The Red Pillar is a mountain

Mountain

Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...

 on Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...

, British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, located 33 km (21 mi) southwest of Courtenay

Courtenay, British Columbia

Courtenay is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the largest city in the area commonly known as the Comox Valley, and it is the seat of the Comox Valley Regional District which replaced the Comox-Strathcona Regional District...

 and 17 km (11 mi) south of Mount Albert Edward.

The Red Pillar is a member of the Vancouver Island Ranges

Vancouver Island Ranges

The Vancouver Island Ranges, formerly called the Vancouver Island Mountains, is a mountain range extending along the length of Vancouver Island which has an area of 31,788 km² . The Vancouver Island Ranges comprise the central and largest part of the island...

 which in turn form part of the Insular Mountains

Insular Mountains

The Insular Mountains are a range of mountains in the Pacific Coast Ranges on the coast of British Columbia, Canada, comprising the Vancouver Island Ranges and Queen Charlotte Mountains. The Insular Mountains are rugged, particularly on Vancouver Island where peaks in Strathcona Provincial Park...

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History

The Red Pillar's name is descriptive, according to the BC Geographical Names Information System:

The mountain was climbed in 1931 by local climbers Geoff Capes and Jack Gregson; they left a note in a cairn at the summit naming it "The Pillar". (Ruth Masters, Comox & District Mountaineering Club)

"...the highest peak in the glacier region, which was first climbed on August 1, 1931. The party of which I was one, did not wish to call the peak after one of our number so left the request in the cairn we erected that is should be called "The Pillar." There are many other Pillars so may I suggest that it be called The Red Pillar as it is of distinctly reddish rock." (July 1935 letter from Ben Hughes, publisher, Comox Argus)

Access

The easiest access to The Red Pillar is from the south, via the Ash River Trail. The trail starts at the north-west end of Oshinow Lake

Oshinow Lake

Oshinow Lake is a lake located north of Great Central Lake. The Alberni District Historical Society reports that "oshinow" means "deep"....

. There are two ways to reach the trail head:

1) Paddle the length of Oshinow Lake starting from the launch at the south-east end.

2) Hike the overgrown and washed-out logging branch, 110H, along the east side of Oshinow Lake.

Alternatively, The Red Pillar can be accessed by from the Comox Glacier

Comox Glacier

The Comox Glacier is a glacier on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of Courtenay and west of Argus Mountain.The highest elevation of the Comox Glacier, , refers to a rocky outcrop on the north side of the glacier...

 by traversing over, or going around, Argus Mountain

Argus Mountain

Argus Mountain is a mountain on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of Courtenay and north of The Red Pillar.Argus Mountain is a member of the Vancouver Island Ranges which in turn form part of the Insular Mountains.-History:...

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