Does size count?

[juju]

I know it's a cheap trick, but now I've got you in...
I hope I don't sound too silly with these questions. If I learned the answers in school I've forgotten them.
What makes a creek a creek and a river a river?
When does a hill become a mountain?
Is it to do with size.
I probably could have found the answer somewhere else, but this site has so many smart people frequenting it...Julie

[photohiker]

Hi

Some definitions. Wikipedia is usually pretty good for stuff like this:

Wikipedia Mountain

Wikipedia Stream

HTH

[BarryJ]

DPIW Glossary of Definitions of Generic Terms Applied to Topographical Features is available here:

http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/We ... 3N82A?open

[tasadam]

What makes a man a man, and when is a Cheerio a Saveloy?
Can't believe on this forum, with such a question, two excellent answers and nobody going off the rails. People around here are usually more witty.
Thanks to Barry & Michael, we all learn something...

[ollster]

nobody going off the rails.

Would you like something to moderate?

[photohiker]

A Cheerio is never a Saveloy

[Nuts]

Hmmm, according to my instant wiki wisdom, we dont have many mountains by some definitions.
Just an aside, interesting that Kossi is not really our highest peak, without wiki cheating, anyone know what is?????...

[tasadam]

Something land based that is higher than Kosi... Hhmmm. If self-perceptions are a factor, I know of a few politicians that would meet the credentials. (heads in the clouds)

[Nuts]

har har... This would be a good place to send some of them... The minister for snow n ice could be expedition leader har har..

[BarryJ]

Mawson Peak on Heard Island

[jcr_au]

Now is Heard Island a separate territory or part of Tasmania. If the latter its going to force a re-think of some peak bagging lists :;

john r

[tastrax]

The islands are a territory (Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands) of Australia administered from Hobart by the Australian Antarctic Division ....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heard_Isla ... ld_Islands

[juju]

Thanks for the input. I think it's wonderful that although human beings constantly try to define everything in existence - in the end it's all a blur. On a recent return trip from Sydney I drove over some huge creeks and have walked to the source of some very small rivers. We have a 'mountain' near us only 730 metres - that has no definable peak, but everyone calls it a mountain. There is a 'hump' next to it that is 852 metres. Perhaps in the end it depends on now big we are.

[abowen]

While on the topic of acronyms and definitions, does anyone know what SL stands for? Not on DPIPWE's nomenclature site. I have seen it on Tassie maps often, but can't find an explanation for the abbreviation. I am assuming that is an abbreviation for slope or i just may be completely off track.
Cheers
Andrew

[Taurë-rana]

Sugarloaf?

[BarryJ]

Yeah, I would go with SugarLoaf.

[flyfisher]

I'd give you folk a tick for sugarloaf.

ff

[abowen]

Thanks for the reply. Anyone know the origins of the word sugarloaf? Is it descriptive of some type of shape?
Cheers
Andrew

[whynotwalk]

Hi Andrew - it's apparently the conical shape of an early form of sugar.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf

cheers

Peter

[whynotwalk]

... ans also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_(mountain)

[abowen]

Thanks Peter,
Hope those mountains are not as steep as the sides of those sugar moulds!
Cheers
Andrew

[eggs]

I am curious about Andrews query.

Where on the maps does SL appear?
Why has noone suggested it could mean Sea Level ?

[BarryJ]

A 1:500,000 map on my office wall shows Nicholas SL at 635m, just outside Bothwell however a 1:250,000 map actually shows the same hill as Nicholas Sugarloaf.

Last edited by BarryJ on Wed 03 Feb, 2010 3:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[ILUVSWTAS]

I am curious about Andrews query.

Where on the maps does SL appear?
Why has noone suggested it could mean Sea Level ?

That is an interesing point. If it appears after a mountain, like PROSSERS SL or GOULDS SL then it's definately sugarloaf.

BUT if it appears at random places on the contour lines, then it's possible it could be indicating theheight above sea level?? It probably depends on the map.