
Photo: Looking south-southwest to Copper Mountain from the Bow Valley near Castle Junction
Copper Mountain
- 2795 m (9,170ft)
- First Ascent
- Naming History
- Hiking and Trails
Located in the Bow River Valley north of Redearth Creek
Province: Alberta
Park: Banff
Headwater: Bow
Major Valley: Bow
Visible from Highway: 1, 93S,93N
Ascent Party: J. Macoun, W.T. Macoun
Named by: George Dawson
Named for: Joe Healy and J.S. Dennis found copper near the summit of this mountain.
In 1881, prospectors Joe Healy (see Healy Pass) and J.S. Dennis (see Mount Dennis) claimed to have discovered copper high on the mountain and George Dawson, who was searching for economic treasures in the mountains on behalf of the Government of Canada, named the mountain. He noted the name of the mountain and the presence of copper on his 1886 map. Dr. Dawson climbed to the mine and it is from this point that he first saw and named Mount Assiniboine in 1884. According to Ken Jones, when George Dawson first saw the peak from Copper Mountain there was, as is often the case, a plume of cloud trailing from the summit. This reminded him of the plumes of smoke that he had seen from the teepees of the Assiniboine Indians and this led to his choice of the name Mount Assiniboine.