| Protection Mountain | |
| Elevation M: | 2972 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 309 |
| Isolation Km: | 4.43 |
| Isolation Ref: | [2] |
| Listing: | Mountains of Alberta |
| Map: | Alberta#Canada |
| Map Size: | 260 |
| Label Position: | right |
| Country: | Canada |
| Region Type: | Province |
| Region: | Alberta |
| Part Type: | Protected area |
| Part: | Banff National Park |
| Coordinates: | 51.3858°N -116.0186°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [3] |
| Rock: | Limestone, Shale, Dolomite |
| Type: | Fault block |
| Age: | Cambrian |
| Easiest Route: | Scrambling[4] |
Protection Mountain is a mountain in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada.
Protection Mountain, elevation 2,972 metres (9,751 feet), is located in the Sawback Range immediately north of Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. The peak is situated 12 kilometres southeast of Lake Louise hamlet and five kilometres east of the Bow Valley Parkway. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Bow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,470 metres (4,823 feet) above Bow Valley in four kilometres (2.5 miles). The mountain was so named in 1911 by James F. Porter (1871–1939) because the mountain is said to protect an especially beautiful valley to the north which he called Wonder Valley.[5] The mountain's toponym and position was officially adopted on October 20, 1983, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.[3] The summit is unofficially called "Television Peak" and it ranks as the sixth-highest peak in the Sawback Range.[2]
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Protection Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.[6] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Protection 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.[7]