St. Julien Mountain

{{Short description|Mountain in Alberta/British Columbia, Canada}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = St. Julien Mountain

| photo = St. Julien Mountain WNW aspect.jpg

| photo_caption = West-northwest aspect in winter

| elevation_m = 3090

| elevation_ref =

| prominence_m = 122

| prominence_ref = {{cite web |url = https://listsofjohn.com/peak/216357|title = Saint Julien Mountain AB, BC - 10,144'|website = Lists of John |access-date = 2021-04-04}}

| range = Park Ranges ← Canadian Rockies

| parent_peak = Messines Mountain

| listing = {{unbulleted list

|Mountains of Alberta

|Mountains of British Columbia}}

| isolation_mi = 0.77

| isolation_ref =

| country = Canada

| region_type = Provinces

| region = {{enum|Alberta|British Columbia}}

| part_type = Protected area

| part = Banff National Park

| map = Alberta#British Columbia#Canada

| map_caption = Location in Alberta##Location in British Columbia##Location in Canada

| label_position = left

| mapframe = yes

| mapframe-zoom = 8

| mapframe-caption = Interactive map of St. Julien Mountain

| coordinates = {{coord|51|50|13|N|117|00|33|W|type:mountain_region:CA-AB_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = {{cite cgndb|id=JAYHV|name=St. Julien Mountain|access-date=2021-04-04}}

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

| rock = Sedimentary rock

| age = Cambrian

| first_ascent = 1930

| easiest_route = Mountaineering

}}

St. Julien Mountain is a {{convert|3090|m|ft|0|adj=on}} mountain summit located in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the British Columbia-Alberta border, as well as the Continental Divide, and the west boundary of Banff National Park. Neighbors include Mount Forbes {{convert|6.4|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east-northeast, Valenciennes Mountain {{convert|2.8|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the south, and Icefall Peak is {{convert|12|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the west.

History

File:St.Julien Brooding Soldier 3.JPG

The mountain's toponym was proposed in 1919 by Arthur Oliver Wheeler to commemorate the hamlet of St. Julien, Belgium, where Canadian troops gallantly fought the Battle of St. Julien in 1915 during World War I.{{cite bcgnis|id=13582|name=St. Julien Mountain|access-date=2021-04-04}} The battle was the first mass use by Germany of poison gas on the Western Front. It also marked the first time a former colonial force (the 1st Canadian Division) defeated a European power (the German Empire) in Europe. The toponym was officially adopted in 1920 when approved by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. The first ascent of the mountain was made in 1930 by D. Duncan and A. F. Megrew.{{cite crdb|id=1309|name=St. Julien Mountain|access-date=2021-06-09}}

Geology

St. Julien Mountain 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}} Precipitation runoff drains into Mons Creek from the south slope, eventually reaching the Columbia River, and Forbes Creek from the north, a tributary of Howse River.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, St. Julien Mountain 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 |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. This climate supports the Mons Icefield to the immediate north.