Spearhead Range
Encyclopedia
The Spearhead Range is a short subrange of the Garibaldi Ranges
of southwestern British Columbia
, Canada
, adjacent to the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia
and ending at its northwestern apex in Blackcomb Mountain, one of two mountains forming the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. Other notable summits are The Spearhead
, Mount Trorey, and Tremor, Shatter, Shudder, Quiver and other similarly named peaks and glaciers. The range was named by Don
and Phyllis Munday
as the range's peaks resembled spearheads rising from the alpine fog. To the north of the range is Lone Goat Pass, formed by Wedge Creek and Lone Goat Creek, which is fed by the Spearhead Glacier
, the largest glacier in the range. The valley of Fitzsimmons Creek
is on the range's south side, and is the location of the Whistler Sliding Centre
, which was built for the 2010 Winter Olympics
.
The Spearhead Range's counterpart on the south side of Fitzsimmons Creek is the Fitzsimmons Range
, which runs east from Whistler Mountain
.
Garibaldi Ranges
The Garibaldi Ranges are the next-to-southwesternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains; only the North Shore Mountains are farther south. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River and Green River on the west and the valley of the Lillooet...
of southwestern British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, adjacent to the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
and ending at its northwestern apex in Blackcomb Mountain, one of two mountains forming the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. Other notable summits are The Spearhead
The Spearhead
The Spearhead is a peak in the Garibaldi Ranges of British Columbia, Canada, and is one of the main summits of the Blackcomb Mountain portion of the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, located at the apex of the Blackcomb and Spearhead Glaciers, which is named for it...
, Mount Trorey, and Tremor, Shatter, Shudder, Quiver and other similarly named peaks and glaciers. The range was named by Don
Don Munday
Walter Alfred Don Munday was a Canadian explorer, naturalist and mountaineer famous for his explorations of the Coast Mountains with his wife Phyllis, and especially for the exploration of the Waddington Range....
and Phyllis Munday
Phyllis Munday
Phyllis B Munday, CM was a Canadian mountaineer, explorer, naturalist and humanitarian, famed for being the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Robson in 1924, and with her husband Don for discovering Mount Waddington, and exploring the area around it via the Franklin River and the Homathko...
as the range's peaks resembled spearheads rising from the alpine fog. To the north of the range is Lone Goat Pass, formed by Wedge Creek and Lone Goat Creek, which is fed by the Spearhead Glacier
Spearhead Glacier
The Spearhead Glacier is the largest glacier on the Spearhead Range, located on the opposite, northeast side of that range from the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, and is serviced in part by the lift system of the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. The glacier's apex is at the peak...
, the largest glacier in the range. The valley of Fitzsimmons Creek
Fitzsimmons Creek
Fitzsimmons Creek is a large creek in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, having its origins at the Fitzsimmons Glacier in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains...
is on the range's south side, and is the location of the Whistler Sliding Centre
Whistler Sliding Centre
The Whistler Sliding Centre is a Canadian bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track located in Whistler, British Columbia, that is north of Vancouver. The centre is part of the Whistler Blackcomb resort, which comprises two ski mountains separated by Fitzsimmons Creek...
, which was built for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
.
The Spearhead Range's counterpart on the south side of Fitzsimmons Creek is the Fitzsimmons Range
Fitzsimmons Range
The Fitzsimmons Range is a small mountain range on the northwestern edge of the Garibaldi Ranges in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located between the valleys of Cheakamus Lake and Fitzsimmons Creek . Its most famous summit is Whistler Mountain, which overlooks the resort town of Whistler...
, which runs east from Whistler Mountain
Whistler Mountain
Whistler Mountain is a mountain in the Fitzsimmons Range of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, located on the northwestern edge of Garibaldi Provincial Park. It is the location of the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort and the town of Whistler, British Columbia.The original name of the mountain...
.