Mount French (Alberta)

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount French

| photo = Mount French.jpg

| photo_caption = Mount French (right of center under cloud) seen from the north. Mount Murray to left of center.

| elevation_m = 3244

| elevation_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=841|name= Mount French |access-date=2018-12-03}}{{refn|group=Note|Other sources state 3234 m.}}

| prominence_m = 470

| prominence_ref =

| range = Spray Mountains
Canadian Rockies

| parent_peak = Mount Sir Douglas (3411 m)

| listing = Mountains of Alberta

| location = Alberta, Canada

| map = Alberta#Canada

| map_caption = Location in Alberta##Location in Canada

| label_position = right

| coordinates = {{coord|50|43|45|N|115|18|20|W|type:mountain_region:CA|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id= IAFUT |name= Mount French |access-date=2018-12-03}}

| topo = NTS {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|82|J|11}}

| rock = sedimentary rock

| age = Cambrian

| first_ascent = 1921 by M. Morton Jr., H.S. Hall Jr., Edward Feuz Jr.{{cite journal | title = The First Ascent of Mt French | journal =Canadian Alpine Journal| date=1922| first =Henry S. Jr.| last = Hall | issn= 0068-8207 |volume = | pages= 38 }}

| easiest_route = Difficult Scramble/Mountaineering

}}

Mount French is a {{Convert|3244|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} summit in the Spray Mountains range of the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, Canada. 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, {{convert|3.0|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the west. Mount French can be seen from Alberta Highway 742, the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail.

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.{{cite book|title=Place-names of Alberta|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015070267029;view=1up;seq=59|year=1928|publisher=Geographic Board of Canada|location=Ottawa|page=55}}

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

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

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.{{citation|title=Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias |author=Gadd, Ben |year=2008}} 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.{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 | pages = 1633–1644 | issn = 1027-5606}} Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.

Notes

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite book | title=Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies | author=Kane, Alan | chapter = Mount French

| publisher=Rocky Mountain Books. Kindle Edition.|location = Calgary | year=2016|edition=3rd|isbn=978-1-77160-098-9}}

{{cite opentopomap | name = Mount French | lat=50.72920 | long=-115.30546 | access-date=2021-03-28}}

}}

External links

Mount French weather: [https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Robertson/forecasts/3177 Mountain Forecast]
Mount French climbing photos: [https://www.explor8ion.com/2011/09/11/french-mount/ Expor8ion.com]

{{Geographic Location 2

| Center = Mount French

| North = Mount Burstall

| Northeast = Mount Murray

| ENE = Mount Inflexible

| East = Mount Smith-Dorrien

| ESE = Smith-Dorrien Glacier

| Southeast = Mount Jellicoe

| South = Haig Glacier

| Southwest = Continental Divide

| WSW = Mount Sir Douglas

| West = Mount Robertson