Mount Sparrowhawk

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Sparrowhawk

| photo = Mt Sparrowhawk.jpg

| photo_caption = Mount Sparrowhawk seen from Spray Lakes

| elevation_m = 3121

| elevation_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=1442|name= Mount Sparrowhawk |accessdate=2018-11-27}}

| prominence_m = 256

| prominence_ref =

| range = Kananaskis Range
Canadian Rockies

| parent_peak = Mount Bogart (3144 m)

| listing = Mountains of Alberta

| location = Alberta, Canada

| map = Alberta#Canada

| map_caption = Location in Alberta##Location in Canada

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 8

| mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Mount Sparrowhawk

| coordinates = {{coord|50|56|26|N|115|15|57|W|type:mountain_region:CA-AB_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id= IAKOR |name= Mount Sparrowhawk |accessdate=2018-11-28}}

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

| rock = Limestone

| age = Cambrian

| first_ascent = 1947 by R.C. Hind, L. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Rans

| easiest_route = Scrambling South slope, Easy Scramble west slope

}}

Mount Sparrowhawk is a {{Convert|3121|m|ft|adj=on}} mountain summit located in Kananaskis Country in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Mount Sparrowhawk's nearest higher peak is Mount Bogart, {{convert|3.6|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the southeast. Sparrowhawk's south slope was a candidate to be used as a ski hill for the alpine events at the 1988 Winter Olympics, but nearby Mount Allan's Nakiska was selected instead.

History

Mount Sparrowhawk was named in 1917 for {{HMS|Sparrowhawk|1912|6}}, a British destroyer that sank 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=118|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015070267029&view=1up&seq=122}} This mountain's name was officially adopted in 1922 by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

The first ascent of the peak was made in 1947 by R.C. Hind, L. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Rans.

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 Sparrowhawk 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.{{cite book|title=Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias |author=Gadd, Ben |year=2008}}

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Sparrowhawk is located in a subarctic climate zone 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}} Winter temperatures can drop below {{convert|−20|C}} with wind chill factors below {{convert|−30|C}}. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains east into the Kananaskis River and west into Spray Lakes Reservoir, both of which empty to the Bow River.