around 24% of Lugida's arable lands, extending (some distance) from around Wiliya before ultimately reaching its estuary in Eldin. Mount Ramiel area mostly falls above the tree line which lies around altitudes between 2,300 m (7,500 ft) and 2,800 m (9,200 ft). At these areas, grass and rocks dominate the landscape, and vegetation is otherwise scarce.
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 ice caps, 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 during the Rietic orogeny 60 million years ago. (Central Soltennan) Plate at the time already collided with the (West Soltennan) Plate to form the Darkine, 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 Nidarum. 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.
History
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.
Adventuring
National Park
As a National Park, the Mount Ramiel area is managed by (organization), under the direct auspices of the national government.