Kintla Peak consists of ancient Precambrian (Mesoproterozoic) rock strata that are part of the Belt Supergroup.[3] It is named after the Kintla Lakes, and the word "Kintla" originates from the Kootenai word for "sack". Kootenai legend states that a man had apparently drowned in one of the lakes and likened the lake to a sack where "once you got in, you couldn't get out".[6]
Kintla Peak lies the remote northwest corner of the park and a hike of almost 15 miles (24 km) from the nearest road is required just to reach the base of the mountain. The peak is notable for its large rise above local terrain; the elevation of nearby Upper Kintla Lake is only 4,370 feet (1,330 m). (Kintla Peak's northern neighbor Kinnerly Peak has an even more dramatic drop to Upper Kintla Lake.) This helps make Kintla "the most arduous climb in the northwest section of the park".[7] The standard route is the Southeast Ridge Route, from the Agassiz Glacier basin. This route has a long approach and a large total vertical gain, and involves rock scrambling up to Class 4, in addition to some climbing on snow, depending on the season. Other routes include the East Ridge, West Face, and Upper North Face routes.
Climate
Climate data for Kintla Peak 48.9414N, 114.1782 W, Elevation: 9,288 ft (2,831 m) (1991–2020 normals)
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Edwards, J. Gordon (January 1, 1991). A Climber's Guide to Glacier National Park. Guilford CT: Falcon Press. p. 89. ISBN0-87842-177-7.
^"PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University". PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Retrieved October 16, 2023. To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clicking Coordinates (under Location); copy Latitude and Longitude figures from top of table; click Zoom to location; click Precipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click 30-year normals, 1991-2020; click 800m; click Retrieve Time Series button.
