How Well Do You Know the Canadian Rockies?
Updated: May 12, 2021
From dramatic fingers of granite reaching skyward to majestic snow-capped summits, the Canadian Rockies boast some of the most picturesque peaks on the globe. But can you tell one of these iconic mountains from the other? Test your Rocky Mountain knowledge—and marvel at these awe-inspiring landscapes—with our Canadian Rockies quiz!
Can you name this peak?
A: Castle Mountain
B: Mount Columbia
C: Mount Hector
Hint: Seeing this peak in person may create a feeling of déjà vu.
Answer – A: Castle Mountain
There’s a good chance you’ve seen a depiction of this distinctive mountain gracing the wall of your local art gallery! One of the most painted peaks in the Canadian Rockies, Castle Mountain has inspired countless artists over the years to pick up their brushes to capture its distinctive silhouette. Resembling a medieval castle, the mountain’s craggy “towers” and “buttresses” are the result of longtime erosion, wearing away the mountain’s various layers of dolomite, shale and limestone.
Travelling by train affords different viewpoints of mountains that you may never see by car, and so you’ll get a spectacular view of Castle Mountain along Rocky Mountaineer’s “First Passage to the West” route, shortly before pulling into (or out of!) the station in Banff. While riding Rocky Mountaineer, keep an eye out for mile marker 99—it’s your cue to make your way down to the outdoor viewing platform to take a snapshot of this picture-perfect peak.
Can you name this peak?
A: Mount Cline
B: Mount Edith Cavell
C: Three Sisters Mountains
Hint: Formerly known as Mountain of the Great Crossing, this peak was renamed in 1916 for an English nurse executed for helping Allied soldiers during the First World War.
Answer – B: Mount Edith Cavell
Located inside Jasper National Park, Mount Edith Cavell is one of the highlights of a road trip down the Icefields Parkway—the legendary route that takes you through the heart of the Canadian Rockies, linking the towns of Jasper and Banff. At a towering 3,363 metres, the peak is easily distinguished by the “Y”-shaped Angel Glacier, which criss-crosses the mountain’s north face.
Check out more great Canadian road trips everyone should take at least once.
Can you name this peak?
A: Mount Assiniboine
B: Mount Robson
C: Sulphur Mountain
Hint: It’s the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies.
Answer – B: Mount Robson
Rising to a height of nearly 4,000 metres, Mount Robson is the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Its heavily glaciated flanks are frequently photographed by passengers onboard Rocky Mountaineer’s “Journey Through the Clouds” and “Rainforest to Goldrush” routes, as the trains near the end of their eastward journeys to Jasper from Vancouver. Robson’s peak, however, isn’t photographed quite as often—only because it’s so high, it’s frequently obscured by dense bank of alpine clouds.
Here’s what it’s really like travelling onboard Rocky Mountaineer.
Can you name this peak?
A: Hungabee Mountain
B: Mount Alberta
C: Snow Dome
Hint: This mountain stands as a major “triple divide.”
Answer – C: Snow Dome
Looming high above the Athabasca Glacier and the Columbia Icefields, Snow Dome sits directly on the Continental Divide. But more than a simple east-west equation, its rain and snow melt runs into three different basins—draining into the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and Hudson’s Bay. It’s a fairly rare phenomenon known as a “triple divide,” and is best appreciated by visiting the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre on the Icefields Parkway. (Find out more mind-blowing Canadian geography facts.) Want to get closer still? Book a motorcoach tour along the Icefields Parkway that includes a trip onboard an all-terrain Ice Explorer to venture onto the Athabasca Glacier itself!
Check out the 10 places in Canada every Canadian needs to visit.
Can you name this peak?
A: Mount McGillivray
B: Heart Mountain
C: Mount Rundle
Hint: No matter where you are in the town of Banff, chances are you’ve got a great view of this iconic mountain.
Answer – C: Mount Rundle
Named after a Reverend who served as a missionary in western Canada in the mid-nineteenth century, Rundle looms dramatically over the Banff town site and serves as a helpful orienteering marker if you lose yourself in the town’s many attractions. (Here are the best things to do in Banff on your next visit.) With seven distinctive peaks—the tallest rising almost 3,000 feet—Rundle could actually be considered a small mountain range, rather than a singular peak. Regardless, it strikes an iconic silhouette that’s synonymous with Banff itself.
Here’s what it’s like taking a helicopter tour of the Canadian Rockies.
Can you name this peak?
A: Mount Norquay
B: Mount Brazeau
C: Mount Temple
Hint: A favourite of Banff ski bums, this mountain has hosted international competitions in both alpine skiing and ski jump.
Answer – A: Mount Norquay
One of the “Big Three” ski resorts inside Banff National Park, the flanks of Mount Norquay have challenged skiers from around the world since the 1920s. Boasting a run that stretches more than a kilometre, the mountain hosted the World Cup in 1972 and its ski jump is still used by a Calgary-area club. Not into hitting the slopes? You can still enjoy the on-site resort’s scenic chairlift all year round.
If you enjoyed this Canadian Rockies quiz, you won’t want to miss this roundup of mind-blowing Canadian Rockies facts.
