White Pyramid (Banff) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White Pyramid |
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White Pyramid (right) and Mount Chephren (left) seen from north along the Icefields Parkway
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 3,219 m (10,561 ft) |
| Prominence | 236 m (774 ft) |
| Parent peak | Howse Peak (3295 m) |
| Listing | Mountains of Alberta |
| Geography | |
 White Pyramid
Location in Alberta
White Pyramid
Location in Canada
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| Location | Banff National Park Alberta, Canada |
| Parent range | Waputik Mountains Canadian Rockies |
| Topo map | NTS 82N15 |
| Geology | |
| Age of rock | Cambrian |
| Type of rock | Sedimentary |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1939 Katie Gardiner, Edward Feuz Jr. (guide) |
White Pyramid is a tall mountain peak in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. It stands 3,219 metres (10,561 ft) high. This mountain is found between the Howse River valley and the Mistaya River valley.
You can see White Pyramid from the Icefields Parkway, especially near Waterfowl Lakes. Its closest taller neighbor is Howse Peak, which is about 3.00 km (1.86 mi) to the south.
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How White Pyramid Got Its Name
In 1901, a person named J. Norman Collie gave the mountain its name. He wanted to tell it apart from Mount Chephren, which was also called Pyramid Mountain back then.
White Pyramid and Mount Chephren are almost the same height. They are only about one kilometer apart. But White Pyramid has a glacier on its north side, which Mount Chephren does not.
The name "White Pyramid" became official in 1961. This happened when the Geographical Names Board of Canada approved it.
First Climbers to Reach the Top
The very first ascent of White Pyramid happened in 1939. Two climbers, Kate (Katie) Gardiner and her guide Edward Feuz Jr., made it to the top.
Katie Gardiner and Edward Feuz Jr. were famous climbers. They were the first to climb many mountains in the Canadian Rockies during the 1930s.
What White Pyramid is Made Of
Like other mountains in Banff National Park, White Pyramid is made of sedimentary rock. This type of rock forms from layers of sand, mud, and tiny bits of plants and animals.
These rock layers were laid down a very long time ago, between the Precambrian and Jurassic periods. They formed in shallow seas. Later, during an event called the Laramide orogeny, these rocks were pushed up and over younger rocks. This is how the mountains were formed!
Weather Around White Pyramid
White Pyramid is in a subarctic climate zone. This means it has very cold and snowy winters. The summers are usually mild.
Temperatures can drop below -20 °C. With the wind chill, it can feel even colder, sometimes below -30 °C.
The snow and ice that melt from White Pyramid flow into two rivers: the Mistaya River and the Howse River. Both of these rivers eventually join the North Saskatchewan River.
