Pinnacle Mountain (Alberta) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pinnacle Mountain
Pinnacle Mountain
Highest point
Elevation	3,070 m (10,070 ft)
Prominence	225 m (738 ft)
Listing	Mountains of Alberta
Geography
Pinnacle Mountain Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta Pinnacle Mountain Location in Canada Show map of Canada
Location	Alberta
Parent range	Bow Range Canadian Rockies
Topo map	NTS 82N/08
Geology
Age of rock	Cambrian
Type of rock	Sedimentary rock
Climbing
First ascent	1909 J.W.A. Hickson, E. Feuz Jr, R. Aemmer

Pinnacle Mountain is a tall mountain in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It stands about 3,070 meters (10,072 feet) high. It's part of the Bow Range, which is a smaller mountain group within the larger Canadian Rockies. The closest taller mountain is Eiffel Peak, about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) away to the southwest. Mount Temple is right next to Pinnacle Mountain on its northeast side. A low point called Sentinel Pass connects the two mountains.

Mountain History

Pinnacle Mountain got its name in 1894 from Walter Wilcox. He named it because of the tall, pointy rock formations, called 'pinnacles,' near Sentinel Pass.

Walter Wilcox wrote about the mountain's unique rock formations.

Walter Wilcox wrote about these amazing rock formations in his 1896 book, "Camping in the Canadian Rockies." He described them as looking like "minarets, spires, and pinnacles," almost like parts of a "great cathedral." He was amazed by how these slender towers had lasted for thousands of years.

Before anyone successfully climbed Pinnacle Mountain, three other attempts failed. The first ascent was finally made in 1909 by J. W. A. Hickson. He was guided by Edward Feuz Jr. and Rudolph Aemmer. The mountain's name was officially recognized in 1952 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

Mountain Makeup

Like other mountains in Banff Park, Pinnacle Mountain is made of sedimentary rock. This type of rock formed from layers of sand and mud that settled in ancient shallow seas. These layers were laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods, which means they are very, very old.

Later, during a time of major mountain building called the Laramide orogeny, these rock layers were pushed up and over younger rocks. The Grand Sentinel is the largest of the pinnacles on the mountain. This tall quartzite tower stands 120 meters (394 feet) above the slopes on the Paradise Valley side of Sentinel Pass.

Mountain Weather

Pinnacle Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below −20°C (−4°F). With the wind chill, it can feel even colder, sometimes below −30°C (−22°F).

Gallery

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  Pinnacle Mountain and Eiffel Peak photographed by Walter Wilcox from Mount Aberdeen, likely during his first ascent in 1894

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  Pinnacle Mountain

Images for kids

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  The Grand Sentinel, a quartzite pinnacle

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  1898 image of Pinnacle Mountain (left) and Eiffel Peak (right) seen from the north at Paradise Valley