Mount Gandalf
Feature Type:Mount - Variation of Mountain: Mass of land prominently elevated above the surrounding terrain, bounded by steep slopes and rising to a summit and/or peaks. ["Mount" preceding the name usually indicates that the feature is named after a person.]
Status: Official
Name Authority: BC Geographical Names Office
Relative Location: S of Mount Aragorn at NE corner of Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park, N of Pemberton, Lillooet Land District
Latitude-Longitude: 50°37'56"N, 122°42'07"W at the approximate centre of this feature.
Datum: WGS84
NTS Map: 92J/10
Origin Notes and History:

Mount Shadowfax adopted 23 January 1979 on 92J/NE, at 50° 37' 55" x 122° 42' 00" as proposed in October 1978 by Karl Ricker (file P.1.65). Name changed to Mount Gandalf 4 December 2006 on 92J/10 as recommended in March 2006 by Scott Nelson and endorsed by the BC Mountaineering Club; "Gandalf" is the name originally given to this feature by the first climbing party, and as long-identified in mountaineering guidebooks and known in the mountaineering and search-and-rescue communities (file P.1.65)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Elevation 2375m / 7800 ft. First recorded ascent 8 May 1972, credited to Peter Jordan and Fred Thiessen (UBC Varsity Outdoor Club Journal, vol 15, 1972, pp 52-55). The names for Mounts Aragorn, Gandalf & Shadowfax were taken from the novel "Lord of the Rings" - apparently one or more volumes of J.R. Tolkien's trilogy were read on stormy days during the 1972 trip. (Ricker)

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Mount Shadowfax labelled on federal 1:50,000 map 92J/10, ed.2, 1988, and on provincial 1:20,000 TRIM 92J.067 at the UTM position provided by Karl Ricker in 1978: UTM 521100E x 5608800N. HOWEVER, Karl Ricker (the original proponent), plus BC Mountaineering Club, and authors of guidebooks all agree that this is the feature that the first climbing party called Mount Gandalf [and the feature labelled "Mount Galdalf" on maps is actually Mount Shadowfax - ie. these names were reversed on the original proposal.]

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office