Home › Multilingual Archive Index › Byam Martin Mountains

Byam Martin Mountains

The Byam Martin Mountains are a rugged mountain range extending east to west across Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada. It is one of the most northern ranges in the world and is an extension of the Baffin Mountains which in turn form part of the Arctic Cordillera mountain system. The highest mountain in the range is Angilaaq Mountain, 1,951 m (6,401 ft), located near the island's center. Sharp peaks and ridges, divided by deep glacier-filled valleys are typical features in the range^[1] and has been extensively modified by glacial erosion. The Byam Martin Mountains have not been conducive to habitation. While there are no permanent settlements in the Byam Martin Mountains, Inuit from Pond Inlet and elsewhere regularly travel to the range.

The Byam Martin Mountains are made up of Archean-Aphebian igneous crystalline rock and Proterozoic metasedimentary and metamorphic rock, such as gneiss.

History

The first mountaineering expedition to the Byam Martin Mountains was by Pat Biard, in which Mount Thule 1,711 m (5,614 ft) was first climbed. In 1954 American Ben Farris and a companion repeated Pat Biard's climb of Mount Thule. In 1963 British explorer Bill Tilman sailed has boat to the north coast and traversed the island, but did not climb any of the larger peaks. In 1977 a Canadian expedition of Rob Kelly, etc. climbed 20 peaks and in 1984 Mike Schmidt, etc. climbed 28 peaks, including 16 first ascents.

References