| Unnamed Alberta–BC mountain | |
| Other Name: | Mount Pétain (1919–2022) |
| Elevation M: | 3196 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] |
| Prominence M: | 326 |
| Parent: | Park Ranges |
| Listing: | Mountains of Alberta Mountains of British Columbia |
| Country: | Canada |
| Subdivision1 Type: | Provinces |
| Map: | Canada Alberta#Canada British Columbia |
| Map Size: | 200 |
| Label Position: | right#left |
| Coordinates: | 50.5442°N -115.1853°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [2] |
| First Ascent: | 1930 Katie Gardiner, Walter Fuez[3] |
A mountain formerly known as Mount Pétain, but with no current official name, is located on the border of the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (BC) on the Continental Divide.
It was named in 1918 after French Marshal Philippe Pétain, who was then an honoured war hero for the Allies of World War I. The name was retained despite the later reversal in Pétain's reputation after his having been Head of State of Vichy France and being partly responsible for the murder of 76,000 Jews.[4] [5]
Besides the mountain several other geographical points were named for Pétain. Pétain Glacier is found next to Mount Joffre and Mount Pétain forming the Pétain Basin, with melt cascading down Pétain Creek Falls into the Pétain Creek below.[6]
In 2019, the Government of Alberta rescinded Pétain's name from the Alberta side of the border. In October 2021, the Regional District of East Kootenay, upon being consulted by BC Geographical Names, voted to support removing Pétain's name from the British Columbia side.[7] On June 29, 2022, the Government of British Columbia also rescinded the name, rendering the mountain officially nameless.[8] The names of Pétain Creek and Pétain Glacier were also rescinded.[9]
As of July 2022, neither of the provinces in which the mountain sits have decided on a new name, but "will work together" with local stakeholders to determine one.[10]
The snow-capped mountain can be reached from Height of the Rockies Provincial Park and Elk Lakes Provincial Park within British Columbia or Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Alberta.