The Watchtower (Alberta)

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The Watchtower
The Watchtower, Canadian Rockies.jpg
The Watchtower
Highest point
Elevation2,791 m (9,157 ft)[1]
Prominence651 m (2,136 ft)[1]
Parent peakMount Kerkeslin (2950  m)[1]
ListingMountains of Alberta
Coordinates52°49′00″N 117°50′00″W / 52.81667°N 117.83333°W / 52.81667; -117.83333Coordinates: 52°49′00″N 117°50′00″W / 52.81667°N 117.83333°W / 52.81667; -117.83333[2]
Geography
The Watchtower is located in Alberta
The Watchtower
The Watchtower
Location of The Watchtower in Alberta
LocationAlberta, Canada
Parent rangeMaligne Range
Canadian Rockies
Topo mapNTS 83C13 Medicine Lake[2]
Geology
Age of rockCambrian
Type of rockSedimentary rock
Climbing
First ascent1951 R.K. Irvin, J. Mowat, R. Strong[3]
Easiest routeClimbing

The Watchtower is a 2,791-metre (9,157 ft) mountain summit located in the Maligne River valley of Jasper National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Maligne Range[4] and is visible from the Maligne Lake Road where it towers over Medicine Lake. Its nearest higher peak is Sirdar Mountain, 11.64 km (7.23 mi) to the north.[4]

History[]

The mountain was named in 1916 by Morrison P. Bridgland (1878-1948), a Dominion Land Surveyor who named many peaks in Jasper Park and the Canadian Rockies.[5][3] The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1947 when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[2]

The first ascent of The Watchtower was made in 1951 by R.K. Irvin, J. Mowat, and R. Strong.[1]

Geology[]

The Watchtower is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Cambrian period and pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.[6]

Climate[]

Based on the Köppen climate classification, The Watchtower is located in a subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[7] Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Excelsior Creek and Watchtower Creek, both tributaries of the Maligne River which in turn empties into the Athabasca River.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "The Watchtower". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  2. ^ a b c "The Watchtower". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  3. ^ a b "The Watchtower". PeakFinder.com. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
  4. ^ a b "The Watchtower, Alberta". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
  5. ^ MacLaren, I.S. (2005). Mapper of Mountains M.P. Bridgland in the Canadian Rockies 1902-1930. With Eric Higgs, Gabrielle Zezulka-Mailloux. Edmonton, AB: The University of Alberta Press. ISBN 0-88864-456-6.
  6. ^ Gadd, Ben (2008), Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias
  7. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.

Gallery[]

  • The Watchtower from Skyline Trail

  • The Watchtower from Skyline Trail

External links[]

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