Mount Athabasca
Mount Athabasca | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 3,491 m (11,453 ft)[1] |
Prominence | 671 m (2,201 ft)[2] |
Geography | |
Location | Alberta, Canada |
Parent range | Canadian Rockies |
Topo map | NTS 83C/03 |
Climbing | |
First ascent | 1898 by J. Norman Collie and Herman Woolley[1] |
Easiest route | scramble/glacier/snow climb |
Mount Athabasca is located in the Columbia Icefield of Jasper National Park in Canada. The mountain was named in 1898 by J. Norman Collie, who made the first ascent on August 18 of that year.[1] Athabasca is the Cree Indian name for "where there are reeds" which originally referred to Lake Athabasca.
Routes
There are several climbing routes, including:[1]
- North Glacier (Normal Route) II
- Silverhorn II
- AA Col II
- Regular North Face III 5.8
- North Ridge III 5.5
- The Hourglass 300m, III, AI3-4
One of the most prominent features of Mount Athabasca is a horned-shaped tip near the top called the "Silverhorn". The Silverhorn is one of the easier routes to the summit but requires more caution and ability than the normal route because of blue ice and falling ice from other parties. Although not apparent from the typical roadside view of the mountain, the south side of Silverhorn actually contains a scrambling route but one must still cross the north glacier to get to it. From the top of the Silverhorn, the summit is a rather easy 15-minute plod in good summer weather over the narrow snow-covered summit ridge.