Cirrus Mountain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cirrus Mountain
Quick facts for kidsCirrus Mountain
	Cirrus Mountain with summit to left. Viewed from Parker Ridge
Highest point
Elevation	3,270 m (10,730 ft)
Prominence	890 m (2,920 ft)
Parent peak	Mount Stewart (3312 m)
Listing	Mountains of Alberta
Geography
	Cirrus Mountain Location in Alberta Cirrus Mountain Location in Canada
Location	Alberta, Canada
Parent range	Canadian Rockies
Topo map	NTS 83C/02
Type of rock	Sedimentary
Climbing
First ascent	1939 by C.B. Sissons, H.J. Sissons
Easiest route	technical climb

Cirrus Mountain is a 3,270-metre (10,730-foot) mountain summit located in the upper North Saskatchewan River valley on the shared boundary between Banff National Park and White Goat Wilderness Area, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Stewart, 5.92 km (3.68 mi) to the north-northeast. Cirrus Mountain is situated along the east side the Icefields Parkway midway between Saskatchewan Crossing and Sunwapta Pass.

History

In 1928, Morrison P. Bridgland suggested the name Mount Huntington for the mountain, but it was not adopted. However, the Huntington name endures as the name of the Huntington Glacier below the eastern aspect of the summit. The mountain was instead named Cirrus Mountain, and that became official in 1935. The first ascent of the mountain was accomplished in 1939 by C.B. Sissons, H.J. Sissons.

Geology

Like other mountains in Banff Park, Cirrus Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny. The east aspect of Cirrus Mountain is covered by expansive glacial ice known as the Huntington Glacier.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Cirrus Mountain is located in a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Weather conditions during winter make the Weeping Wall at the base of Cirrus Mountain's west face the premier place for ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies. Precipitation runoff from Cirrus Mountain drains into tributaries of the North Saskatchewan River.