Peak Finder

Photo: Looking south to Mount James Walker (courtesy Rob Taerum)

Mount James Walker

  • 3035 m (9,958ft)
  • Naming History
50.8047N -115.220W
Located in the Kananaskis River Valley at the head of Walker Creek

Range: Kananaskis
Province: Alberta
Park: Kananaskis
Headwater: Bow
Major Valley: Kananaskis
Visible from Highway: 40S
Year Named: 1959
Named for: Walker, James (Col. Walker operated a sawmill in the Kananaskis area. An ex-Mountie, he was at various times, manager of the Cochrane Ranche, a soldier, a businessman, and postmaster of the Kananaskis Post Office.)

Mount James Walker is located in the Kananaskis Valley and is part of the Kananaskis Range to the west of the river. It is best seen from near the Evan-Thomas Creek Bridge on Highway #40. It was named in honour of Calgary's "Citizen of the Century" in 1977. Named Calgary's "Citizen of the Century" during the city's centennial year in 1975, James Walker was selected from 3,000 nominees. A remarkable individual, Colonel Walker's career included travelling west with the North-West Mounted Police, becoming the manger of the Cochrane Ranche, established a sawmill near the mouth of the Kananaskis River and managing logging operations in the upper Kananaskis Valley, being elected chairman of a committee to oversee what was to become Calgary prior to its incorporation, being a school trustee and a charter member of the city's hospital board, acquiring the property that became Stampede Park, organizing a special patrol during the 1885 rebellion, setting up the first telephone system in the city, drilling a natural gas well on his east Calgary property and leading a battalion of the Canadian Forestry Corps serving in England and Scotland during the First World War.

Photo: Mount James Walker (courtesy Rob Taerum)

Looking southwest to Mount James Walker

Looking south to Mount James Walker from Highway #40