Cirque Peak | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 2,993 m (9,820 ft) [1] |
Prominence | 341 m (1,119 ft) [2] |
Parent peak | Observation Peak [2] |
Listing | Mountains of Alberta |
Coordinates | 51°42′00″N116°25′04″W / 51.70000°N 116.41778°W [3] |
Geography | |
Country | Canada |
Province | Alberta |
Protected area | Banff National Park |
Parent range | Canadian Rockies |
Topo map | NTS 82N9 Hector Lake [3] |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 1899 [2] [4] |
Easiest route | Easy Scramble [5] |
Cirque Peak is a 2,993-metre (9,820-foot) peak located directly west of Dolomite Pass in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada.
The scrambling route (rated easy) begins just beyond Helen Lake which can be reached by following the Helen Lake/Dolomite Pass trail 6 km from the trail head beside the Icefields Parkway. From the lake, follow the trail into Dolomite Pass and then choose a line up the peak. [5]
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Cirque Peak is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. [7] Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny. [8]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Cirque Peak is located in a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. [9] Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.
Mount Chephren is a mountain located in the Mistaya River Valley of Banff National Park, Canada.
Mount Niblock is a mountain in Banff National Park near Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada.
Mount Whyte is a mountain in Alberta, Canada located in Banff National Park, near Lake Louise. The mountain can be seen from the Trans-Canada Highway, and offers views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, including the Chateau Lake Louise. The mountain is also visible from the hiking trail that skirts the northern shore of Lake Agnes.
Ptarmigan Peak is a mountain located near Pika Peak in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.
Redoubt Mountain is a mountain located in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It forms the southern buttress of Boulder Pass.
Mount Hector is a 3,394-metre (11,135-foot) mountain summit located in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The mountain was named in 1884 by George M. Dawson after James Hector, a geologist on the Palliser expedition. The mountain is located beside the Icefields Parkway, 17 km (11 mi) north of Lake Louise.
Pilot Mountain is a mountain in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It is located southeast of Redearth Creek and directly west of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Peyto Peak is a mountain in the Waputik Range, part of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. It lies at the north end of the Wapta Icefield, in Banff National Park, about one km (0.6 mi) east of the border with British Columbia and 32 km (20 mi) north of the town of Field. Five kilometres to the northeast lies Bow Pass, one of the high points of the Icefields Parkway. Between the peak and the pass lies picturesque Peyto Lake. Three kilometres southwest of Peyto Peak is Mount Baker, the highest point in the immediate vicinity.
Saint Nicholas Peak is a 2,938-metre (9,639-foot) mountain summit in the Rocky Mountains of Canada. It is located on the Continental Divide, on the Alberta-British Columbia border, in both Banff National Park and Yoho National Park. It lies at the eastern edge of the Wapta Icefield, and is part of the Waputik Mountains which are a sub-range of the Canadian Rockies.
Mount Balfour is a mountain located on the Continental Divide, part of the border between British Columbia and Alberta, in the Waputik Range in the Park Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. It is the 71st highest peak in Alberta and the 113th highest in British Columbia; it is also the 52nd most prominent in Alberta.
Mount Brett is a 2,984-metre (9,790-foot) summit located in the Massive Range of Alberta, Canada It is situated in Banff National Park, 20 km (12 mi) west of Banff townsite, in the Canadian Rockies. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Ball, 12.52 km (7.78 mi) to the west.
Observation Peak is a 3,174-metre (10,413-foot) mountain summit located in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. The mountain can be seen from the Icefields Parkway near the Bow Summit.
Dolomite Peak is a 2,998-metre (9,836-foot) mountain summit located in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Cirque Peak, 3.98 km (2.47 mi) to the northwest. Dolomite Peak can be seen from the Icefields Parkway with its distinctive crags and colorful towers that are a mixture of dolomite and limestone. Dolomite is rare in the Rockies and is stronger than limestone.
Bow Peak is a 2,840-metre (9,320-foot) mountain summit located in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Crowfoot Mountain, 2.11 km (1.31 mi) to the east. Bow Peak is situated north of Hector Lake, southeast of Bow Lake, and can be seen from the Icefields Parkway. Although not of remarkable elevation, the mountain is a conspicuous landmark and visible from as far away as the Lake Louise area. Its position in the Waputik Mountains provides magnificent views from the summit.
Mount Nestor is a 2,970-metre (9,740 ft) mountain summit located in Kananaskis Country in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is named after HMS Nestor, a destroyer sunk in the Battle of Jutland during World War I. Mount Nestor is situated at the south end of the Goat Range along the west shore of Spray Lakes Reservoir. Nestor's east flank is within Spray Valley Provincial Park, while the west aspect is within Banff National Park, with the boundary line between the two parks running roughly north-to-south over its summit. The nearest higher peak is Old Goat Mountain, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) to the north. Mount Nestor can be seen from Alberta Highway 742, the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail.
Watermelon Peak is a 3,095-metre (10,154-foot) summit located in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Deluc Peak, 13.5 km (8.4 mi) to the east.
Mount Andromache is a 3,033-metre (9,951-foot) mountain summit located in the Bow River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The nearest higher neighbor is Mount Hector, 4.00 km (2.49 mi) to the south. Mount Andromache can be seen from the Icefields Parkway as the road traverses the western base of the peak. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,180 m (3,870 ft) above the parkway in 1.5 km (0.93 mi). The Molar Glacier is situated on the northeast aspect of the mountain. Precipitation runoff from Mount Andromache drains into tributaries of the Bow River.
Pharaoh Peaks is a 2,713-metre (8,901-foot) triple summit mountain located in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. Pharaoh Peaks are part of the Ball Range in the Canadian Rockies. The nearest higher peak is Scarab Peak, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) to the southwest. The mountain's name Pharaoh was in keeping with the Egyptian theme of the immediate surrounding area, e.g., Egypt Lake, Pharaoh Lake, Mummy Lake, and Scarab Lake, which were applied in 1922 by Arthur O. Wheeler of the Interprovincial Boundary Survey. Wheeler regarded the area particularly beautiful when he wrote: "After 30 years of exploration, surveys and mapping the main ranges of the Canadian Rockies, the writer ... can safely say that outstanding among them for scenic charm and interest may be classed the group of peaks, lakes and alpine meadows of the Egypt Lake area." The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1956 when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.
Pulpit Peak is a 2,720-metre (8,920-foot) mountain summit located one km south of Hector Lake in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Lilliput Mountain, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) to the southwest. Pulpit Peak is situated east of the Waputik Icefield, and is a member of the Waputik Mountains. Pulpit Peak can be seen from the Icefields Parkway towering 900 metres (2,950 ft) above Hector Lake.
Saddle Mountain is a 2,433-metre (7,982 ft) summit in Alberta, Canada.