Karnak Mountain

LocationBritish Columbia, CanadaDistrictKootenay Land DistrictParent rangePurcell MountainsTopo mapNTS 82K7 Duncan Lake^[2]ClimbingFirst ascent1915

Karnak Mountain is a 3,411-metre (11,191 ft) mountain summit located 42 km (26 mi) west-southwest of Invermere in the Purcell Mountains of southeast British Columbia, Canada.^[3] The nearest higher peak is Jumbo Mountain, 0.79 km (0.49 mi) to the east-northeast, and The Lieutenants is set 2 km (1.2 mi) to the northwest.^[4] Karnak and Jumbo form a double summit massif which is the second-highest mountain in the Purcells.^[4]

The first ascent of Karnak Mountain was made August 14, 1915, by A.H. & E.L. MacCarthy, Dr. and Mrs. Winthrop Stone, and Conrad Kain via the southwest slopes.^[1] The peak was named in 1910 by Stone and MacCarthy after Karnak, the Egyptian Temple Complex.^[1] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted June 9, 1960, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Karnak Mountain is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.^[5] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors  below −30 °C. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Jumbo Creek which is a tributary of the Columbia River.

Established climbing routes on Karnak Mountain:^[1]

• Southwest Slopes - First ascent 1915
• Northeast Face - First ascent 1960
• West Face - First ascent 1975