Arêtes and pyramidal peaks
Diagram
A view of the Himalayas showing an arête and pyramidal peak
An arête is a knife-edge A long and narrow chain of mountains.. It is formed when two corries run back to back. As each glacier erodes either side of the ridge, the edge becomes steeper and the ridge becomes narrower.
A pyramidal peak is formed where three or more corries and arêtes meet. Glaciers erode backwards towards each other, carving out the rocks by plucking and abrasion. Freeze thaw weathers the top of the mountain, creating a sharply pointed peak.
