Mount McGuire (Cascade Range)

Mount McGuire is a 2,008-metre (6,588-foot) mountain summit located in the Cascade Mountains of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is situated 4 km (2 mi) north of the Canada–United States border, 19 km (12 mi) southeast of Chilliwack, and 7.4 km (5 mi) northwest of Canadian Border Peak, which is its nearest higher peak.[3] Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of the Chilliwack River. The steep western slope of the peak plunges 1800 metres into Tamihi Creek. The mountain was originally known as Tamihi, a Halkomelem name that means "deformed baby finishes." Such infants were sometimes left exposed on the mountain to die.[2][4] The mountain's name was labelled on 1917 map as McGuire, and officially adopted on October 6, 1936, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[5] The peak was first climbed in 1906 by James J. McArthur and survey party via the Southeast Ridge.[2]

Mount McGuire
Mt. McGuire, north aspect
Highest point
Elevation2,008 m (6,588 ft) [1]
Prominence465 m (1,526 ft) [1]
Parent peakCanadian Border Peak[1]
Coordinates49°02′01″N 121°46′23″W 
Geography
Mount McGuire
Location in British Columbia
Mount McGuire
Mount McGuire (Canada)
LocationBritish Columbia, Canada
Parent rangeSkagit Range
North Cascades
Topo mapNTS 92H/4
Geology
Mountain typeIntrusive
Type of rockLimestone
Volcanic arc/beltPemberton Volcanic Belt
Climbing
First ascent1906 by James J. McArthur[2]  
Easiest routeScrambling

Geology

Mount McGuire is related to the Chilliwack batholith, which intruded the region 26 to 29 million years ago after the major orogenic episodes in the region. This is part of the Pemberton Volcanic Belt, an eroded volcanic belt that formed as a result of subduction of the Farallon Plate starting 29 million years ago.[6][7][8]

During the Pleistocene period dating back over two million years ago, glaciation advancing and retreating repeatedly scoured the landscape leaving deposits of rock debris.[9] The "U"-shaped cross section of the river valleys are a result of recent glaciation. Uplift and faulting in combination with glaciation have been the dominant processes which have created the tall peaks and deep valleys of the North Cascades area.

The North Cascades features some of the most rugged topography in the Cascade Range with craggy peaks and ridges, deep glacial valleys, and granite spires. Geological events occurring many years ago created the diverse topography and drastic elevation changes over the Cascade Range leading to various climate differences which lead to vegetation variety defining the ecoregions in this area.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount McGuire is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[10] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Cascade Range 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 Cascade 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. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing McGuire.

Climbing Routes
Mt. McGuire's south aspect

Established rock climbing routes on Mount McGuire:[1]

See also

References
  1. "Mount McGuire". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  2. Fred Beckey, Cascade Alpine Guide, Volume 3 (Second Edition), The Mountaineers, 1995, ISBN 0-89886-423-2, p. 50
  3. "Mount McGuire, British Columbia". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  4. "Mount McGuire". BC Geographical Names.
  5. "Mount McGuire". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
  6. Cenozoic to Recent plate configurations in the Pacific Basin: Ridge subduction and slab window magmatism in western North America
  7. "Miocene peralkaline volcanism in west-central British Columbia - Its temporal and plate-tectonics setting" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  8. Catalogue of Canadian volcanoes: Franklin Glacier Archived 2010-12-11 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Kruckeberg, Arthur (1991). The Natural History of Puget Sound Country. University of Washington Press.
  10. 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.
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