Mount Albert (Quebec)

Mont Albert
Elevation	1,151 m (3,776 ft) [1]
Prominence	740m[2]
Listing	Quebec 1000 meter peaks List of mountains in Canada
Location
Mont Albert Location in Quebec
Location	La Haute-Gaspésie Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada
Range	Chic-Choc Mountains
Coordinates	48°55′17″N 66°11′42″W / 48.9214°N 66.19495°W / 48.9214; -66.19495Coordinates: 48°55′17″N 66°11′42″W / 48.9214°N 66.19495°W / 48.9214; -66.19495
Climbing
First ascent	August 26, 1845 by Alexander Murray

Mont Albert is a mountain in the Chic-Choc range in the Parc national de la Gaspésie in the Gaspé Peninsula of eastern Quebec, Canada. At 1,151 m (3,776 ft),^[1] it is one of the tallest mountains in southern Quebec, and is popular for hiking.

Mount Albert was named in honor of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha because geologist Alexander Murray made the first recorded ascent of the mountain on the Prince's birthday, 26 Aug. 1845.^[1]

Geography

Southern summit of Mount Albert and Moses's table.

The summit of Mount Albert is a plateau 13 km (8.08 mi) across called La Table à Moïse, or Moses's Table.^[3] It includes two summits, Albert North (1,070 m (3,510 ft))^[4] and Albert South (1151-1154m).^[5][1] Each of the summits is situated at either side of the plateau.

The principal component of Mont Albert is an unusual kind of bedrock called serpentine; this originated as oceanic crust and was then uplifted during the formation of the Appalachian Mountains about 480 million years ago.^[3] The nearly flat serpentine tableland on the mountain's summit is an alpine area above the tree line, and supports a quite distinctive flora with many kinds of endemic and highly disjunct plants.^[6]

The ascent of Mount Albert from near sea level is challenging, but popular with hikers, offering a view of the St. Lawrence and the Côte-Nord, the river's north shore, part of the ancient bedrock of the Canadian Shield.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Gouvernement du Québec (2011). "Mont Albert" (in French). Commission de toponymie. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=710. Retrieved 4 Jan. 2011. 
2. ^ "Mont Albert, Québec". Peakbagger.com. 1 Nov. 2004. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=6654. Retrieved 2 Sept. 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Marie-José Auclair. "Un vaste plateau orangé: le mont Albert" (in French). Géoplein Air. http://www.geopleinair.com/destinations/Un-vaste-plateau-orange-le-mont-Albert. Retrieved 15 Aug. 2011. 
4. ^ "Sommet Albert Nord" (in French). Banque de noms de lieux du Québec. Commission de toponymie. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=721. Retrieved 15 août 2011. 
5. ^ "Sommet Albert Sud" (in French). Banque de noms de lieux du Québec. Commission de toponymie. http://www.toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/fiche.aspx?no_seq=724. Retrieved 15 août 2011. 
6. ^ Scoggan, H.J. (1950). The Flora of Bic and the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec. Ottawa, Canada: National Museum of Canada. pp. 399.