Mount Murchison (Alberta)
{{short description|Mountain in Banff NP, Alberta, Canada}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Murchison
| photo = Mount Murchison (Alberta).jpeg
| photo_caption = Mount Murchison seen from Peyto Lake overlook at Bow Pass
| elevation_m = 3348
| elevation_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=1712|name=Mount Murchison|accessdate=2018-10-14}}
| prominence_m = 988
| prominence_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=1712|name=Mount Murchison|accessdate=2018-10-14}}
| range = Murchison Group
Canadian Rockies
| parent_peak = Mount Hector (3394 m){{cite bivouac|id=1712|name=Mount Murchison|accessdate=2018-10-14}}
| listing = Mountains of Alberta
| etymology = Roderick Murchison
| location = Alberta, Canada
| map = Canada Alberta#Canada
| map_caption = Location in Alberta##Location in Canada
| mapframe = yes
| mapframe-zoom = 8
| mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Mount Murchison
| coordinates = {{coord|51|55|59|N|116|40|30|W|type:mountain_region:CA-AB_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id=IAMFW|name=Mount Murchison|accessdate=2018-10-14}}
| topo = NTS {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|82|N|15}}
| rock = Sedimentary
| age = Cambrian
| first_ascent = August 25, 1996 by Reg Bonney, Rick Collier, John Holmes, Jerre Skvaril
| easiest_route = technical climb
}}
Mount Murchison is a {{convert|3348|m|ft|0|adj=on}} mountain summit located at the convergence of the North Saskatchewan River valley and Mistaya River valley of Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. The main summit has two high points: the Southeast Peak is 3,348 m, whereas the Northwest Peak is 3,333 m and separated by 700 m distance. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Cline, {{convert|15.71|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the north.{{cite peakbagger|4582|Mount Murchison, Alberta|accessdate=2019-10-08}} Mount Murchison is situated immediately southeast of the confluence of the North Saskatchewan River, Mistaya River, and Howse River near Saskatchewan Crossing, where the Icefields Parkway intersects with the David Thompson Highway.
History
Named by James Hector as he traversed the Mistaya Valley in September of 1858, Mount Murchison honors Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1792-1871), a prominent Scottish geologist and director of the Geological Survey of Great Britain.{{cite peakfinder|id=945|name=Mount Murchison|access-date=2019-10-08}} The mountain's name became official in 1924. The first ascent of the Northwest Peak was in 1902 by Norman Collie, H.E.M. Stutfield, G.M. Weed, and Hans Kaufmann.{{cite bivouac|id=32571|name=Mount Murchison NW Peak|accessdate=2018-10-14}} The first ascent of the Southeast Peak was made August 25, 1996, by Reg Bonney, Rick Collier, John Holmes, and Jerre Skvaril.
Geology
Like other mountains in Banff Park, the Murchison massif is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods.{{Belyea-Banff-NP}} Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.{{cite book|title=Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias |author=Gadd, Ben |year=2008}} The massif, which covers an area measuring five km by seven km (7400 acres), is characterized by seven rocky towers and glacial ice of the Murchison Icefield.
Towers of Murchison
| class="wikitable" |
| | Name
!| Elevation !| Prominence !| First Ascent |
|---|
| Hall Tower
|3216 m |183 m |1940 |
| Bison Tower
|3185 m |183 m | |
| Cromwell Tower
|3213 m |28 m | |
| Feuz Tower
|3124 m |183 m |1941 |
| Gest Tower
|3170 m |690 m |1937 |
| South East Tower
|3094 m |153 m |1939 |
| Englehard Tower
|3216 m |366 m | |
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Murchison 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. |name-list-style=amp | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 |issue=5 | pages = 1633–1644 |doi=10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2007HESS...11.1633P | issn = 1027-5606}} Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Weather conditions during winter make Mount Murchison a destination in the Rockies for ice climbing. Precipitation runoff from Mount Murchison drains into tributaries of the Saskatchewan River.
Ice Climbing Routes
Ice Climbing Routes with grades on Mount Murchison[https://www.mountainproject.com/area/108715701/mount-murchison Mount Murchison] Mountain Project [https://www.summitpost.org/mount-murchison/277725 Mount Murchison] SummitPost
- But My Daddy's a Psycho - WI5
- Murchison Falls - WI4-5
- Virtual Reality - WI6
- Balfour Wall - WI 2-4
- Cosmic Messenger - WI5
- Imaginary Voyage - WI3
- Laughter in the Dark - WI4
- Alien Abduction - WI5
- Syndrome - WI6
Gallery
File:Peyto Lake Overlook of Mistaya Valley.jpg|Towers of Murchison
File:Mount Murchison.jpg|North aspect
File:Banff Park Mount Murchison.jpg|The north aspect of Mount Murchison
File:Towers of Mt. Murchison.jpg|Towers of Mt. Murchison
See also
{{Portal|Mountains|Canada}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- Weather forecast: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-6082019/Canada/Alberta/Mount%20Murchison Mount Murchison]
- Parks Canada web site: [https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff Banff National Park]
- Explor8ion web site: [https://www.explor8ion.com/2013/08/22/murchison-mount/ Mount Murchison climb]
- SummitSearch photo: [http://www.summitsearch.org/photos/6830-mount-murchison-panorama-photo Mount Murchison]
{{Geographic Location 2
| Center = Mount Murchison
| North = Mount Cline
| Northeast = North Saskatchewan River
| East = Siffleur Wilderness Area
| Southeast = Totem Tower
| South = Mount Chephren
| Southwest = Epaulette Mountain
| WSW = Mount Sarbach
| West = Mount Erasmus
| WNW = Mount Amery
| Northwest = Mount Wilson
}}
{{Canadian Rockies|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murchison}}
Category:Three-thousanders of Alberta