Castle Mountain
Castle Mountain, one of the most striking peaks between Banff and Jasper, got its name from Scottish geologist James Hector who thought the 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) long mountain resembled an ancient fortress with steep walls. When U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, visited Canada in 1949, Prime Minister Mackenzie King ordered the Geographical Board of Canada to officially change Castle Mountain to “Mount Eisenhower.” Eisenhower had been given a castle in Scotland and Canada would not be outdone. However, the Alberta government was not consulted or informed of the name change until afterward, causing such a controversy that in 1979, the name was changed back to Castle Mountain; a pinnacle on the southeastern side of the mountain was named Eisenhower Tower.
