Serendipity Spire

Serendipity Spire is a 2,857-metre (9,373-foot) mountain in British Columbia, Canada.

Serendipity Spire
East aspect, to the right
Highest point
Elevation	2,857 m (9,373 ft)[1][2]
Prominence	747 m (2,451 ft)[3]
Isolation	4.02 km (2.50 mi)[3]
Listing	Mountains of British Columbia
Coordinates	51°44′41″N 118°00′55″W[4]
Naming
Etymology	Serendipity
Geography
Serendipity Spire Location in British Columbia Show map of British Columbia Serendipity Spire Location in Canada Show map of Canada
Interactive map of Serendipity Spire
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
District	Kootenay Land District[5]
Parent range	Selkirk Mountains[2]
Topo map	NTS 82M9 Goldstream River[4]

Description

Serendipity Spire is located 88 km (55 mi) northwest of Golden in the Selkirk Mountains.^[4][5] Serendipity Spire is surrounded by glaciers, the largest of which is the OK Glacier to the northwest. Precipitation runoff and glacial meltwater from the peak's slopes drains into tributaries of the Columbia River. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 1,457 metres (4,780 ft) above Austerity Creek in approximately 2 km (1.2 mi). The peak was so named by American mountaineer William Lowell Putnam III "...because the mountain was inspiring to look at," which was a Putnam malapropism since serendipity is finding something valuable or agreeable, that hadn't been sought.^[5] The mountain's toponym was officially adopted on January 23, 1973, by the Geographical Names Board of Canada.^[4]

Climate

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Serendipity Spire is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers.^[6] Winter temperatures can drop below −20 °C with wind chill factors below −30 °C. This climate supports several glaciers surrounding the peak.

See also

• Mountains portal
• Geography of British Columbia