Observation Peak (Alberta) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Observation Peak |
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Observation Peak, July 2003. Visible high point is the false summit.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,174 m (10,413 ft) |
| Prominence | 644 m (2,113 ft) |
| Listing | Mountains of Alberta |
| Geography | |
 Observation Peak
Location in Alberta
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| Parent range | Canadian Rockies |
| Topo map | NTS 82N/09 Hector Lake |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Precambrian to Jurassic |
| Mountain type | sedimentary rock |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1895 by Bill Peyto and Walter Wilcox |
| Easiest route | easy/moderate scramble |
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.
The peak was named in 1898 by Charles L. Noyes, a Boston clergyman, who upon climbing to the top found it to have the best viewpoint he had ever reached.
The mountain can be scrambled using the western slopes and after reaching the top of the false summit, a 20-minute plod to the northwest leads to the true summit about 100 metres (328 ft) higher.
Geology
Like other mountains in Banff Park, the mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Observation Peak is located in a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Precipitation runoff from Observation Peak drains into the Mistaya River, a tributary of the North Saskatchewan River.
