| This peak is #3 on the Height List for British Columbia . This peak is #2 in Prominence List for British Columbia . Located in southwestern British Columbia, at the head of Bute and Knight Inlets. The mountain was first sighted by R.P.Bishop in 1922 while doing surveys from Mount Good Hope. It was then sighted again by Don and Phyllis Munday in 1925 from Mount Arrowsmith, on Vancouver Island.
Between 1926 and 1934, they led several expeditions to the mountain. They successfully reached its lower northwest summit in 1928, but decided that the main summit was too risky. In 1948, Don Munday published the book The Unknown Mountain, documenting the couple's Mount Waddington challenges and adventures. Ascents: The first ascent of the main peak was in 1936 by Weissner and House; in 1942 by the Beckey brothers; and in 1950 by (a) Cook, DeSaussure, Long and Huston, and (b) Steck and bettler. All these were Americans. The first Canadian team was Aldolf Bitterlich (Alberni), Ulf Bitterlich, Arno Meier (Campbell River), John Owen (Vancouver), and Christian Schiel. First Canadian Ascent. Name Notes: The name "Mount Waddington" was given to the peak in 1928. It refers to Alfred Waddington, who promoted the dream of a transcontinental railway from 1858 to 1872, via the Homathko river and Bute Inlet. According to BC Placename cards, R. P. Bishop, the surveyor, originally proposed the name "Cradock" in 1923. Don and Phylis Munday used the name "Mystery Mountain", but neither Cradock, nor "Mystery Mountain" were accepted by the government.Adopted 3 April 1928 on Ottawa file OBF 1018 (file M.1.27); re-approved 6 April 1950 on 92 NW.
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office Elevation 13,177 feet (4016m). Third highest mountain in British Columbia [Fairweather Mountain and Mount Quincy Adams are higher, but both straddle the BC-Alaska boundary, hence Mount Waddington is the highest mountain ENTIRELY within the province.] First ascent credited to Fritz H. Weissner of New York, and William P. House of Pittsburgh, 21 July 1936 (Canadian Alpine Journal 1936, p.9.)
Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office
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