Pyramid Mountain rises in Jasper National Park, Alberta, in the Victoria Cross Ranges above the Athabasca River Valley, just under 10 kilometers northwest of Jasper. James Hector named it in 1859 for its striking pyramid-like shape seen from the valley on its eastern side. The peak stands in the major headwaters of the Athabasca River and is regarded as a relatively easy scramble by mountain standards, usually approached on the eastern slopes from Pyramid Lake. Despite that accessible route, its subarctic climate brings cold, snowy winters, mild summers, and severe winter temperatures with dangerous wind chill.