The purpose of this paper is a description of development of the automated methods for determination and analysis of peaks and shapes as the upper part of the rising ground. The determination of local peaks by means of the digital terrain model (DTM) on the basisof a moving window of 3 by 3 grid cell analysis is facilitated by almost each software for raster-based data analysis. The definition of characteristic peaks, which are subjectively determined by mountaineers according to topographical, geomorphological andmountaineering criteria, is a more important problem. The topographical and geomorphological criteria were handled with automated algorithms. The points and potential surfaces of the peaks were calculated. From the potential surfaces the shapes of sharp, blunt, oblong and conical peaks were identified. The number andlocations of the peaks determined by automatic methods do not differ against the reference data more than the various subjective human-based methods differentiate among each other. The advantages of theautomated approach are that the parameters are standardised and the results more comparative, more objective, and therefore of higher quality. The study area was the Kamnik Alps and the data of the DTMof Slovenia with a resolution of 12.5, 25 and 100 m, respectively.