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Notch / pass

Notch / pass reference article on thruhikingwiki.com.

Overview

A notch or pass is a lower point along a ridge or mountain chain that provides a natural route for crossing from one side to another. In hiking contexts, passes are often key route landmarks.

Key points

  • Represents a relative low point between higher summits or ridges.
  • Often used as a trail corridor to cross from one drainage or valley to another.
  • May concentrate wind, snow, or weather changes.
  • Can act as significant psychological and logistical milestones on a route.
  • Elevation and exposure vary widely between different passes.

Details

Passes and notches shape how trails traverse mountainous terrain. Rather than climbing directly over the highest peaks, routes often weave through these lower corridors where elevation gain and loss are more manageable. On long-distance trails, passes may mark transitions between watersheds, ecosystems, or trail sections.

Conditions at passes can differ noticeably from surrounding valleys. Wind may be stronger, and snow can linger in shaded or wind-loaded areas depending on aspect and season. As a result, hikers sometimes time their approach to certain passes based on weather forecasts, snow conditions, or daylight windows.

Passes also function as psychological markers, representing the culmination of a climb and the beginning of a descent. They frequently appear in planning materials, guidebooks, and trip narratives as reference points for distances, elevation profiles, and resupply timing.

Terminology varies by region; words such as notch, gap, col, or saddle may be used with overlapping meanings, all referring to low points in ridgelines that provide practical crossing points.

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Illustrative hiking footage

The following external videos offer general visual context for typical hiking environments. They are not official route recommendations, safety instructions, or planning tools.