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As i understand it, the trouble with the Martian "mountains" is that, while some are very tall, they are typically also very wide, so they are less like mountains as we think of them, and more like slightly pointy plateaus. Check out the diameters in this list:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountains_on_Mars

I couldn't find a good visual comparison of Martian and Terrestrial mountains.



Part of the problem of comparison is the smaller diameter of Mars. Olympus Mons has such shallow slopes (~5°) that from the top you can only see the slope of the mountain itself, as everything else is below the horizon. https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/25960/is-the-c...

However, Olympus Mons has a very definite edge most of the way around, formed by escarpments up to 8km tall, that you'd have to get up before you get to the gentle slope. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_Mons


Between the distance and the lower gravity, sounds like it would be fun to mountain bike down, well, until reaching the 8km drop.


"Even though the surface gravity on Mars is only 3.7 meters/sec (compared to 9.8 meters/sec on Earth), the thin atmosphere means that the average terminal velocity hits a nail-biting 1,000 km/hour or so, compared to about 200 km/hour back home."

-for those wondering if 1/3 gravity could make the fall not as dangerous. ....although I suppose you might have more of time at the beginning to stop your descent by grabbing onto something maybe


Olympus is so wide you can't see the summit from the base. Because the summit is past the horizon.




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