Rock Rock Mountain
- This article is about the race course from Mario Kart 7. For its musical theme, see Rock Rock Mountain (theme).
- "Alpine Pass" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Alpine Peak.
| Rock Rock Mountain Alpine Pass | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Appears in | Mario Kart 7 (2011) Mario Kart Tour (2019) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Booster Course Pass, Wave 3) (2022) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cups | Flower Cup (7) Rock Cup (8 Deluxe) | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Previous | Music Park (7) GBA Boo Lake (8 Deluxe) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Next | Wii Maple Treeway (8 Deluxe) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mario Kart 7 courses Mario Kart 8 Deluxe courses | |||||||||||||||||||
Rock Rock Mountain (known as Alpine Pass in the British English version) is the fourth and last race course of the Flower Cup in Mario Kart 7. It takes place on a mountain with pipes and a forest.
The first part of the track takes place on a mountainous cliff with steep drops on the left side, and in a cave with Swoops. The second part of the track takes place in a mountainous forest, with huge gliding sections aplenty. The final section of the track takes place on a mountainside with rolling rocks falling down serving as obstacles. There are many Dash Panels in this section that lie in the boulders' path.
Along with Cheep Cheep Lagoon and DK Jungle, this course was playable in demo versions of Mario Kart 7. Rock Rock Mountain reappears in Mario Kart Tour starting with the New York Tour and last appearing in the 2023 Exploration Tour. It also returns in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as the third course of the Rock Cup in the Booster Course Pass.
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Course layout[edit]
The track starts on a curvy cliff road on the side of a mountain, with a trick ramp nestled along the edge right before the second turn. The road leads to a cave in the mountain with Swoops flying and columns blocking the way. After exiting the cave there is a sharp downhill bridge ending in a Glide Ramp through a valley. Pipes serve as obstacles that must be dodged while gliding down. One of the pipes blows air, starting in the second lap. Racers land in the forest, driving through trees and felled trunks before entering a second, but smaller, gliding section. The road then turns to the right, and into a steep uphill climb up the mountain past rolling rocks and Dash Panels. At the top of the mountain is a Glide Ramp, leading to the finish line.
If the player goes to the right side of the forest after the second glider section, they will find a tree without leaves, possibly a mistake by the developers. There are a few more trees without leaves to the left at the end of the forest; all but one of the trees are shown with leaves on the map.
When racing online, only one of the pipes blows air on the third lap, and the second coin ring in the air is removed.
Shortcuts[edit]
After the second glider, it is possible to cut through the grass with a Mushroom to reach a wooden ramp, and the first turn is cuttable with the Peach Parasol or the Flower Glider, as they can rise higher in the air. It is also possible to use a Mushroom in the air to skip the windy cliffs at the start.
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
Rock Rock Mountain makes its classic course debut in Mario Kart Tour, starting with the New York Tour. Rock Rock Mountain is the only Mario Kart 7 course introduced in the New York Tour to not be from that game's Mushroom Cup. Here, the course received some changes. The mountain is now a tan color, instead of a dark gray. The banner for the starting line has also been changed, and now includes two log supports holding it up, instead of poles. Furthermore, the sign itself now features black and white checkers, rather than the turquoise and light yellow checkers from before. The ramp inside the second turn was removed. The Glide Ramp after the cave now resembles the trick variation ramps.
The course also appears as Rock Rock Mountain R (reversed) and Rock Rock Mountain T (with ramps). In the R variant, there are more ramps and trickable elements than would be necessary when making an R variant, which may have to do with this course's lack of an R/T variant. In the T variant, the starting line is now located midway through the forest after the first Glide Ramp, making this course one of five courses in Mario Kart Tour to not start in the same location as the original, the others being 3DS Rainbow Road T, 3DS Rainbow Road R/T, Singapore Speedway R/T, and Athens Dash R/T. Additionally, the Glide Ramp at the end of the climb up the mountain has been removed.
It is one of two tracks to never receive an R/T variant, alongside GBA Bowser's Castle 4. It is also the only 3DS course with this distinction, as well as the only course among those that have appeared since launch. References to an R/T variant were added to the game's data in the 2025 re-run of the Peach vs. Bowser Tour, however.[1]
Appearances[edit]
For this course's tour appearances, see List of 3DS Rock Rock Mountain tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
Top-tier and middle-tier items[edit]
Select "show" to reveal the drivers, karts, and gliders for which 3DS Rock Rock Mountain and its variants are always favored or favorite courses. For instances in which additional drivers, karts, and gliders temporarily had this course and its variants as favored or favorite courses, see List of 3DS Rock Rock Mountain tour appearances in Mario Kart Tour.
