Moving Up Mountains 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mt. Blanc

Mt. Blanc is not only the highest Alpine peak, it is also the highest mountain in Europe west of the Caucasus. At 4,807.40 meters (15,772 feet 4 inches) tall, it is a popular destination for skiing and hiking. The towns of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Italy, and Courmayeur, France, both share administrative responsibilities for Mt. Blanc.

The first recorded climbers, Jacques Balmat and Michel Paccard, scaled the mountain in 1786 and are credited with beginning the modern sport of mountaineering. While it is estimated that about 20,000 people move up Mt. Blanc each year, that doesn't mean that the ascent is easy. There is always the threat of an avalanche or altitude sickness.

Answer: Monte Rosa

The name Monte Rosa is a bit misleading; one might think that the granite and granite gneiss that form the peak are pink. In reality, the name comes from the word "rouése", which means glacier; at 4,634 meters (15,203 feet) above sea level, it is completely covered with snow and glaciers.

It is interesting to note that many scientists - including Leonardo da Vinci - throughout the centuries have been interested in studying Monte Rosa. Today the area is a popular place for skiers and hikers. While it is said that the peak is not difficult to climb for those with experience, the altitude and sudden weather changes make it very dangerous.

Answer: Gran Paradiso

Mt. Blanc is famously the highest mountain in Italy, however, as it is located on the border with France, Gran Paradiso is the highest mountain solely in Italy. With a height of 4,061 meters (13323.49 feet), Gran Paradiso is found in the Gran Paradiso National Park, which was especially created to shelter the Alpine ibex. The animal's population fell to about 419 in 1945; today, however, numbers are estimated at 4,000.

J. J. Cowell, W. Dundas, J. Payot, and J. Tairraz first climbed the mountain in 1860. While not considered especially difficult to climb, it does feature high ascents and rocky terrain toward the end of the climb.

Answer: Mont Agel

The highest mountain on the border of France and Monaco is Mont Agel; while the summit of the mountain is in France, the highest point in Monaco is situated on the mountain's slope on a pathway called Chemin des Révoires. At 1,148 meters (3,766 feet) above sea level, Mount Agel is the home of Nice Air Force Base, Monte Carlo Golf Club, and Roc Angel, one of the homes of Monaco's royal family.

Still a popular venue for cyclists today, this area was the scene of the Nice-Mont Agel, also called the Monaco-Mont Agel, cycling race for fifty years. In 1923, even though the route was covered with snow and ice, the race was held. Only one of the cyclists was reportedly able to end the race while riding on his bike; the others pushed their bikes to the finish.

Answer: Grauspitz

About half of the area of the small Principality of Liechtenstein is comprised of the Central Alps. Located on the border between Liechtenstein and Switzerland, Grauspitz has an elevation of 2,599 meters (8526.903 feet).

Even though Liechtenstein has lots of hiking trails, there are not any that lead to the top of Grauspitz. This, along with the fact that the ridge that leads to the top is extremely narrow, means that there aren't many hikers and climbers who take on Grauspitz, even though it seems low in comparison to some of the other peaks in the Alps.

Answer: Grossglockner

With a name meaning "big bell" due to its shape, Grossglockner stands 3,798 meters (12,461 feet) above sea level. Grossglockner actually has a "twin", or subpeak, called the Kleinglockner (small bell) which is 3,770 meters (12,370 feet) above sea level.

Although there were attempts at organizing an expedition to scale Grossglockner in the 1790s, it was 1800 before anyone was successful at climbing the mountain.. Once the Napoleonic Wars were concluded, the development of climbing and skiing in the area made Grossglockner a popular tourist destination. Since the 1930s tourists have been able to travel the Grossglockner High Alpine Road to take a closer look at the mountain.

Answer: Zugspitze

Zugspitze is considered to be the highest peak in Germany; the border of Austria and Germany, however, does cross one of its summits. Containing three of Germany's five glaciers, Zugspitze stands at 2,962 meters (9,718 feet) above sea level. The top layers of the peak consist of Wetterstein limestone; there are, consequently, numerous caves below the peak that are also interesting to explore.

It is believed that shepherds probably scaled Zugspitze with their flocks many times before the first recorded climb in 1820 by Lieutenant Josef Naus and his group. In fact, a survey of the area that was done in 1804 indicates that mapmakers had perhaps reached the summit earlier than 1820. Today, Zugspitze is a popular resort area, and tourists may take a cable car to the top of Zugspitze if they want to enjoy the view without climbing.

Answer: Triglav

When visiting the region of Upper Carniola, one can see how Triglav probably got its name; although there is no written verification of the etymology, the name meaning "three peaks" is the most likely derivation. The highest of the peaks, at 2,863.65 meters (9,395.2 feet) is typically called "Big Mount Triglav".

First scaled in 1778 by a group led by Lovrenz Willomitzer, Triglav is an important symbol in Slovenia. It was the symbol of the region's resistance movement during World War II, and today it is shown on Slovenia's coat of arms, as well as its 50 eurocent coin.

Answer: Barre des Écrins

While Barre des Écrins, at 4,102 meters (13458 feet) is actually the second highest mountain in France to Mt. Blanc, it is the highest that stands in France alone. It is located in the Écrins National Park, created in 1973, which is known for its lovely flora and fauna.

First ascended on June 25, 1864, by A. W Moore, Horace Walker, Edward Whymper, and their guides, there are many routes that may be taken today to scale Barre des Écrins, and some are more challenging that others. The ascent of one of the trails can even be accomplished while on skis!

Answer: Dom

The Dom, at 4,545 meters (14,911 feet) is the highest mountain completely contained in Switzerland. Its name can either mean "dome" or "cathedral", although its former name, "Mischabel", means "pitchfork". It is easy to see how any of those names could be applied to Dom.

Credit for the first ascent of this mountain goes to Reverend John Llewelyn-Davies and his guides on September 11, 1858. There are many routes from which a modern climber can choose; however, in order to do so one must plan an overnight stay at one of the camping sites available.