The
Ishpatina Ridge is the highest point of land in the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
. At an estimated
above sea levelThe term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, it is a rather low mountain and not that steep, as the surrounding land in the area is already quite elevated. Ishpatina Ridge rises approximately above the immediate area. To get an idea of its actual height, the very top of the
CN TowerThe CN Tower, located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a communications and observation tower standing tall. It surpassed the height of the Ostankino Tower while still under construction in 1975, becoming the tallest free-standing structure on land in the world...
is approx.
above sea levelThe term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, making Ishpatina's peak about higher.
The ridge is part of the
TemagamiTemagami is a region and a municipality in northeastern Ontario, Canada, in the District of Nipissing with Lake Temagami at its heart.The Temagami region is known as N'Daki Menan, the homeland of the area's Aboriginal community, most of whom are Anishnaabe , living on Bear Island. The official...
region, though it is located in the
Timiskaming DistrictTimiskaming is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district was created in 1912 from parts of Algoma, Nipissing, and Sudbury districts. In 1921, Cochrane District was created from parts of this district and parts of Thunder Bay...
of
Northeastern OntarioNortheastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of Algoma District, Sudbury District, Cochrane District, Timiskaming District, Nipissing District, Manitoulin District and the single-tier...
, about halfway between Sudbury and Kirkland Lake within
Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial ParkLady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park is a remote park in northeastern Ontario, Canada, near Lake Temagami.This park encompasses Smoothwater Lake, Makobe Lake, the Ishpatina Ridge , Maple Mountain , and most of the Lady Evelyn River...
.
The
Ishpatina Ridge is the highest point of land in the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
. At an estimated
above sea levelThe term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, it is a rather low mountain and not that steep, as the surrounding land in the area is already quite elevated. Ishpatina Ridge rises approximately above the immediate area. To get an idea of its actual height, the very top of the
CN TowerThe CN Tower, located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a communications and observation tower standing tall. It surpassed the height of the Ostankino Tower while still under construction in 1975, becoming the tallest free-standing structure on land in the world...
is approx.
above sea levelThe term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
, making Ishpatina's peak about higher.
The ridge is part of the
TemagamiTemagami is a region and a municipality in northeastern Ontario, Canada, in the District of Nipissing with Lake Temagami at its heart.The Temagami region is known as N'Daki Menan, the homeland of the area's Aboriginal community, most of whom are Anishnaabe , living on Bear Island. The official...
region, though it is located in the
Timiskaming DistrictTimiskaming is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. The district was created in 1912 from parts of Algoma, Nipissing, and Sudbury districts. In 1921, Cochrane District was created from parts of this district and parts of Thunder Bay...
of
Northeastern OntarioNortheastern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and east of Lakes Superior and Huron.Northeastern Ontario consists of Algoma District, Sudbury District, Cochrane District, Timiskaming District, Nipissing District, Manitoulin District and the single-tier...
, about halfway between Sudbury and Kirkland Lake within
Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial ParkLady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park is a remote park in northeastern Ontario, Canada, near Lake Temagami.This park encompasses Smoothwater Lake, Makobe Lake, the Ishpatina Ridge , Maple Mountain , and most of the Lady Evelyn River...
. The mountain is not very accessible; the closest major highway,
Highway 560Highway 560 is a secondary highway in Northern Ontario. It begins in the west at Highway 144 and its eastern terminus is Highway 11 at Englehart...
, is more than 30 km away, and roads and trails in the remote area are difficult to travel in poor weather. The most popular approach routes to Ishpatina are by canoe and/or float plane, although some individuals have walked to the ridge from the nearest road. The nearest community to the ridge is
GowgandaGowganda is an unincorporated community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located on Highway 560 in the Timiskaming District.-External links:* profile at the James Bay Frontier Travel Association...
.
The name "Ishpatina" comes from an
Ojibwe languageOjibwe is an indigenous language of the Algonquian linguistic family. Ojibwe is characterized by a series of dialects that have local names and frequently local writing systems. There is no single dialect that is considered the most prestigious or most prominent, and no standard writing system...
word
ishpadinaa, meaning "be a high hill/ridge".
Spadina AvenueSpadina Avenue is one of the most prominent streets in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running through the western section of downtown, the road has a very different character in different neighbourhoods....
in Toronto is derived from the same word.
Although the Ishpatina Ridge is considered the highest point in Ontario by elevation, the main peak of Maple Mountain has a higher vertical rise over the surrounding landscape, higher than Ishpatina Ridge rising over Scarecrow Lake.
The Ellis firetower is still standing on the highest section of the ridge.
External links