Mount Shark

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Shark

| photo = Mount Shark of Kananaskis Country.jpg

| photo_caption = Mount Shark, northeast aspect

| elevation_m = 2786

| elevation_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=850|name= Mount Shark |accessdate=2018-12-27}}

| prominence_m = 134

| prominence_ref =

| range = Spray Mountains
Canadian Rockies

| parent_peak = Mount Smuts (2938 m)

| listing = Mountains of Alberta

| location = Alberta, Canada

| map = Canada Alberta#Canada

| map_caption = Location in Alberta

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 8

| mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Mount Shark

| coordinates = {{coord|50|49|41|N|115|24|36|W|type:mountain_region:CA-AB_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id= IAHKD |name= Mount Shark |accessdate=2018-12-28}}

| topo = NTS {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|82|J|14}}

| rock = Sedimentary rock

| age = Cambrian

| first_ascent =

| easiest_route = Scramble{{cite book|title=Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies|chapter=Mount Shark|author=Alan Kane|year=1999|page=125|isbn=0-921102-67-4|publisher=Rocky Mountain Books}}

}}

Mount Shark is a {{Convert|2786|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} mountain summit located in the Spray Valley of Kananaskis Country at the northern tip of the Spray Mountains range. It is situated on the southern boundary of Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Mount Shark in not visible from any road in Banff Park, however, it can be seen from Alberta Highway 742, also known as the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail. Mount Shark's nearest higher peak is Mount Smuts, {{convert|3.0|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the southeast.

Like so many of the mountains in Kananaskis Country, Mount Shark received its name from the persons and ships involved in the 1916 Battle of Jutland, the only major sea battle of the First World War.[https://albertashistoricplaces.wordpress.com/2016/06/22/the-battle-of-jutland-first-world-war-commemoration-and-alberta-place-names/ Battle of Jutland] Alberta Historic Places

History

Mount Shark was named in 1917 for {{HMS|Shark|1912|6}}, a British destroyer that was sunk by a torpedo launched by the German torpedo boat {{SMS|S54}} during the Battle of Jutland in World War I.{{cite book|title=Place-names of Alberta|year=1928|publisher=Geographic Board of Canada|location=Ottawa|page=115|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015070267029&view=1up&seq=119}}{{cite peakfinder|id=1238|name=Mount Shark|access-date=2019-10-08}} The mountain's name was officially adopted in 1922 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. Mount Shark and Mount Sparrowhawk were designated as sites to host alpine skiing events in Calgary's bid for the 1988 Winter Olympics,{{cite book |author1=Calgary Olympic Development Association |title=Calgary, Canada (Candidature File) |date=1981 |publisher=Calgary Olympic Development Association |location=Calgary |url=https://library.olympics.com/Default/digital-viewer/c-56437 |language=English, French |page=48}} however, the venue for the alpine skiing events moved to Nakiska shortly after Calgary was awarded the Games.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j30xAAAAIBAJ&pg=6445,4133587|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|agency=Canadian Press|title=Ski body supports Mount Allan site|date=December 8, 1983|page=B-17 }}

Geology

Mount Shark 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}}

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Shark 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 |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 {{convert|−20|C}} with wind chill factors below {{convert|−30|C}}. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains west into Spray Lakes Reservoir.

Gallery

File:Mount Shark, Alberta.jpg|Mount Shark

File:Smuts and Shark.jpg|Mt. Smuts (left) and Mt. Shark (right) seen from Spray Lakes

References

External links

Mount Shark weather: [https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Smuts/forecasts/2938 Mountain Forecast]
Climbing photos by Bob Spirko: [http://bobspirko.ca/SmithDorrien/MtShark/MtShark.htm Mount Shark]

{{Geographic Location 2

| Center = Mount Shark

| North = Spray Lakes Reservoir

| Northeast = Mount Engadine

| ENE = Kananaskis Range

| East = Mount Galatea

| ESE = Tent Ridge

| Southeast = Mount Smuts

| South = Spray River

| Southwest = Mount Currie

| West = Mount Byng

| WNW = Mount Morrison