Protection Mountain
Protection Mountain is a mountain in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada.
Description
Protection Mountain, in elevation, is located in the Sawback Range immediately north of Castle Mountain in Banff National Park. The peak is situated southeast of Lake Louise hamlet and east of the Bow Valley Parkway. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into the Bow River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises above Bow Valley in. The mountain was so named in 1911 by James F. Porter because the mountain is said to protect an especially beautiful valley to the north which he called Wonder Valley. The mountain's toponym and position was officially adopted on October 20, 1983, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada. The summit is unofficially called "Television Peak" and it ranks as the sixth-highest peak in the Sawback Range.
Climate
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Protection Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C.
Geology
Like other mountains in Banff Park, Protection Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny.