Mount Balfour is a mountain located on the Continental Divide, part of the border between British Columbia and Alberta, in the Waputik Range in the Park Ranges of the Canadian Rockies.[1][3]It is the 71st highest peak in Alberta[8] and the 113th highest in British Columbia;[9] it is also the 52nd most prominent in Alberta.

Mount Balfour
Mount Balfour from Iceline Trail
Highest point
Elevation	3,272 m (10,735 ft)[1][2]
Prominence	934 m (3,064 ft)[3]
Parent peak	Howse Peak (3295 m)[3]
Listing	Mountains of Alberta Mountains of British Columbia
Coordinates	51°33′55″N 116°27′58″W[4][5]
Geography
Mount Balfour Location in Alberta Show map of Alberta Mount Balfour Mount Balfour (British Columbia) Show map of British Columbia
Country	Canada
Provinces	Alberta and British Columbia
Protected areas	Banff National Park Yoho National Park
Parent range	Waputik Range
Topo map	NTS 82N9 Hector Lake[5]
Climbing
First ascent	1898 C.L. Noyes, C.S. Thompson, G.M. Weed; Appalachian Mountain Club[6][7]

The mountain was named by James Hector in 1859 after Professor John Hutton Balfour, a Scottish botanist and instructor at the University of Edinburgh where Hector had studied.[4]

Climbing History

Early attempts to climb the mountain were made from Niles Pass via Sherbrooke Lake.[7] The first ascent was made on August 18, 1898 by C.L. Noyes, C.S. Thompson, G.M. Weed; members of the Appalachian Mountain Club. The party started their ascent from Hector Lake which they had reached by crossing Dolomite Pass to Bow Lake and then continuing south. C.E. Fay had also attempted the mountain in 1898 via the Sherbrooke Lake/Niles Pass approach but were eventually turned back by poor weather and inexperience.[6] Parties from the ACC completed ascents of Balfour in 1909 via Sherbrooke Lake, Niles Pass, Daly Glacier and then summitting via the SE arête.[7]

Geology

Mount Balfour is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods.[10] Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.[11]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Balfour is located in a subarctic climate with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[12] Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.

Gallery

• 
  Mt. Balfour approach to col off to the left
• 
  Mt. Balfour from Ski Louise ski resort

See also

• List of peaks on the British Columbia–Alberta border
• List of mountains in the Canadian Rockies

References