White Mountains



The White Mountains, a loose translation of the Sindarin Ered Nimrais "Whitehorn Mountains", was a mountain range in Middle-earth. The mountains were named after the glaciers of their highest peaks. The range lay mostly East-West, but also had a northern section, which was separated from the main line of the Hithaeglir "Misty Mountains" by the Gap of Rohan. Even at the southern latitude of Gondor and Rohan, the White Mountains bore snow even in summer, suggesting they were extremely high. The range had no passes. The Paths of the Dead passed under it, but only the most courageous (or foolhardy) ever ventured that route. The White Mountains formed the northern boundary of Gondor and the southern boundary of Rohan except in their easternmost provinces, where Gondor's province of Anorien lay to the north of the mountains.

Its notable peaks included Irensaga "Iron Saw" and Starkhorn. Between these two lay the Dwimorberg, entrance to the Paths of the Dead.

At the eastern end, the city of Minas Tirith was carved into Mindolluin mountain. The Warning beacons of Gondor were placed on top of seven peaks in the range: Amon Dîn, Eilenach, Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad and Halifirien.

Several rivers raised in the White Mountains, among them: the Adorn (a tributary of Isen), and the Snowbourn and Mering Stream (tributaries of the Entwash); and, on the south side, the Erui (a tributary of Anduin), the Ringló and its tributary Ciril (which together with the Morthond all entered the Bay of Belfalas at Edhellond near Dol Amroth), the Lefnui of the Anfalas, and the Five Rivers of Lebennin.

In the Second Age, the White Mountains were populated by a people related to the Dunlendings who had been servants of Sauron. They swore allegiance to Isildur, but betrayed him and were cursed: they became known as the Army of the Dead, of whose paths Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and the rangers later took. Before the Dunlendings, the White Mountains had been home to the Púkel-Men or Drúedain.