Atwell Peak
Encyclopedia
Atwell Peak is a dramatic pyramid shaped volcanic peak located at the southern edge of Mount Garibaldi
, British Columbia
, Canada
. Atwell Peak was formed during an initial period of volcanism 0.51-0.22 million years ago and was the source of many pyroclastic flow
s during Garibaldi's development. Frequent landslide
s on its west face drops steeply into the Cheekye River
. Atwell Peak is often mistakenly called Mount Garibaldi when viewed from Squamish
, since the main peak is hidden. The peak is usually climbed during winter or early spring when the rock is frozen because it is very loose and rotten. Atwell Peak contains three ridges, the north, east, and south. The two most visible routes are the north and south ridges.
Atwell Peak consists of three ridges, the north, east, and south. The east ridge connects with the north ridge about 100 horizontal meters north of the summit. All ridges, with the possible exception of the upper east ridge, are sharp and heavily corniced in winter and spring. The north ridge is the shortest climbing route. Several gullies on the southeast face offer moderate routes that eventually join one of the three ridges. The northeast face is the shortest of the peak's faces but has many bergschrunds.
Atwell Peak is part of the Garibaldi Massif which is an eroded stratovolcano
formed during the last ice age
. The volcano is also part of the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt
which is a segment of the Cascade Volcanic Arc
, but it is not within the geographic boundary of the Cascade Range
. It is located in the Garibaldi Ranges
of the Pacific Ranges
.
ice field
, which is a popular objective with the ski touring crowd. Two pocket glaciers lie right below the east side of the peak, the Diamond Glacier
to the southeast and the upper Bishop Glacier to the northeast. Straight north of Atwell toward Mount Garibaldi lies a small, high-elevation ice cap called the Cheekye Glacier.
Mount Garibaldi
Mount Garibaldi is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Sea to Sky Country of British Columbia, north of Vancouver, Canada. Located in the southernmost Coast Mountains, it is one of the most recognized peaks in the South Coast region, as well as British Columbia's best known volcano...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Atwell Peak was formed during an initial period of volcanism 0.51-0.22 million years ago and was the source of many pyroclastic flow
Pyroclastic flow
A pyroclastic flow is a fast-moving current of superheated gas and rock , which reaches speeds moving away from a volcano of up to 700 km/h . The flows normally hug the ground and travel downhill, or spread laterally under gravity...
s during Garibaldi's development. Frequent landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s on its west face drops steeply into the Cheekye River
Cheekye River
The Cheekye River is a river in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It flows west into the Cheakamus River and north of Squamish.-References:...
. Atwell Peak is often mistakenly called Mount Garibaldi when viewed from Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
, since the main peak is hidden. The peak is usually climbed during winter or early spring when the rock is frozen because it is very loose and rotten. Atwell Peak contains three ridges, the north, east, and south. The two most visible routes are the north and south ridges.
Atwell Peak consists of three ridges, the north, east, and south. The east ridge connects with the north ridge about 100 horizontal meters north of the summit. All ridges, with the possible exception of the upper east ridge, are sharp and heavily corniced in winter and spring. The north ridge is the shortest climbing route. Several gullies on the southeast face offer moderate routes that eventually join one of the three ridges. The northeast face is the shortest of the peak's faces but has many bergschrunds.
Atwell Peak is part of the Garibaldi Massif which is an eroded stratovolcano
Stratovolcano
A stratovolcano, also known as a composite volcano, is a tall, conical volcano built up by many layers of hardened lava, tephra, pumice, and volcanic ash. Unlike shield volcanoes, stratovolcanoes are characterized by a steep profile and periodic, explosive eruptions...
formed during the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. The volcano is also part of the Garibaldi Volcanic Belt
Garibaldi Volcanic Belt
The Garibaldi Volcanic Belt, also called the Canadian Cascade Arc, is a northwest-southeast trending volcanic chain in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains that extends from Watts Point in the south to the Ha-Iltzuk Icefield in the north. This chain of volcanoes is located in southwestern...
which is a segment of the Cascade Volcanic Arc
Cascade Volcanoes
The Cascade Volcanoes are a number of volcanoes in a volcanic arc in western North America, extending from southwestern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California, a distance of well over 700 mi ...
, but it is not within the geographic boundary of the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
. It is located in the Garibaldi Ranges
Garibaldi Ranges
The Garibaldi Ranges are the next-to-southwesternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains; only the North Shore Mountains are farther south. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River and Green River on the west and the valley of the Lillooet...
of the Pacific Ranges
Pacific Ranges
The Pacific Ranges are the southernmost subdivision of the Coast Mountains portion of the Pacific Cordillera. Located entirely within British Columbia, Canada, they run northwest from the lower stretches of the Fraser River to Bella Coola, north of which are the Kitimat Ranges.The Pacific Ranges...
.
Glaciers and icefield
To the east of Atwell Peak lies the Garibaldi NévéGaribaldi Névé
The Garibaldi Névé is a large icefield in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern flank of Mount Garibaldi.-References:...
ice field
Ice field
An ice field is an area less than 50,000 km² of ice often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes of the world where there is sufficient precipitation. It is an extensive area of interconnected valley glaciers from which the higher peaks rise as nunataks...
, which is a popular objective with the ski touring crowd. Two pocket glaciers lie right below the east side of the peak, the Diamond Glacier
Diamond Glacier
Diamond Glacier is a glacier in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Pacific Ranges in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It lies on the Mount Garibaldi massif between Atwell Peak and Diamond Head.-References:...
to the southeast and the upper Bishop Glacier to the northeast. Straight north of Atwell toward Mount Garibaldi lies a small, high-elevation ice cap called the Cheekye Glacier.
See also
- List of volcanoes in Canada
- Cascade VolcanoesCascade VolcanoesThe Cascade Volcanoes are a number of volcanoes in a volcanic arc in western North America, extending from southwestern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California, a distance of well over 700 mi ...
- Volcanism of Canada
- Volcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western CanadaVolcanism of Western Canada produces lava flows, lava plateaus, lava domes, cinder cones, stratovolcanoes, shield volcanoes, submarine volcanoes, calderas, diatremes and maars, along with examples of more less common volcanic forms such as tuyas and subglacial mounds.-Volcanic belts:*Anahim...