The mountain's name, which commemorates Calf Robe, member of the Blackfeet, was submitted by the National Park Service in 1939, and officially adopted in 1940 by the United States Board on Geographic Names.[3] Legend has it that Calf Robe supposedly had a weird experience with a grizzly bear about 1870. Calf Robe was deserted by his fellow warriors in enemy country and left to die; but he was soon rescued by a grizzly bear, which brought him food and carried him to help.[5] The grizzly only asked a favor in return: that Calf Robe would never kill a bear in winter, which is why the Piikani will never kill a hibernating bear.[6] The Blackfeet name for Calf Robe is "Onistai'yi".[7]
North aspect, from Firebrand Pass Trail, with the pass to right.
Geology
Like other mountains in Glacier National Park, Calf Robe Mountain is composed of sedimentary rock laid down during the Precambrian to Jurassic periods. Formed in shallow seas, this sedimentary rock was initially uplifted beginning 170 million years ago when the Lewis Overthrust fault pushed an enormous slab of precambrian rocks 3 mi (4.8 km) thick, 50 miles (80 km) wide and 160 miles (260 km) long over younger rock of the cretaceous period.[8]
Calf Robe Glacier, east aspect
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Calf Robe Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[9] Winter temperatures can drop below −10 °F with wind chill factors below −30 °F. Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer. Precipitation runoff from the east side of the mountain drains into tributaries of the Two Medicine River, and the west side drains to Ole Creek, which is a tributary of Middle Fork Flathead River.
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