Mount French (Alberta)

Mount French is a 3,244-metre (10,643-foot) summit in the Spray Mountains range of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada.[4] The mountain is situated in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park of Kananaskis Country. French is the second highest point in the Spray Mountains Range. Its nearest higher peak, and highest in the Spray Range, is Mount Sir Douglas, 3.0 km (1.9 mi) to the west.[1][3] Mount French can be seen from Alberta Highway 742, the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail.

Mount French
Mount French (right of center under cloud) seen from the north. Mount Murray to left of center.
Highest point
Elevation3,244 m (10,643 ft)[1][Note 1]
Prominence470 m (1,540 ft)[1]
Parent peakMount Sir Douglas (3411 m)[1]
ListingMountains of Alberta
Coordinates50°43′45″N 115°18′20″W[4]
Geography
Mount French is located in Alberta
Mount French
Mount French
Location of Mount French in Alberta
Mount French is located in Canada
Mount French
Mount French
Mount French (Canada)
LocationAlberta, Canada
Parent rangeSpray Mountains
Canadian Rockies
Topo mapNTS 82J11 Kananaskis Lakes[4]
Geology
Age of rockCambrian
Type of rocksedimentary rock
Climbing
First ascent1921 by M. Morton Jr., H.S. Hall Jr., Edward Feuz Jr.
Easiest routeDifficult Scramble/Mountaineering[2]

History

It was named in 1915 by Morrison P. Bridgland (1878-1948), a Dominion Land Surveyor after Sir John French (1852-1925). French was Commander-in-chief of the British Forces (1914-1915) during the first 16 months of World War I, and in 1922 he was named the first Earl of Ypres.[5]

The first ascent was made in 1921 by M. Morton Jr. and H.S. Hall Jr., with Edward Feuz Jr. as guide.[1]

The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1924 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[4]

Geology

Mount French 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.[6] The French Glacier resides immediately west of the peak. The Haig Glacier, largest singular glacier in Kananaskis Country, lies to the south. The Smith-Dorrien Glacier is situated on the east side of Mount French.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount French is located in a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[7] Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.

See also

Notes
  1. Other sources state 3234 m.[2][3]

References
  1. "Mount French". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  2. Kane, Alan (2016). "Mount French". Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies (3rd ed.). Calgary: Rocky Mountain Books. Kindle Edition. ISBN 978-1-77160-098-9.
  3. "Topographic map of Mount French". opentopomap.org. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
  4. "Mount French". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  5. Place-names of Alberta. Ottawa: Geographic Board of Canada. 1928. p. 55.
  6. Gadd, Ben (2008), Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias
  7. Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11: 1633–1644. ISSN 1027-5606.
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