Copper Mountain (Alberta)
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| Copper Mountain | |
|---|---|
.jpg) North aspect of Copper Mountain from Bow Valley Parkway | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,795 m (9,170 ft)[1] |
| Prominence | 479 m (1,572 ft)[2] |
| Coordinates | 51°12′30″N 115°53′00″W / 51.20833°N 115.88333°W[1] |
| Geography | |
  Copper Mountain Location in Alberta  Copper Mountain Location in Canada | |
 | |
| Interactive map of Copper Mountain | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Protected area | Banff National Park |
| Parent range | Ball Range |
| Topo map | NTS 82O4 Banff |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1885 by J. and W.T. Macoun[1] |
| Easiest route | Scramble |
Copper Mountain is a mountain in Banff National Park, 20 km (12 mi) north of the town of Banff. The mountain was named in 1884 by George M. Dawson after he had climbed to a mining site set up by Joe Healy and J.S. Dennis in 1881. Healy and Dennis claimed they had found a copper deposit at the site. It was also at this point that Dawson spotted and named Mount Assiniboine.[1]
The mountain is located on the western side of the Trans-Canada Highway, just northeast of Redearth Creek. It is named "Copper" Mountain because it is theorized to house a nearly infinite supply of copper.[1]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Copper Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[3] Winter temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C.
Geology
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Copper Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods.[4] Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.[5]
