Pyramid Mountain (Wells Gray-Clearwater)

Last updated
Pyramid Mountain
Pyramid Mountain.jpg
Pyramid Mountain, Sept. 2006
Highest point
Elevation 1,094 m (3,589 ft) [1]
Prominence 227 m (745 ft) [1]
Coordinates 51°59′40″N120°06′16″W / 51.99444°N 120.10444°W / 51.99444; -120.10444 Coordinates: 51°59′40″N120°06′16″W / 51.99444°N 120.10444°W / 51.99444; -120.10444 [2]
Geography
Canada British Columbia relief location map.jpg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Pyramid Mountain
Location in SE British Columbia
Location British Columbia, Canada
DistrictKamloops Division Yale Land District
Topo map NTS   92P16
Geology
Age of rock Pleistocene
Mountain type Subglacial mound
Volcanic arc/belt Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field
Last eruption 12,000 years ago
Climbing
Easiest route Trail off Majerus Falls trail

Pyramid Mountain is a subglacial mound located on the Murtle Plateau in Wells Gray Provincial Park, east-central British Columbia, Canada.

Contents

Formation

Pyramid Mountain erupted about 12,000 years ago. It was once mistaken for a cinder cone and is now known to have erupted underneath about 1,600 m (5,249 ft) of glacial ice. The volcano erupted vigorously and cooled rapidly when the hot lava contacted the surrounding ice and melted it, creating an envelope of water around the rising volcano. The result was a cement-like surface with smoothed cobbles of granite, schist, phyllite and other non-volcanic pebbles which were carried by the ice from many kilometers distant. As a result of this type of eruption, Pyramid Mountain has no crater and no lava flows stretching away from its base. The secondary cone to the east (best seen from Clearwater Valley Road near Hemp Creek) was not formed by a separate eruption, but was simply a slump when the ice melted away from Pyramid, releasing the pressure against its slopes. [3] [4]

Access

Pyramid Mountain can be viewed from Wells Gray Park roads at three locations:

The trail to the top of Pyramid Mountain starts at Pyramid Campground. It is 4 km (2.5 mi) to the summit. The view is mostly southward to Trophy Mountain, Battle Mountain and Dunn Peak. The Murtle River flows along the east and south sides of Pyramid. In some weather conditions, the plume of spray over Helmcken Falls can be seen to the west. [5]

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The Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field, also called the Clearwater Cone Group, is a potentially active monogenetic volcanic field in east-central British Columbia, Canada, located approximately 130 km (81 mi) north of Kamloops. It is situated in the Cariboo Mountains of the Columbia Mountains and on the Quesnel and Shuswap Highlands. As a monogenetic volcanic field, it is a place with numerous small basaltic volcanoes and extensive lava flows.

Wells Gray Provincial Park

Wells Gray Provincial Park is a large wilderness park located in east-central British Columbia, Canada. The park protects most of the southern, and highest, regions of the Cariboo Mountains and covers 5,250 square kilometres. It is British Columbia's fourth largest park, after Tatshenshini, Spatsizi and Tweedsmuir.

References

  1. 1 2 "Pyramid Mountain". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  2. "Pyramid Mountain". BC Geographical Names . Retrieved 2013-08-10.
  3. Goward, Trevor and Hickson, Cathie (1995). Nature Wells Gray, 2nd edition. Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, AB. ISBN   1-55105-065-X.
  4. Hickson, Cathie with Hollinger, Jason (2014). Wells Gray Rocks. Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC.
  5. Neave, Roland (2015). Exploring Wells Gray Park, 6th edition. Wells Gray Tours, Kamloops, BC. ISBN   978-0-9681932-2-8.

See also