The Watchtower (Alberta)

The Watchtower is a 2,971 metres (9,747 feet) 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]

The Watchtower
The Watchtower
Highest point
Elevation2,971 m (9,747 ft) [1]
Prominence651 m (2,136 ft) [1]
Parent peakMount Kerkeslin (2950  m)[1]
Coordinates52°49′00″N 117°50′00″W [2]
Geography
The Watchtower
Location of The Watchtower in Alberta
The Watchtower
The Watchtower (Canada)
LocationAlberta
Parent rangeMaligne Range
Canadian Rockies
Topo mapNTS 83C/13
Geology
Age of rockCambrian
Type of rockSedimentary rock
Climbing
First ascent1951 R.K. Irvin, J. Mowat, R. Strong[3]
Easiest routeClimbing

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. "The Watchtower". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  2. "The Watchtower". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  3. The Watchtower PeakFinder
  4. "The Watchtower, Alberta". Peakbagger.com.
  5. Mapper of Mountains M.P. Bridgland in the Canadian Rockies 1902-1930, Author I.S. MacLaren, The University of Alberta Press, ISBN 0-88864-456-6
  6. Gadd, Ben (2008). "Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  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.
  • The Watchtower from Skyline Trail
  • The Watchtower from Skyline Trail
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