Mount Robson
Encyclopedia
Mount Robson is the most prominent
mountain in North America
's Rocky Mountain
range
; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies
. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park
of British Columbia
, and is part of the Rainbow Range
. It is commonly thought to be the highest point in B.C., but that distinction is held by Mount Fairweather
at 4663 m (15,299 ft). Mount Robson is the second highest peak entirely in British Columbia, behind Mount Waddington
.
Mount Robson was likely named after Colin Robertson, who worked for both the North West Company
and the Hudson’s Bay Company at various times in the early 19th century. The Texqakallt, a Secwepemc
people and the earliest inhabitants of the area, call it Yuh-hai-has-kun, The Mountain of the Spiral Road. Other unofficial names include Cloud Cap Mountain and Snow Cap Mountain.
the mountain rises 2300 m (7,546 ft) to the summit. The north face of Mount Robson is heavily glaciated and 800 m (2,624.7 ft) of ice plunge from the summit to Berg Glacier. The south side of the mountain rises 3000 m (9,843 ft) from base-to-summit. The 1500 m (4,921 ft) Emperor Face on the northwest side provides a formidable challenge to climbers attempting a route up this vertical wall of rock and ice; people have died trying to climb the mountain.
The south face of Mount Robson is clearly visible from the Yellowhead Highway
(Highway 16). The north face can be seen from Berg Lake, reached by a 19 km (11.8 mi) hike. The lake is approximately two km long. There are backcountry campgrounds at each end of the lake. One of Mount Robson's glaciers calves into Berg lake.
The main climbing routes on Mount Robson include:
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
mountain in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
's Rocky Mountain
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
; it is also the highest point in the Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...
. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park
Mount Robson Provincial Park
Mount Robson Provincial Park is a large provincial park in the Canadian Rockies with an area of 2,249 km². The park is located entirely within British Columbia, bordering Jasper National Park in Alberta. The B.C. legislature created the park in 1913, the same year as the first ascent of Mount...
of 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...
, and is part of the Rainbow Range
Rainbow Range (Rocky Mountains)
The Rainbow Range is a small subrange of the Park Ranges subdivions of the Northern Continental Ranges of the Rocky Mountains on the border between Alberta and British Columbia in Mount Robson Provincial Park...
. It is commonly thought to be the highest point in B.C., but that distinction is held by Mount Fairweather
Mount Fairweather
Mount Fairweather , is one of the world's highest coastal mountains at 4,671 metres It is located east of the Pacific Ocean on the border of Alaska, United States and western British Columbia, Canada...
at 4663 m (15,299 ft). Mount Robson is the second highest peak entirely in British Columbia, behind Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington
Mount Waddington, once known as Mystery Mountain, is the highest peak in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Although Mount Fairweather and Mount Quincy Adams, which straddle the US border between Alaska and British Columbia are taller, Mount Waddington is the highest peak that lies...
.
Mount Robson was likely named after Colin Robertson, who worked for both the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
and the Hudson’s Bay Company at various times in the early 19th century. The Texqakallt, a Secwepemc
Secwepemc
The Secwepemc , known in English as the Shuswap people, are a First Nations people residing in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their traditional territory ranges from the eastern Chilcotin Plateau and the Cariboo Plateau southeast through the Thompson Country to Kamloops and the Shuswap...
people and the earliest inhabitants of the area, call it Yuh-hai-has-kun, The Mountain of the Spiral Road. Other unofficial names include Cloud Cap Mountain and Snow Cap Mountain.
Geography
Mount Robson boasts great vertical relief over the local terrain. From Berg LakeBerg Lake
Berg Lake is a lake on the Robson River just below the river's source located within Mount Robson Provincial Park, at the doorstep of the north face of Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It is partly fed by the Berg Glacier....
the mountain rises 2300 m (7,546 ft) to the summit. The north face of Mount Robson is heavily glaciated and 800 m (2,624.7 ft) of ice plunge from the summit to Berg Glacier. The south side of the mountain rises 3000 m (9,843 ft) from base-to-summit. The 1500 m (4,921 ft) Emperor Face on the northwest side provides a formidable challenge to climbers attempting a route up this vertical wall of rock and ice; people have died trying to climb the mountain.
The south face of Mount Robson is clearly visible from the Yellowhead Highway
Yellowhead Highway
The Yellowhead Highway is a major east-west highway connecting the four western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Although part of the Trans-Canada Highway system, the highway should not be confused with the more southerly, originally-designated...
(Highway 16). The north face can be seen from Berg Lake, reached by a 19 km (11.8 mi) hike. The lake is approximately two km long. There are backcountry campgrounds at each end of the lake. One of Mount Robson's glaciers calves into Berg lake.
Climbing routes
Mount Robson has a high failure rate on climbing to the top, with only about 10% of attempts being successful. Although the mountain is under 4000 m (13,123 ft), there is no easy way to the summit and bad weather commonly rebuffs most summit attempts.The main climbing routes on Mount Robson include:
- South Face (Normal Route) IV
- Kain Face IV (named after Conrad KainConrad KainConrad Kain was an Austrian mountain guide who guided extensively in Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, and was responsible for the first ascents of more than 60 routes in British Columbia...
) - Wishbone Arete IV 5.6
- Emperor Ridge V 5.6
- Emperor Face, Stump/Logan VI 5.9 A2
- Emperor Face, Cheesmond/Dick VI 5.9 A2
- Emperor Face, Infinite Patience VI WI5 M5 5.9
- Emperor Face, House-Haley M7
- North Face IV
- Fuhrer Ridge IV 5.4
See also
- Mountain peaks of CanadaMountain peaks of CanadaThis article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaks of Canada.Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface. Topographic prominence is the elevation...
- Mountain peaks of North AmericaMountain peaks of North AmericaThis article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaks of greater North America.This article defines greater North America as the portion of the continental landmass of the Americas extending northward from Panama plus the islands surrounding that landmass...
- Mountain peaks of the Rocky MountainsMountain peaks of the Rocky MountainsThis article comprises three sortable tables of major mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains of North America.Topographic elevation is the vertical distance above the reference geoid, a precise mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface...
- Rocky MountainsRocky MountainsThe Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
External links
- Mount Robson on Peakware - unofficial summit log.
- Alpine accidents on Mt. Robson
- Mount Robson on Summitpost.org