Mount Toot-toot

Alberta. Former unofficial name: Athabasca River drainage
N of Yellowhead Pass, N of Miette River
52.98 N 118.4301 W GoogleGeoHack
Not currently an official name.

Mount Bridgland ?

Northward, on the other side of the Yellowhead Ridge, was a wild rocky basin, forming the western source of Miette River. There were numerous lakes scattered about it on benches set out at various levels; we counted thirteen, varying in colour from indigo to ultramarine, though some were mere ponds. The line of the Continental Divide follows a ridge, extending northward from the centre of Yellowhead Ridge, which forms the boundary of the basin. It soon closes to a valley, collecting the various waters and flowing eastward. The stream is joined by the eastern source of a the Miette which comes from behind a rock mass of peculiar shape: at one end a blocky tower a stood up like a clumsy smoke-stack, and the whole looked so like a child’s toy locomotive that I called it “Mt. Toot-Toot.”

— Wheeler

But I shall confine myself to some experiences that perhaps are unknown to you We reached the Mount Robson region. As you know we were making the first topographical survey of what are now Jasper Park and Mount Robson Park. We were locating for the first time hundreds of miles of the inter-provincial boundary line between Alberta and British Columbia, and Wheeler got out the first official map of that region, because of our work that season.

Once, as we were on a peak to the west of Mount Robson, a train whistled far to the south of us. There was a good-sized peak in that region, and Mr. Wheeler said, “We will name that peak Mount Toot Toot.” I do not know whether that name stuck or not, but frequently, from that time on, Conrad would give a toot or two to emphasize some occasion, and the three of us would have secret mirth.

— Letter to Thorington from George Kinney, 1934
References:

  • Wheeler, Arthur Oliver [1860–1945]. “The Alpine Club of Canada’s expedition to Jasper Park, Yellowhead Pass and Mount Robson region, 1911.” Canadian Alpine Journal, Vol. 4 (1912):9-80. Alpine Club of Canada
  • Thorington, James Monroe [1895–1989]. Banff: Whyte Museum Archives. Days remembered AC 106M/6 (1974).
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