Mount Whyte

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Whyte

| photo = Lake Agnes AB.jpg

| photo_caption = Mt. Whyte at top centre, above Lake Agnes

| elevation_m = 2983

| elevation_ref = {{Cite crdb|id=1527 | name=Mount Whyte |access-date=2007-09-10}}

| prominence_m = 140

| prominence_ref = {{cite bivouac|id=1595|name=Mount Whyte|access-date=2009-01-02}}

| range = Bow Range

| parent_peak = Mount Victoria

| listing = Mountains of Alberta

| country = Canada | region_type = Province | region = Alberta

| part_type = Protected area | part = Banff National Park

| map = Canada Alberta#Canada

| map_caption = Location in Alberta

| label_position = right

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 8

| mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Mount Whyte

| coordinates = {{Coord|51|24|31|N|116|16|16|W|type:mountain_region:CA}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id=IAPER|name=Mount Whyte|access-date=2021-08-02}}

| topo_maker = NTS | topo = {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|82|N|08}}

| first_ascent = 1901

| easiest_route = Difficult scramble

}}

Mount Whyte is a mountain in Alberta, Canada located in Banff National Park, near Lake Louise. The mountain can be seen from the Trans-Canada Highway, and offers views of the Valley of the Ten Peaks, including the Chateau Lake Louise. The mountain is also visible from the hiking trail that skirts the northern shore of Lake Agnes.

The mountain was named in 1898 by Sir William Methuen after William Whyte, a representative of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Climbing

Mt. Whyte is usually combined with Mount Niblock ({{convert|2976|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}) when done as a scramble. However, while Mt. Niblock is rated a moderate scramble, Mt. Whyte is much more difficult due to additional exposure and loose rock. The scramble should not be attempted in snowy conditions due to considerable fall distance which would likely prove fatal.

For rock climbers, the Perren Route (II 5.6) is another option. While mostly a scramble as well, a short section of difficult climbing near the top in addition to route finding challenges and loose rock will not make it an easy ascent.

Geology

Like other mountains in Banff Park, Mount Whyte 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 Whyte 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. |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}} Winter temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C.

Gallery

Mt. Whyte.jpg|East aspect in winter

References

{{reflist|refs=

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

| publisher=Rocky Mountain Books|location = Calgary | year=1999|isbn=0-921102-67-4|pages=230–231}}

}}