Mount Arrowsmith
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mount Arrowsmith | |
|---|---|
 View from Qualicum Beach, August 2006 |
|
| Elevation | 1,819 metres (5,968 ft) |
| Location | Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada |
| Prominence | 1,817 metres (5,961 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Topo map | NTS 92F/02 |
| First ascent | John Macoun 1887 |
| Easiest route | scramble |
Mount Arrowsmith[2] is the largest mountain on southern Vancouver Island. It has some of the most accessible alpine and sub-alpine areas for Victoria and other large towns on the Island. These zones contain several rare and endangered species of plants and animals, the most notable of which is the Vancouver Island Marmot, which has the dubious distinction of being Canada's rarest mammal. Although the mountain is contained within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve it is not part of a park. Efforts are currently underway to confer official park status on the alpine areas of the Arrowsmith massif and surrounding areas.
[edit] History
The first recorded ascent was made by botanist John Macoun in 1887. Macoun was a botanist to the Geological Survey of Canada. Mount Waddington was first seen from the peak of Mount Arrowsmith by Don and Phyllis Munday in 1925 (see also Mount Munday). The mountain was named for cartographers, Aaron Arrowsmith and his nephew John Arrowsmith. The mountain was known as "Kulth-ka-choolth", meaning "jagged face", in the Coast Salish language.
