There are many mountains in the Canadian Rockies named for people -- usually explorers or those who sponsored them. Mount Edith Cavell, however, is named for a British nurse who rose to fame during World War I, when she helped over 200 Allied soldiers escape occupied Belgium. She was tried for treason and executed by the German authorities as a result; because of her bravery she became a famous figure who was memorialized in many ways, including the naming of this impressive peak in 1916.

This wide stream carries meltwater from Mt. Edith Cavell and its glaciers. The "left wing" of Angel Glacier can be seen center right, about two-thirds of the way up the mountain.