Forum Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forum Peak |
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Forum Peak in upper right, Mount Custer to left.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,415 m (7,923 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Forum Peak
Location in Alberta
Forum Peak
Location in Canada
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| Location | Alberta British Columbia |
| Parent range | Canadian Rockies |
| Topo map | NTS 82G/01 |
Forum Peak is a cool mountain located right on the border between Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. It's part of the huge Continental Divide, which is like a big line across North America. Rivers on one side flow to the Pacific Ocean, and rivers on the other side flow to the Atlantic or Arctic oceans. This mountain is the most southern peak in the amazing Canadian Rockies mountain range. It's super close to the Canada–United States border, only about 500 meters away!
Forum Peak got its name from Forum Lake, which sits right below it. You can see this awesome peak from the end of Highway 5, near Cameron Lake, inside Waterton Lakes National Park. The mountain is actually on the park's southwest edge.
How Forum Peak Was Formed
Like other mountains in Waterton Lakes National Park, Forum Peak is made of sedimentary rock. This type of rock forms when layers of sand, mud, and tiny bits of sea creatures settle at the bottom of ancient seas over millions of years.
These layers of rock were laid down during very long periods of Earth's history, from the Precambrian to the Jurassic times. Later, during an event called the Laramide orogeny, huge forces deep within the Earth pushed these rock layers east. They were even pushed up and over younger rocks from the Cretaceous period. This massive pushing and folding created the tall mountains we see today, including Forum Peak!
Weather and Climate
Forum Peak is located in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very cold, snowy winters and mild summers.
Temperatures on the peak can drop below −20 degrees Celsius (which is −4 degrees Fahrenheit). With the wind blowing, it can feel even colder, sometimes below −30 degrees Celsius (−22 degrees Fahrenheit)! This kind of climate is typical for high mountains in northern regions.
