Sleeping Giant (Ontario)

Sleeping Giant
Elevation 563 m (1,847 ft)(Torso)[1]
Location
Location Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Coordinates 48°20′14″N 88°54′16″W / 48.33722°N 88.90444°WCoordinates: 48°20′14″N 88°54′16″W / 48.33722°N 88.90444°W
Topo map NTS #052A07[2]
Geology
Type Igneous rock
Aerial view of Sleeping Giant

The Sleeping Giant is a formation of mesas and sills on Sibley Peninsula which resembles a giant lying on its back when viewed from the west to north-northwest section of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. As one moves southward along the shoreline toward Squaw Bay the Sleeping Giant starts to separate into its various sections. Most distinctly in the view from the cliffs at Squaw Bay the Giant appears to have an "Adam's Apple". The formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. Its dramatic steep cliffs are among the highest in Ontario (250 m). The southernmost point is known as Thunder Cape, depicted by many early Canadian artists such as William Armstrong.

An Ojibway legend identifies the giant as Nanabijou, who was turned to stone when the secret location of a rich silver mine now known as Silver Islet was disclosed to white men.[3]

Seven Wonders of Canada

It was voted number one for a list of Seven Wonders of Canada, with a total of 177,305 votes, beating the Bay of Fundy and Niagara Falls by almost 90 000 votes.[4] Ultimately it was not selected by the panel of judges, Ra McGuire, Roberta Jamieson, and Roy MacGregor, who decided their vote by geographic and poetic criteria.

See also

Portal iconGeography of Canada portal

References

  1. ↑ Elevation data obtained from Ontario Basic Mapping. Retrieved on 26 September 2007.
  2. ↑ Natural Resources Canada Geonames Query - The Sleeping Giant. Retrieved on 26 September 2007.
  3. ↑ The Legend of the Sleeping Giant
  4. ↑ CBC's Seven Wonders of Canada Results Page, accessed 6 June 07

External links