| Sulphur Mountain | |
|---|---|
 The Gondola on Sulphur Mountain | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,451 m (8,041 ft)[1][2] |
| Prominence | 670 m (2,200 ft)[3] |
| Listing | Mountains of Alberta |
| Coordinates | 51°07′25″N115°33′21″W / 51.12361°N 115.55583°W /51.12361; -115.55583[4] |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Mînî Rhuwîn (Stoney)[5] |
| Geography | |
  Sulphur Mountain Location in Alberta | |
 | |
| Interactive map of Sulphur Mountain | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Protected area | Banff National Park |
| Parent range | South Banff Range,Canadian Rockies |
| Topo map | NTS82O4Banff[4] |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Walking trailGondola lift/Hike for Sanson's Peak (2,256 m or 7,402 ft) |
Sulphur Mountain (Nakoda:Mînî Rhuwîn) is amountain inBanff National Park in theCanadian Rocky Mountains overlooking the town ofBanff,Alberta, Canada.
The mountain was named in 1916 for the hot springs on its lower slopes.[1]George Dawson had referred to this landform as Terrace Mountain on his 1886 map of the area.Sanson's Peak was named in 1948 forNorman Bethune Sanson who diligently attended the observatory recording equipment atop Sulphur Mountain for nearly 30 years.[6]
Two hot springs have been commercially developed. The lowest is theCave and Basin National Historic Site and the highest is theBanff Upper Hot Springs.
Agondola on the eastern slope goes to the summit ridge which has an upper terminal containing three restaurants, a gift shop, and multiple observation decks. The summit ridge provides views both westward up and east down theBow Valley. A boardwalk can be followed on the north side to the top of Sanson's Peak (2,256 m or 7,402 ft).
The original, and more scenic, summit access is along an old fire road (Sanson Road) on the Southwest face of the mountain with a distance of 5.8 km from the Banff Sundance Canyon trail system near theBow River. Another 5.4 km switchback trail route exists under the gondola with trailhead access from theBanff Hot Springs parking lot near the gondola terminal.
The mountain has been the site of two research facilities. In 1903, a meteorological observatory building was completed atop Sanson Peak. This building still exists and visitors can look through a window to see its interior complete with rustic furnishings. In the winter of 1956–57, theNational Research Council built a small laboratory on Sanson's Peak in order to studycosmic rays as part of Canada's contribution to theInternational Geophysical Year (IGY). TheSulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station remained in operation until 1978 and the building was removed in 1981. A plaque now marks the site's location.[6]
The hot springs at the base of Sulphur Mountain are home to the endangeredBanff Springs snail and the now-extinctBanff longnose dace.
