Peyto Peak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peyto Peak
Peyto Peak seen from Peyto Lake overlook
Highest point
Elevation	2,980 m (9,780 ft)
Prominence	220 m (720 ft)
Parent peak	Mount Baker
Listing	Mountains of Alberta
Geography
Peyto Peak Location in Alberta
Location	Alberta, Canada
Parent range	Waputik Range
Topo map	NTS 082N10
Climbing
First ascent	1933 by Conrad Kain and party

Peyto Peak is a mountain in the Waputik Range, part of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. It lies at the north end of the Wapta Icefield, in Banff National Park, about one km (0.6 mi) east of the border with British Columbia and 32 km (20 mi) north of the town of Field. Five kilometres to the northeast lies Bow Pass, one of the high points of the Icefields Parkway. Between the peak and the pass lies picturesque Peyto Lake. Three kilometres southwest of Peyto Peak is Mount Baker, the highest point in the immediate vicinity.

History

Peyto Peak was named in 1896 by Walter Wilcox for Ebenezer William "Bill" Peyto, an early outfitter, trail guide and trapper in the Banff and Lake Louise areas. The first ascent of the peak was in 1933 by famed mountaineer Conrad Kain and party. The mountain's name became official in 1928 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

Geology

Like other mountains in Banff Park, Peyto Peak is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during 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.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Peyto Peak 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. Precipitation runoff from Peyto Peak drains into the Mistaya River which is a tributary of the Saskatchewan River.