Behind the Shot
Assiniboine Mountain rises 5,500 feet above Lake Magog in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park in British Columbia. Known as the Matterhorn of the Rockies, its peak is 11,870 feet above sea level, and is the highest point in the Southern Continental Ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Named by George M. Dawson in 1885, the peak got its name because the clouds trailing from the mountaintop reminded the noted geologist and surveyor of the smoke from the teepees of the Assiniboine Indians living nearby.
To appeal to tourists, Canadian Pacific Railroad advertised the area as “Fifty Switzerlands in one” and built luxurious mountain hotels as well as more rustic camps. Swiss mountain guides were brought in to guide visitors who explored the unspoiled wilderness on foot or horseback. The first climbers to conquer the mountain did so in 1901. Today, even experienced climbers consider Mount Assiniboine a difficult and dangerous climb. Often underestimated, the alpine conditions, combined with the rockfalls and exposure make Assiniboine a climb reserved for experienced climbers only.
Zachary’s recommendation is fairly clear, “Assiniboine is one of those amazing places in BC. The peak is among the most beautiful in all of Canada, surrounded by all these little cabins in the pristine park—beautiful hikes, and just gorgeous scenes all around.”