Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park

Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park Mt. Assiniboine (3618 m) is located 48 km southwest of Banff, Alberta on the Alberta, B.C. border. It encompasses an area of 80 sq. km, and is the 7th highest mountain in Canada. It is sometimes referred to as the “Matterhorn of the Canadian Rockies”. The mountain was named by G. M. Dawson of the Geological Survey of Canada in honour of the Assiniboine people when he visited the area in 1899. It is currently situated within the territory of the Kootenai First Nations people. Assiniboine means “stone boiler”, a term originating from a practise of the first nations people which involved throwing hot rocks into a pit in order to cook food. Mt. Assiniboine Provincial Park was established in 1922, and covers 39,013 hectares. It is part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain chain, and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although Mt. Assiniboine is not accessible by road, this B.C. park receives many visitors every year.