{{Short description|Mountain in British Columbia, Canada}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Whirlwind Peak | image = Whirlwind Peak from Cowboy Ridge.jpg | image_caption = Northwest aspect in winter | elevation_m = 2427 | elevation_ref =<ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger|872|Whirlwind Peak, British Columbia|accessdate=2023-03-05}}</ref> | prominence_m = 97 | prominence_ref =<ref name="pb"/> | isolation_km = 0.86 | isolation_ref =<ref name="pb"/> | range = Fitzsimmons Range<br />Garibaldi Ranges<br />Coast Ranges | parent_peak = Overlord Mountain (2,625 m)<ref name=peakvisor>{{cite web|url=https://peakvisor.com/peak/whirlwind-peak-canada.html|title=Whirlwind Peak, Peakvisor.com|access-date=2023-03-05}}</ref> | etymology = Whirlwind | listing = Mountains of British Columbia | country = Canada | region_type = Province | region = British Columbia | part_type = Protected area | part = Garibaldi Provincial Park | district = New Westminster Land District | map = British Columbia#Canada | map_caption = Location in British Columbia##Location in Canada | label_position = right | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 8 | mapframe-caption = Interactive map of Whirlwind Peak | coordinates = {{coord|50|0|32|N|122|50|30|W|type:mountain_region:CA_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = <ref name=cgndb>{{cite cgndb|id=JBLOH|name=Whirlwind Peak|accessdate=2023-03-05}}</ref> | topo_maker = NTS | topo_map = {{Canada NTS Map Sheet|92|J|2}}<ref name=cgndb/> | rock = | first_ascent = 1923 Neal Carter, Charles Townsend<ref name=Carter>[https://hikeinwhistler.com/index.php/hiking-glossary/520-neal-carter ''Neal Carter''], Hikeinwhistler.com, Retrieved 2024-03-06.</ref> | easiest_route = {{YDS|2}} }}
'''Whirlwind Peak''' is a {{Convert|2427|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} mountain summit in southwestern British Columbia, Canada.
==Description== Whirlwind Peak is located in Garibaldi Provincial Park, in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains. It is the eighth-highest point of the Fitzsimmons Range, which is a subset of the Garibaldi Ranges.<ref name="pb"/> It is situated {{convert|14|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} southeast of Whistler, 1.31 km south-southeast of Fissile Peak, 1.76 km southwest of Overlord Mountain, and the nearest higher neighbor is Refuse Pinnacle, 0.94 km to the east-northeast.<ref name="pb"/> Precipitation runoff from the peak drains into tributaries of the Cheakamus River. Whirlwind is more notable for its steep rise above local terrain than for its absolute elevation as topographic relief is significant with the summit rising 1,525 meters (5,003 ft) above the river in {{convert|2.5|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
==History== The peak was so named by the Garibaldi Park Board because of evidence that a destructive windstorm had levelled an area of trees on the peak's slopes.<ref name=bcgnis>{{cite bcgnis|id=21072|name=Whirlwind Peak|accessdate=2023-03-05}}</ref> The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on September 2, 1930, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.<ref name=cgndb/> The first ascent of the summit was made in 1923 by Neal Carter and Charles Townsend.<ref name=Carter/>
==Climate==
Based on the Köppen climate classification, Whirlwind Peak is located in the marine west coast climate zone of western North America.<ref name=Peel>{{cite journal | author = Peel, M. C. |author2=Finlayson, B. L. |author3=McMahon, T. A. | year = 2007 | title = Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification | journal = Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. | volume = 11 | issn = 1027-5606}}</ref> Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Coast Mountains where they are forced upward by the range (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall. As a result, the Coast Mountains experience high precipitation, especially during the winter months in the form of snowfall. Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports the Overlord Glacier on the north slope of the peak. The months July through September offer the most favorable weather for climbing Whirlwind Peak.
==See also== * Geography of British Columbia * {{Portal-inline|Mountains|size=tiny}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * Weather: [https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/daily-table/2-6180022/Canada/British%20Columbia/Whirlwind%20Peak Whirlwind Peak] * Whirlwind Peak (photo): [https://www.flickr.com/photos/climbhigh1001/14571523878/in/album-72157646012052113/ Flickr]
{{Geographic Location 2 | Center = Whirlwind Peak | North = Overlord Glacier | Northeast = Overlord Mountain | East = Mount Benvolio | ESE = Diavolo Peak | Southeast = Cheakamus Mountain | South = Cheakamus River | Southwest = Mount Davidson | West = Cheakamus Lake | Northwest = Fissile Peak }} {{Pacific Ranges}}
Category:Garibaldi Ranges Category:Two-thousanders of British Columbia Category:Pacific Ranges Category:Sea-to-Sky Corridor Category:New Westminster Land District