Mount Kitchener
3505m (11500ft.)

Located in the Upper Sunwapta River Valley north of Dome Glacier. Winston Churchill Range, Jasper Park, Alberta Major headwater Athabasca River.
Latitude 52; 13; 00 Longitude 117; 19; 00, Topo map 83C/03

Panorama viewpoint: Sunwapta Pass. Can be seen from Highway 93N

Named in 1916. Kitchener, Horatio Herbert (Viscount Kitchener was a British Field Marshall who organized the British armies at the beginning of WW I. He was lost when HMS Hampshire struck a mine in 1916.) Official name. Other names Douglas, Mount (see summary)

First ascended in 1927 by Alfred J. Ostheimer, guided by Hans Fuhrer. Journal reference CAJ 16-21.

Photo: Looking west to Mount Kitchener from the Icefields Parkway at Sunwapta Pass
More photos

Other Information
 Looking west to Mount Kitchener from Wilcox Pass (courtesy Gerry Hopkins)

Mount Kitchener presents itself in a most spectacular fashion from the Icefields Parkway just north of Sunwapta Pass. Although its southwestern slopes are very gentle as the Columbia Icefield drapes itself from the summit, the near-vertical cliffs on the highway side looms impressively above the viewpoints on the Icefield Parkway.

Norman Collie named this mountain Mount Douglas after the well known botanist David Douglas, for which the Douglas Fir is named. The name was changed to Mount Kitchener in 1916 to honour Horatio Herbert, Viscount Kitchener who had recently died. Collie may not have been aware that Mount Douglas in the upper Red Deer Valley had been named after David Douglas in 1884.

The first ascent of Mount Kitchener was completed by Alfred J. Ostheimer and Hans Fuhrer during an impressive 36 hour outing from their base at the head of the Athabasca Valley. As well as climbing Mount Kitchener, they completed the first ascent of Stutfield Peak and climbed North Twin Peak and Snow Dome. They reached the summit of Kitchener at 2:00 am.

Climbing Routes
South-West Slopes (Normal Route) I
 An easy ski ascent usually combined with an ascent of Snow Dome. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 193

Grand Central Couloir V 5.9 A2/W5
 The Grand Central Couloir is another of the Rockies "grand cours" routes and deservedly so. This climb usually puts up a good fight. Nevertheless, it should be on everybody's hit-list. A bit of a trade route. However, don't bother trying it unless you have cold temperatures - save yourself downclimbing the lower section of the couloir as you run from the rockfall! Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 193

Ramp Route V 5.8 A1
 The first route on the face and in its day one of the hardest alpine routes in the Rockies. Not climbed anywhere nearly as often as the Grand Central. The route takes the obvious ramp line right of Grand Central Couloir and, like its more famous neighbour, is a serious and challenging climb with rockfall hazard. Belays pose a bit of a problem on the ramp due to compact rock. Take along your thinnest knifeblades. Dougherty, Selected Alpine Climbs page 194

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