Mount Bute

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Mount Bute
Mount Bute.jpg
Mount Bute with the west face featured
Highest point
Elevation 2,810 m (9,220 ft) [1]
Prominence 640 m (2,100 ft) [1]
Parent peak Mount Grenville (3126 m) [1]
Isolation 12.1 km (7.5 mi) [2]
Listing Mountains of British Columbia
Coordinates 50°56′06″N124°42′04″W / 50.93500°N 124.70111°W / 50.93500; -124.70111 [3]
Naming
Etymology John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
Geography
Canada British Columbia relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Bute
Location in British Columbia
Canada relief map 2.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Mount Bute
Location in Canada
Mount Bute
Interactive map of Mount Bute
Location British Columbia, Canada
DistrictRange 1 Coast Land District
Parent range Coast Mountains
Topo map NTS   92K15 Southgate River [3]
Geology
Rock type granite

Mount Bute, also known as Bute Mountain, is a 2,810- metre (9,220- foot ) mountain located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Situated at the southern extreme of the Homathko Icefield, Mount Bute has an impressive 800-metre sheer granite west face, and Bute Glacier dominates the north aspect. This imposing mountain is visible from Waddington Harbour at the head of Bute Inlet, in a remote wilderness area that few visit. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Grenville, 13.0 km (8.1 mi) to the east-northeast. [1] Mount Grenville is the highest summit of the icefield. Mount Bute is 63.0 km (39.1 mi) southeast of Mount Waddington, the highest peak of the entire Coast Mountains range.

Contents

History

Like Bute Inlet, the mountain was named in 1792 by Captain George Vancouver to honor John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute who was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. [4] Stuart's grandson Charles Stuart was a master's mate on George Vancouver's Discovery. [5] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted in 1963 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. [3]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Bute is located in a marine west coast climate zone of western North America. [6] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Coast Mountains where they are forced upward by the range (Orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall. As a result, the Coast Mountains experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. Precipitation runoff from Mount Bute drains into the Southgate River which empties into Bute Inlet, except where the Bute Glacier meltwater drains into Galleon Creek.

Climbing

The imposing west face was first climbed in 1986 by Greg Foweraker and Don Serl. The second ascent was accomplished three days later by Fred Beckey, Kit Lewis, and Jim Nelson. [7]

The School of Rock route (YDS 5.11 50 pitches) was first climbed in 2009 by Jimmy Martinello, Bruce Kay, and Jason Sinnes. [8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Mount Bute". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2018-11-17.
  2. "Mount Bute, British Columbia". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2020-12-24.
  3. 1 2 3 "Mount Bute". Geographical Names Data Base . Natural Resources Canada . Retrieved 2018-11-17.
  4. Scott, Andrew (2009). The Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names: A Complete Reference to Coastal British Columbia. Madeira Park, BC: Harbor Publishing. p. 96. ISBN   978-1-55017-484-7.
  5. Robson, John (2007). "Hakluyt edition of Vancouver's journals". W. Kaye Lamb, editor, Vol. 2, p 605. Archived from the original on 2007-06-22. Retrieved 2007-07-27.
  6. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L. & McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN   1027-5606.
  7. "Mt. Bute, West Face, First Free Ascent". American Alpine Journal. American Alpine Club. 2014. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  8. "Adventure on Mount Bute to Free 50-Pitch School of Rock". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-08.