| Mount Bell | |
| Elevation M: | 2910 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 445 |
| Prominence Ref: | [2] |
| Isolation Km: | 2.58 |
| Range: | Bow Range Canadian Rockies |
| Parent Peak: | Mount Temple (3,544 m)[3] |
| Listing: | Mountains of Alberta |
| Region Type: | Province |
| Region: | Alberta |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Banff National Park |
| Map: | Canada Alberta#Canada |
| Map Size: | 260 |
| Label Position: | right |
| Coordinates: | 51.2842°N -116.1011°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [4] |
| Age: | Cambrian |
| First Ascent: | 1910 |
| Easiest Route: | Scramble[5] |
Mount Bell is a 2910m (9,550feet) summit in Alberta, Canada.
Mount Bell is set within Banff National Park, in the Bow Range of the Canadian Rockies.[3] The hamlet of Lake Louise is situated 16km (10miles) to the north and the Continental Divide is 4km (02miles) to the west. The nearest higher neighbor is Bident Mountain, 2.9km (01.8miles) to the west.[3] Bident Mountain forms the west buttress of Consolation Pass with Mount Bell forming the east buttress. These two peaks rise above the head of Consolation Valley. Precipitation runoff from Mount Bell drains into tributaries of the Bow River. Topographic relief is significant as the north aspect rises over above Taylor Lake in one kilometre (0.6 mile) and the south aspect rises above Boom Lake in two km (1.2 mile). The peak is visible from the Icefields Parkway to the east.
Originally called Mount Bellevue, the name was changed to honor Dr. Frederick Bell (1883–1971), a founding member of the Alpine Club of Canada and club president from 1926 through 1928.[1] [6] Mount Bell in British Columbia is also named after him. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on April 3, 1952, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[4]
The first ascent of the summit was made in 1910 by an Alpine Club of Canada party including Nora Bell, sister of Frederick Bell.[7]
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Mount Bell is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during 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.[8]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Bell is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[9] Winter temperatures can drop below with wind chill factors below .