| Feature Type: | Mountain - Mass of land prominently elevated above the surrounding terrain, bounded by steep slopes and rising to a summit and/or peaks. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | S side of Elk River on E side of Strathcona Provincial Park, Nootka Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 49°47'23"N, 125°49'41"W at the approximate centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 92F/13 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Elkhorn Mountain adopted 6 January 1949, as long-identified in climbing circles, and as labelled on BC Lands' map 2C, 1919 et seq. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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Prior to 1912, the mountain had been called "Vancouver Island Matterhorn" and later "Strathcona Matterhorn" because of its imposing profile. Renamed "Elkhorn" by A.O. Wheeler and members of the Canadian Alpine Club, upon making the first ascent, 21 August 1912; the new name because of its location overlooking the Elk River, and to distinguish it from several other generically-named "matterhorns" around the world. See Canadian Alpine Journal, vol.V, 1913, pp 44-48, 82-95. See also "Beyond Nootka: A Historical Perspective of Vancouver Island Mountains", by Lindsay Elms; Misthorn Press, Courtenay; 1996. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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"...referred to by Mr. Thomson as the Matterhorn of Strathcona Park, of which he dared the Alpine Club to make the ascent. ...almost opposite, across the Elk River, rose the Strathcona Matterhorn. It looked a nice rock peak rising above a small, well crevassed glacier... it was decided to attempt the matterhorn peak. By the way, Mt. Assiniboine, some 20 miles southeast from Banff, is generally known as the Canadian Matterhorn, so it was necessary to find a more suitable name for the peak in question. As it stood close to the head of the Elk Valley and rose sharply, seen from our point of view, we decided to recommend to the Geographic Board that it be known in the future as Elkhorn." [A.O. Wheeler, The Alpine Club of Canada in Strathcona Park, Canadian Alpine Journal, v.5, 1913, pp. 87, 89.] Source: Provincial Archives' Place Names File (the "Harvey File") compiled 1945-1950 by A.G. Harvey from various sources, with subsequent additions |
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"RE: naming of Vancouver Island's highest mountain - - readings from the top [of Goldern Hinde] definitely established the height at 7219 feet, about 20 feet higher than Elkhorn..." (10 March 1939 letter from N.C.Stewart, BCLS, to BC Chief Geographer, file B.1.38) Elevation of summit identified as 2194 metres on provincial 1:20,000 TRIM map 92F.071. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |