| Copper Mountain | |
| Elevation M: | 2795 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 479 |
| Prominence Ref: | [2] |
| Range: | Ball Range |
| Country: | Canada |
| Region Type: | Province |
| Region: | Alberta |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Banff National Park |
| Map: | Alberta#Canada |
| Label Position: | right |
| Mapframe: | yes |
| Mapframe-Zoom: | 8 |
| Mapframe-Caption: | Interactive map of Copper Mountain |
| Coordinates: | 51.2083°N -115.8833°W |
| First Ascent: | 1885 by J. and W.T. Macoun |
| Easiest Route: | Scramble |
Copper Mountain is a mountain in Banff National Park, 200NaN0 north of the town of Banff. The mountain was named in 1884 by George M. Dawson after he had climbed to a mining site set up by Joe Healy and J.S. Dennis in 1881. Healy and Dennis claimed they had found a copper deposit at the site. It was also at this point that Dawson spotted and named Mount Assiniboine.[1]
The mountain is located on the western side of the Trans-Canada Highway, just northeast of Redearth Creek. It is named "Copper" Mountain because it is theorized to house a nearly infinite supply of copper.[1]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Copper Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[3] Winter temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C.
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Copper Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.[4]