| Mount Cartier | |
| Elevation M: | 2610. |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 630. |
| Isolation Km: | 14.31 |
| Range: | Duncan Ranges ← Selkirk Mountains |
| Parent Peak: | Albert Peak (3,045 m)[2] |
| Listing: | Mountains of British Columbia |
| Etymology: | George-Étienne Cartier |
| Region Type: | Province |
| Region: | British Columbia |
| District: | Kootenay Land District |
| Map: | Canada British Columbia#Canada |
| Coordinates: | 50.9131°N -118.0572°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| First Ascent: | 1896 by Topographical Survey[4] |
| Easiest Route: | Trail + Scrambling[5] |
Mount Cartier is a 2610abbr=offNaNabbr=off mountain summit located in British Columbia, Canada.[6]
Mount Cartier is part of the Duncan Ranges which is a subrange of the Selkirk Mountains. The peak is situated 13km (08miles) southeast of Revelstoke and 14.3km (08.9miles) east of Mount Begbie which is the nearest higher neighbor.[1] Nearby peaks include Mount Mackenzie 6.1km (03.8miles) to the north-northwest and Ghost Peak, 3.1km (01.9miles) northeast.[1] Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains west to Arrow Lakes which is a reservoir of the Columbia River. Mount Cartier is more notable for its steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation as topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 2,174 meters (7,133 ft) above Upper Arrow Lake in 5km (03miles). From the lake, a 15-kilometer trail leads to a fire lookout and the upper slopes. The trail and lookout were constructed in the early 1920s, and while the lookout still stands, it hasn't been used for fire detection since the 1930s.[5] The mountain trail is also a helibiking destination with helicopters lifting mountain bikers to a helipad below the summit.[7]
The mountain is named after Sir George-Étienne Cartier (1814–1873), Prime Minister of Canada (1858–62). He was born at Antoine, Quebec; served as attorney general for Lower Canada (1856); and as joint Prime Minister with Sir John A. Macdonald. He was a strong advocate for Confederation and expansion in the west.[6] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted September 30, 1932, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada,[3] although this toponym had appeared in publications as early as 1887, if not earlier.[8]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Mount Cartier is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[9] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports a ski resort 5km (03miles) to the north.