Tolkien Peak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tolkien Peak |
|
---|---|
![]() Tolkien Peak, northern aspect
|
|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 2,380 m (7,810 ft) |
Prominence | 350 m (1,150 ft) |
Parent peak | Mount Gandalf (2391 m) |
Geography | |
Location | Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park British Columbia, Canada |
Parent range | Cadwallader Range Coast Mountains |
Topo map | NTS 92J/10 |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Scrambling via Southeast Ridge |
Tolkien Peak is a tall mountain in British Columbia, Canada. It stands 2,380-metre (7,810-foot) high! This amazing peak is part of the Cadwallader Range. You can find it inside Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park. It's about 32 km (20 mi) north of a town called Pemberton. Tolkien Peak is also close to another mountain, Mount Gandalf, which is a bit taller.
Why is it Called Tolkien Peak?
This mountain got its name from a famous author, J. R. R. Tolkien. He lived from 1892 to 1973. Tolkien wrote the popular fantasy books The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Other mountains nearby also have names from his books. These include Mount Aragorn, Mount Gandalf, and Mount Shadowfax. Explorers named these peaks after characters from Tolkien's stories. They read his books while waiting for bad weather to pass during their climbs in 1972.
Weather at Tolkien Peak
Tolkien Peak is in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Most of the weather comes from the Pacific Ocean.
When weather fronts move east, they hit the Coast Mountains. The mountains force the air to rise. This process is called Orographic lift. As the air goes up, it cools and drops its moisture. This causes a lot of rain or snow, especially in winter.
Temperatures can get very cold, sometimes below −20 °C. With the wind, it can feel even colder, below −30 °C. If you want to climb Tolkien Peak, the best time is usually from July to September. The weather is much better then.