The highest peak in the Slate Range of Banff National Park, northeast of Lake Louise and forming the western boundary of the Skoki Valley. Mount Richardson (3,086 m) has a prominence of 922 m; its parent peak is Lychnis Mountain (3,124 m). The range is sedimentary; shale, limestone, quartzitic sandstone; with extensive scree slopes and rubbly gullies.

Naming and first ascent. The mountain was named in 1859 by James Hector of the Palliser Expedition for Sir John Richardson, surgeon and naturalist who accompanied Sir John Franklin on Arctic expeditions. The first recorded ascent was in 1911 by L.L. Delafield, guided by Edward Feuz Jr.; part of the exploratory phase that preceded the founding of the Ski Club of the Canadian Rockies and Skoki Lodge (1931).

Routes. The standard South Ridge is rated an easy scramble (Alan Kane) but is physically demanding: ~22 km round trip with ~1,350 m elevation gain from the Fish Creek trailhead. The approach follows the Temple fire road, then the Hidden Lake trail; the ascent crosses steep grassy slopes and rubbly gullies to gain the col, then traverses scree below the ridge crest. A 2004 fatality on the peak underscores the risks of loose rock and rapid weather changes. The East Ridge provides a moderate link-up with Pika Peak (3,087 m) and Ptarmigan Peak (3,059 m) in the Hidden Lake basin.

Richardson Ridge. The unofficial name for the high ground (~2,660–2,683 m) between Mount Richardson and Whitehorn Mountain. Accessible from the Lake Louise Ski Resort via Temple Lodge and the Richardson’s Ridge Express lift, it is popular for summer larch viewing (September) and winter ski touring. The ridge offers views of Mount Temple, Mount Lefroy, Mount Victoria, and the Skoki Valley.

The Slate Range is core grizzly habitat; Parks Canada recommends groups of four or more and bear spray. Backcountry camping requires a permit; Hidden Lake (SK5) is the primary base for Richardson ascents.