Revelstoke's most recognizable summit.
Mount Begbie is a notable mountain summit located in the Gold Range of the Monashee Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. It stands at 2,733 meters (8,967 feet) and features a triple peak that dominates the skyline of Revelstoke. Its unique shape is frequently represented by local artists and is a ubiquitous symbol of Revelstoke.
The Brief Geology.
Mount Begbie is an extinct volcano near Revelstoke, BC, part of what’s known as the Chilcotin Group of volcanic formations. Millions of years ago, it was active, pushing magma up from beneath the Earth’s crust to form the mountain we see today. Now, it’s dormant (so no eruptions!), but its shape and unique volcanic rock give away its fiery past. The Chilcotin Group includes ancient volcanoes like this scattered across southern BC, formed when tectonic plates collided and created volcanic activity across the region.
Its core is made of gabbro, a dense, crystalline rock similar to basalt but with larger crystals, formed deep underground. This type of rock suggests slow cooling, which allowed larger crystals to develop.. As a volcanic plug, Begbie is essentially the hardened "throat" of an ancient volcano, with steep, rugged faces due to millions of years of erosion that removed the outer layers and exposed the hard volcanic core.
Mount Begbie | P Jana Rogers
The Name.
The first record of the name “Mount Begbie” is on a map published by a surveyor named George Dawson in 1890. The name was officially adopted in 1900. The mountain is named for Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie. Begbie held the position of Chief Justice of British Columbia, appointed in 1870, one year before British Columbia became a province. Begbie first appeared in court in Revelstoke in June of 1885 (which was known as Farwell at the time). According to the Victoria Colonist, “His Lordship has won golden opinions from everyone here by his judicial learning and personal kindness… Sir Matthew expressed his unqualified satisfaction with the proceedings, and bore witness to the pervading quietness and order, and the remarkable absence of drunkenness.” At 6’5”, Sir Begbie’s height was as imposing as Mount Begbie’s 2,733 metres, rising straight from the Columbia River Valley.
1924 | Judge Matthew Baillie Begbie
Unfortunately, Sir Begbie’s legacy is problematic. On the one hand, he was known to be an intelligent, cultured man: an artist, a choir singer, a mathematician, a cartographer, a sportsman, and a gardener. He learned some of the First Nations languages, introduced legislation giving rights to First Nations women and called for the recognition of aboriginal land rights. However, he was known as “The Hanging Judge”, sentencing the perpetrators of 27/52 murder cases he heard to be hung (at the time, the mandatory sentence for murder was hanging). The vast majority of the people he sentenced to death were First Nations men. He was known to be stern and harsh. Sir Begbie died in 1894, but his name lives on in Revelstoke.
Beyond Begbie is a short film that explores the history of the land and its shared significance to Indigenous groups and mountain sports enthusiasts.
The Recreation History.
The 1907 summit of Mount Begbie was a collaborative expedition by local Revelstoke residents Rupert Williams Haggen and Rev. James Robertson, alongside Swiss guide Edward Feuz Jr. and Rev. James Herdman. They navigated challenging terrain, crossing the Columbia River by rowboat, hauling supplies, and trekking through dense rainforest. After a hard-fought ascent, the group reached the summit on June 11, amidst stormy weather. Their return was no less dramatic, with a near-miss as their rowboat capsized. They built a makeshift raft, eventually returning safely to Revelstoke.
In 1932, R. Lymburne skied Mount Begbie, a feat of impressive endurance. Starting in Revelstoke at 4:00 am, he reached the glacier by 8:00 am, taking time to explore the slopes before pushing on to the summit. His day on the mountain wrapped up with his return to town by 6:00 pm.
Mount Begbie’s trail was first proposed in 1910 by the Revelstoke Mountaineering Club. Today, it leads hikers to alpine meadows, with those experienced in mountaineering able to continue up to the glacier and peak at 2,733 meters.
Climbers-on-Illecillewaet-Glacier-ca-1920s
Recreation Today
July, August and September are great months to hike up Mount Begbie. It's an incredibly long, steep climb but the views are exceptional. There are recreational campsites at the base of the glacier that offer a beautiful view of the valley. Hikers often turn around here and those with glacier travel experience may continue on to the summit. Throughout winter, ski tourers slog up the lengthy elevation climb to find pockets of deep pow in the Monashee Range.
Mount Begbie | P Laura Szanto
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