Mount Logan

Mount Logan is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest peak in North America, after Mount McKinley (Denali). The mountain was named after Sir William Edmond Logan, a Canadian geologist and founder of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC). Mount Logan is located within Kluane National Park and Reserve in southwestern Yukon and is the source of the Hubbard and Logan Glaciers. Logan is believed to have the largest base circumference of any non-volcanic mountain on Earth (a large number of shield volcanoes are much larger in size and mass), with the massif containing eleven peaks over 5,000 metres (16,400 ft).

Due to active tectonic uplifting, Mount Logan is still rising in height. Before 1992, the exact elevation of Mount Logan was unknown and measurements ranged from 5,959 to 6,050 metres (19,551 to 19,849 ft). In May 1992, a GSC expedition climbed Mount Logan and fixed the current height of 5,959 metres (19,551 ft) using GPS.

Temperatures are extremely low on and near Mount Logan. On the 5,000 m high plateau, air temperature hovers around âˆ'45 °C (âˆ'49 °F) in the winter and reaches near freezing in summer with the median temperature for the year around âˆ'27 °C (âˆ'17 °F). Minimal snow melt leads to a significant ice cap, reaching almost 300 m (984 ft) in certain spots.

Peaks of the massif

The Mount Logan massif is considered to contain all the surrounding peaks with less than 500 m (1,640 ft) of prominence, as listed below:

First ascent

In 1922, a geologist approached the Alpine Club of Canada with the suggestion that the club send a team to the mountain to reach the summit for the first time. An international team of Canadian, British and American climbers was assembled and initially they had planned their attempt in 1924 but funding and preparation delays postponed the trip until 1925. The international team of climbers began their journey in early May, crossing the mainland from the Pacific coast by train. They then walked the remaining 200 kilometres (120 mi) to within 10 kilometres (6 mi) of the Logan Glacier where they established base camp. In the early evening of June 23, 1925, Albert H. MacCarthy (leader), H.F. Lambart, Allen Carpé, W.W. Foster, N. Read and Andy Taylor stood on top for the first time. It had taken them 65 days to approach the mountain from the nearest town, McCarthy, summit and return, with all climbers intact.

Subsequent notable ascents and attempts

• 1957 East Ridge. Don Monk, Gil Roberts and 3 others (US) reached the summit on July 19.
• 1965 Hummingbird Ridge (South Ridge). Dick Long, Allen Steck, Jim Wilson, John Evans, Franklin Coale Sr. and Paul Bacon (US) over 30 days, mid-July to Mid-August. Fred Beckey remarked: "When they got back we just couldn't believe that they had climbed that thing. We didn't think they had a chance". Featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
• 1977 Warbler Ridge. Dave Jones, Frank Baumann, Fred Thiessen, Jay Page (all from Canada) and Rene Bucher (Swiss) in 22 days.
• 1979 Northwest Ridge. Michael Down (CA), Paul Kindree, John Howe, Reid Carter and John Wittmayer climbed to the summit over 22 days, topping out on June 19.
• 1979 South-Southwest Ridge. Raymond Jotterand (CA), Alan Burgess, Jim Elzinga and John Laughlan reached the summit after 15 days of climbing on June 30 and July 1.
• 1987 an alpine-style attempt on the Hummingbird Ridge ended with the deaths of Catherine Freer (US), North America's strongest female alpinist, and David Cheesmond from South Africa and Canada, considered among the best alpinists in the world, when a snow cornice broke.
• 1992 June 6, an expedition sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographic Society confirmed the height of Mount Logan using GPS. The leader was Michael Schmidt, with Lisel Currie, Leo Nadeay, Charlie Roots, J-C. Lavergne, Roger Laurilla, Pat Morrow, Karl Nagy, Sue Gould, Alan Björn, Lloyd Freese, Kevin McLaughlin and Rick Staley.

Proposed renaming

Following the death of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, a close friend of Trudeau's, considered renaming the mountain Mount Trudeau; however, opposition from Yukoners, mountaineers, geologists, Trudeau's political critics, and many other Canadians forced the plan to be dropped. A mountain in British Columbia's Premier Range was named Mount Pierre Elliott Trudeau instead.

May 2005 rescue

During the last few days of May 2005, three climbers from the North Shore Search and Rescue team of North Vancouver became stranded on the mountain. A joint operation by Canadian and American forces rescued the three climbers and took them to Anchorage, Alaska for treatment of frostbite.

See also

• 4000 metre peaks of Canada
• 4000 metre peaks of North America
• List of highest points of Canadian provinces and territories
• Mountain peaks of Canada
• Mountain peaks of North America
• List of Ultras in Canada

Bibliography

• Irving, R. L. G. (1940). Ten Great Mountains. London: J. M. Dent & Sons. 
• Roper, Steve; Steck, Allen (1979). Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. San Francisco, CA, USA: Sierra Club Books. pp. 179â€"182. ISBN 0-87156-292-8. 
• Scott, Chic (2000). Pushing the Limits, The Story of Canadian Mountaineering. Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Rocky Mountain Books. ISBN 0-921102-59-3. Retrieved December 27, 2013. 
• Selters, Andy (2004). Ways to the Sky. Golden, CO, USA: American Alpine Club Press. ISBN 0-930410-83-1. 
• Sherman, Paddy (1965). Cloud Walkers - Six Climbs on Major Canadian Peaks. Toronto, Canada: Macmillan of Canada. Lib Congress Cat# 65-25069. 

References

External links

• Mount Logan on Peakware - photos
• Map showing location of Mount Logan in the Saint Elias Range
• 2009 Trip Report
• Mount Logan Canadian Titan - Virtual Museum of Canada