Downie Peak is a mountain
summit
A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous.
The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...
located in
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
, Canada.
Description
Part of the
Selkirk Mountains
The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia which are part of a larger grouping of mountains, the Columbia Mountains. They begin at Mic ...
, Downie Peak is situated north of
Revelstoke and east of
Lake Revelstoke. Prominently visible from nearly every peak in the Northern Selkirks.
History
The peak was named by
Walter Moberly after
William Downie
William Downie (1819–1893) was a Scottish prospector and explorer involved in the gold rushes in California and British Columbia of the mid-19th Century.
Life and death
Downie was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and raised in Ayrshire.
In gold r ...
(1819–1893), a gold prospector employed by
Sir James Douglas.
It was labelled on a 1915 reconnaissance map of the Northern Selkirk Mountains; prior to then it was labelled "Eldorado Peak" on earlier maps.
The mountain's toponym was officially adopted March 31, 1924, by the
Geographical Names Board of Canada
The Geographical Names Board of Canada (GNBC) is a national committee with a secretariat in Natural Resources Canada, part of the Government of Canada, which authorizes the names used and name changes on official federal government maps of Canad ...
.
[
The ]first ascent
In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in climbing guidebook, guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers a ...
of the summit was made July 14, 1959, by William L. Putnam, W. V. Graham Matthews and David Michael via the southwest ridge.[William L. Putnam (1960), American Alpine Journal, americanalpineclub.org]
/ref>[Chic Scott (2000), ''Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering'', Rocky Mountain Books, , p. 267] The second successful ascent wasn't accomplished until 1991.[Andrew Selters (2004), ''Ways to the Sky: A Historical Guide to North American Mountaineering'', AAC Press, , p. 298]
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
, Downie Peak is located in a subarctic climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.
See also
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References
{{reflist
External links
* Downie Peak
Weather forecast
* Downie Peak (photo)
PBase
* Downie Peak (photo)
Google.com/books
Columbia Country
Kootenay Land District
Selkirk Mountains
two-thousanders of British Columbia