Big Bend Peak
Big Bend Peak is a mountain summit located in the upper North Saskatchewan River valley in Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada. Its nearest higher peak is Mount Saskatchewan, to the south. Big Bend Peak is situated on the west side the Icefields Parkway four kilometres southwest of the "big bend" in the road, hence the peak's name origin. Geology. Like other mountains in Banff Park, Big Bend Peak is composed of sedimentary rock laid down from the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was pushed east  and over the top of younger rock during the Laramide orogeny. Climate. Based on the Köppen climate classification, Big Bend Peak is located in a subarctic climate zone with cold, snowy winters, and mild summers. Temperatures can drop below -20 °C with wind chill factors below -30 °C. Precipitation runoff from Big Bend Peak drains into the North Saskatchewan River.