Diavolo Peak


Diavolo Peak is a mountain located in British Columbia, Canada.

Description

Diavolo Peak is the fifth-highest peak of the Fitzsimmons Range which is a subrange of the Garibaldi Ranges. It is situated southeast of Whistler in Garibaldi Provincial Park, and the nearest higher peak is Mount Benvolio, to the north-northeast. The Diavolo Glacier rests on the east aspect of the peak. Precipitation runoff from the peak and meltwater from the glacier drains into tributaries of the Cheakamus River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above the river in two kilometres.

History

The first ascent of the mountain was made on September 18, 1923, by Neal M. Carter and Charles T. Townsend.
Diavolo is an Italian word, meaning "devil", and the peak was so-named by Carter and Townsend because of a steep, rotten arête and black-colored rock. They named its subsidiary peak "Angelo" because it looked easy to climb and angelic by comparison. Angelo is an Italian word, meaning "angel".
The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on September 2, 1930, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Diavolo Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America. Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Coast Mountains where they are forced upward by the range, causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall. As a result, the Coast Mountains experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing Diavolo Peak.

Angelo Peak

Angelo Peak is a subsidiary peak 185 meters south of Diavolo Peak. At 2,561-meters-elevation, it is the sixth-highest peak of the Fitzsimmons Range, but it has only 23 metres of prominence. Angelo was first climbed by a British Columbia Mountaineering Club party on August 15, 1924. The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on September 2, 1930, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.