Mount Whyte

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.

Mount Whyte
Mt. Whyte at top centre, above Lake Agnes
Highest point
Elevation	2,983 m (9,787 ft) [1]
Prominence	140 m (460 ft) [2]
Parent peak	Mount Victoria[2]
Listing	Mountains of Alberta
Coordinates	51°24′32″N 116°16′16″W [2]
Geography
Location	Alberta, Canada
Parent range	Bow Range
Topo map	NTS 82N/08
Climbing
First ascent	1901[1]
Easiest route	Difficult scramble[3]

The mountain was named in 1898 by Sir William Methuen after William Whyte, a representative of the Canadian Pacific Railway.[1]

Climbing

Mt. Whyte is usually combined with Mount Niblock (2,976 m (9,764 ft)) 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.[3]

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.

Further reading

• M. Grace Wilmarth, Lexicon of Geologic Names of the United States: M-Z, P 1445

References

1. "Mount Whyte". PeakFinder.com. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
2. "Mount Whyte". Bivouac.com. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
3. Kane, Alan (1999). "Mount Whyte". Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies. Calgary: Rocky Mountain Books. pp. 230–231. ISBN 0-921102-67-4.