Mountain pass is a passageway over a mountain barrier. Passes generally occur at low points on mountain watersheds, or in valleys between mountain ridges. The importance of a mountain pass depends on the need for communication between the people who are living on each side.
Well-known passes include Donner (7,088 feet, or 2,160 meters) in California; Brenner (4,508 feet, or 1,374 meters) between Italy and Austria; and Khyber (3,518 feet, or 1,072 meters) between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
