Mount Edziza
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: SE of Telegraph Creek (community) on the Big Raven Plateau, W of Nuttlude Lake, Cassiar Land District
Latitude-Longitude: 57°42'55"N, 130°38'04"W at the approximate centre of this feature.
Datum: WGS84
NTS Map: 104G/10
Origin Notes and History:

Edziza Peak adopted 24 September 1945 on 104/SE as labelled on Geological Survey sheet 309A, Stikine River, 1926. Form of the name changed to Mount Edziza 3 December 1974, to reflect entrenched local usage, and as identified in 1927 BCLS Report and as labelled on BC map 9T325, Stikine, 1931, and on BC map 1H, 1933 & 1943, and on World Aeronautical Charts 138 & 139, both 1950. Also conforms with the park name - Mount Edziza Provincial Park - established in 1972.

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

Spelled variously Eddziza; Eddiza; Edidza (BC Lands' map 5C, 1929); Edzia Mountain (1930 BC Gazetteer/typo); Et-se-zah; Etseza. Also labelled Ice Mountain (map/date not cited).

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

"...from the centre of the plateau rises the great ice-covered mass of Edziza Mountain. Edziza means in Tahltan "sand" and it is from the deep deposits of volcanic ashes or pumiceous sand which cover large strips of the plateau that the mountain takes its name." (1927 report by J. Davidson, BCLS, published in Abtracts of BC Land Surveyors Reports, Cassiar Dist, p.185). Edziza means "cinders" in the Tahltan dialect (BC Parks brochure). Edziza is an extinct volcano; its' name means "red sand" referring to the red lava dust on it. (1933 advice from P.M.Monckton, BCLS). Note that David Stevenson, University of Victoria Anthropology Dept advised in October 1970 that "kutlves" is actually the Tahltan word for sand or dust.

Source: included with note

Many years ago Johnny Edzerza, his wife Eve, and a Mr. Hank Williams were crossing [this mountain] when an avalanche killed both men. Johnny Edzerza was buried on the mountain but his grave marker was mis-spelled 'Edzertza'. Dr. J.G. Souther, Geological Survey of Canada, later named Eve Cone after Eve Edzerza, who was still living in the area; Souther further suggests that Edziza is a corruption of Edzerza, although he does not necessarily link the avalanche event to the original naming of the mountain. (20 December 1974 telephone conversation with Dr.Souther; transcript on file T.2.54). The Edzerza family continued to live in the area through the war years and since, according to G.S. Andrews, BC Surveyor-General. One Arnold C. Edzerza is listed as an Atlin-based big game guide in the 1974 Directory.

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