View source for Observation Peak (Alberta)

{{Short description|Mountain summit in Canada}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Observation Peak
| photo = Observation Peak AB July 2003.jpg
| photo_caption = Observation Peak, July 2003. Visible high point is the false summit.
| elevation_m = 3174
| elevation_ref = <ref name=peakfinder/><ref name=GemTrek2000/>
| prominence_m = 644
| prominence_ref = <ref name=bivouac>{{cite bivouac|id=1719|name=Observation Peak|accessdate=2012-06-29}}</ref>
| range = [[Canadian Rockies]]
| listing = [[List of mountains of Alberta|Mountains of Alberta]]
| location = [[Alberta|Alberta, Canada]]
| map = Canada Alberta
| map_caption =
| map_size = 200
| label_position = right
| coordinates = {{coord|51|44|32|N|116|28|01|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name=cgndb/>
| topo = [[National Topographic System|NTS]] {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|82|N|9}}
| type = [[sedimentary rock]]
| age = [[Precambrian]] to [[Jurassic]]
| first_ascent = 1895 by [[Bill Peyto]] and [[Walter Wilcox]]<ref name=bivouac/>
| easiest_route = easy/moderate [[scrambling|scramble]]<ref name=Kane1999/>
}}
'''Observation Peak''' is a {{Convert|3174|m|ft|lk=off|abbr=off|adj=on}} mountain summit located in [[Banff National Park]], [[Alberta]], [[Canada]]. The mountain can be seen from the [[Icefields Parkway]] near the Bow Summit.
The peak was named in 1898 by Charles L. Noyes, a Boston clergyman, who upon climbing to the top found it to have the best viewpoint he had ever reached.<ref name=bivouac/><ref name=peakfinder/>
The mountain can be scrambled using the western slopes and after reaching the top of the false summit, a 20-minute plod to the northwest leads to the true summit about {{convert|100|m|ft|0}} higher.<ref name=Kane1999/>
==Geology==
Like other mountains in Banff Park, the mountain is composed of [[sedimentary rock]] laid down during the [[Precambrian]] to [[Jurassic]] periods.<ref name=Belyea1960>{{Belyea-Banff-NP}}</ref> Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the [[Laramide orogeny]].<ref name=gadd>{{cite book|title=Geology of the Rocky Mountains and Columbias |author=Gadd, Ben |year=2008}}</ref>
==Climate==
Based on the [[Köppen climate classification]], Observation Peak is located in a [[subarctic climate]] with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.<ref name=Peel>{{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}}</ref> Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors  below -30 °C. [[Precipitation]] [[Surface runoff|runoff]] from Observation Peak drains into the [[Mistaya River]], a tributary of the [[North Saskatchewan River]].
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Observation Peak, Banff Park.jpg|Observation Peak above the Icefields Parkway
</gallery>
==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=cgndb>{{cite cgndb|id=IAMZT|name=Observation Peak|accessdate=2019-06-13}}</ref>
<ref name=GemTrek2000>
{{cite map|title=Bow Lake and Saskatchewan Crossing|section=|date=2000|scale=1:70,000|edition=2nd
| publisher=Gem Trek Publishing|location=Cochrane, AB|isbn=1-895526-10-8
| url=https://www.gemtrek.com/maps/bow-lake-map/ | access-date=2019-06-13}}</ref>
<ref name=Kane1999>
{{cite book | title=[[Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies]] | author=Kane, Alan | chapter = Observation Peak
| publisher=Rocky Mountain Books|location = Calgary | year=1999|isbn=0-921102-67-4|page=298}}</ref>
<ref name=peakfinder>{{cite peakfinder|id=990|name=Observation Peak|access-date=2012-06-29}}</ref>
}}
==See also==
*[[List of mountains of Canada]]
*[[Geography of Alberta]]
==External links==
* Parks Canada web site: [https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/banff Banff National Park]
[[Category:Three-thousanders of Alberta]]
[[Category:Mountains of Banff National Park]]