Nivalis Mountain is a 2,659-metre (8,724-foot) mountain summit in British Columbia, Canada.

Nivalis Mountain
North aspect centered at top and shaded
Highest point
Elevation2,659 m (8,724 ft)[1][2]
Prominence413 m (1,355 ft)[2]
Parent peakMount Sir Richard[2]
Isolation3.24 km (2.01 mi)[1]
ListingMountains of British Columbia
Coordinates49°58′40″N 122°39′41″W / 49.97778°N 122.66139°W / 49.97778; -122.66139[3]
Geography
Nivalis Mountain is located in British Columbia
Nivalis Mountain
Nivalis Mountain
Location in British Columbia
Nivalis Mountain is located in Canada
Nivalis Mountain
Nivalis Mountain
Nivalis Mountain (Canada)
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
DistrictNew Westminster Land District
Protected areaGaribaldi Provincial Park
Parent rangeCoast Mountains
McBride Range[2]
Topo mapNTS 92G15 Mamquam Mountain
Climbing
First ascent1968 John Clarke[4]

Description edit

Nivalis Mountain is located 28 kilometres (17 mi) southeast of Whistler in Garibaldi Provincial Park. It is the second-highest point of the McBride Range which is a subrange of the Coast Mountains.[1] Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from this mountain's slopes drains to the Lillooet River via Billygoat Creek and Tuwasus Creek.[1] Nivalis Mountain is notable for its steep rise above local terrain as topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 1,860 metres (6,100 ft) above Tuwasus Creek in six kilometres (3.7 mi).

 
Nivalis centered on skyline from NW
(Shudder Mountain upper right corner)

Etymology edit

The mountain was named by climber John Clarke in July 1971.[5] Nivalis is the Latin word for snowy. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on November 28, 1980, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada as first identified in the 1972 Canadian Alpine Journal and submitted in 1978 by Karl Ricker of the Alpine Club of Canada.[5]

Climate edit

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Nivalis Mountain is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.[6] Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Coast Mountains where they are forced upward by the range (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall. As a result, the Coast Mountains experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports the McBride Glacier west of the peak and unnamed glaciers on the peak's north and east slopes. The months of July and August offer the most favorable weather for climbing Nivalis Mountain.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Nivalis Mountain, British Columbia". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  2. ^ a b c d "Nivalis Mountain, Peakvisor.com". Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  3. ^ "Nivalis Mountain". Geographical Names Data Base. Natural Resources Canada. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  4. ^ Climbers You Should Know About: John Clarke, Gripped, January 26, 2021. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
  5. ^ a b "Nivalis Mountain". BC Geographical Names.
  6. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606.

External links edit