Mount Assiniboine

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Mount Assiniboine
Mount Assiniboine as it appeared in 1902
Elevation	3,618 metres (11,871 feet)
Location	British Columbia, Canada
Range	Canadian Rockies (Assiniboine Area)
Coordinates	50°52′N 115°39′W
Topo map	NTS 82J/13
First ascent	1901 by James Outram, Christian Bohren and Christian Hasler
Easiest route	rock/snow climb

Mount Assiniboine, also known as Assiniboine Mountain, is a mountain located on the continental divide, on the British Columbia/Alberta border in Canada.

At 3,618 m (11,871 ft), it is the highest peak in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Due to Assiniboine's pyramidal shape, it has been unofficially named the "Matterhorn" of North America. Mt. Assiniboine rises nearly 1,525 metres (5,000ft) above Lake Magog.

Mount Assiniboine seen from Sunshine Village

Mt. Assiniboine was named by George M. Dawson in 1885. When Dawson saw Mt. Assiniboine from Copper Mountain, he saw a plume of clouds trailing away from the top. This reminded him of the plumes of smoke emianating from the teepees of Assiniboine Indians.

Mt. Assiniboine was first climbed in 1901 by James Outram, Christian Bohren and Christian Hasler. In 1925, Lawrence Grassie became the first person to make a solo ascent. On August 27, 2001, Bohren's grand-daughter Lonnie along with three others made a successful ascent, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first ascent.

Mt. Assiniboine is enclosed within Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, which borders Banff National Park to the west. The park does not have any roads and thus can only be reached by a six hour hike (27km), three hour bike ride (now disallowed to reduce human / grizzly encounters) or helicopter. The usual approach is via Bryant Creek. From Canmore, Alberta follow the Smith-Dorien road to the Mt. Shark parking lot. The trail is well signed. A helipad is also here.

There are no scrambling routes up Mt. Assiniboine. The easiest mountaineering routes are the North Ridge and North Face at YDS 5.5 which are reached from the Hind Hut.