Peak Finder

Photo: Looking south to Mount Dennis from the Trans-Canada Highway, just east of Field

Mount Dennis

  • 2539 m (8,330ft)
  • Naming History
  • Hiking and Trails
51.3744N -116.479W
Located in the Upper Kicking Horse Valley, 3 km south of Field and north of Boulder Creek; west buttress of Dennis Pass

Province: BC
Park: Yoho
Headwater: Columbia
Visible from Highway: 1
Year Named: 1916
Named by: Alexander MacKinnon Burgess
Named for: Dennis, Lt. Col. John Stoughton (A surveyor, John Dennis travelled widely in western Canada during the latter half of the nineteenth century.)
Popular Hike: Lakes Louise/Moraine/O''Hara

Although Mount Stephen is clearly the peak most associated with the Town of Field, it is Mount Dennis that forms the backdrop as Field is approached from the northeast on the Trans-Canada Highway. The mountain was named in 1916 after Lt. Col. John S. Dennis, a surveyor who in 1869 was very involved in igniting the Riel Rebellion. The surveying of what the Metis felt was their lands was instrumental in their transfer to Canadian jurisdiction from the Hudson Bay Company. The Metis, fearing the changes, formed a committee which was successful in halting the surveys and then went on to seize Fort Garry. While a "List of Rights" prepared by Louis Riel was being discussed by both the English and French speaking people of Red River, Dennis and another Canadian formed an armed resistance. They subsequently surrendered to Riel, were placed in prison, and the Metis leader went on to form a "provisional" government. Dennis later became Surveyor General of Canada and shortly before his death in 1885 was involved in mineral exploration near Castle Junction in Banff National Park. John Dennis devised the system whereby arable land on the Canadian prairies is divided into townships of just over six square miles. The "just over" was to accommodate road allowances. The townships were then divided into 36 sections of one squre mile each or 640 acres and the sections were further divided into quarter sections of 160 acres. Charlie Locke made the first ascent of Mount Dennis, a solo expedition.

Photo: Looking northeast to Mount Dennis (Mount Stephen beyond at right) from the Trans-Canada Highway

Photo: Looking south to Mount Dennis from the the Trans-Canada Highway, just east of Field

Looking west to Mount Dennis from the Emerald Lake Road near the natural bridge