Canadian Rockies
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Canadian Rockies | |
---|---|
Rocheuses canadiennes (French) | |
Highest point | |
Peak | Mount Robson |
Elevation | 3,954 m (12,972 ft) |
Coordinates | 53°06′38″N 119°09′21″W / 53.11056°N 119.15583°W |
Dimensions | |
Length | 1,460 km (910 mi)[1] |
Width | 180 km (110 mi)[1] |
Area | 194,000 km2 (75,000 sq mi)[1] |
Geography | |
Country | Canada |
Provinces | British Columbia and Alberta |
Parent range | Pacific Cordillera |
Geology | |
Orogeny | Sevier orogeny[2] |
Type of rock | Sedimentary rock |
The Canadian Rockies (
.Canada officially defines the Rocky Mountains system as the
The southern end of the Canadian Rockies extends into the U.S. state of Montana at various sites such as the Wilson Range, Upper Waterton Lake, Boundary Creek, Cameron Lake, Forum Peak, Long Knife Peak, North Fork Flathead River and Frozen Lake. In geographic terms, the boundary is at the Canada–United States border on 49th parallel north, but in geological terms it might be considered to be at Marias Pass in northern Montana.
The Canadian Rockies have numerous high peaks and ranges, such as Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) and Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft). The Canadian Rockies are composed of shale and limestone. Much of the range is protected by national and provincial parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site.
Geography
The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the
The Canadian Rockies are bounded on the east by the Canadian Prairies, on the west by the Rocky Mountain Trench, and on the north by the Liard River. Contrary to popular misconception, the Rockies do not extend north into Yukon or Alaska, or west into central British Columbia. North of the Liard River, the Mackenzie Mountains, which are a distinct mountain range, form a portion of the border between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The mountain ranges to the west of the Rocky Mountain Trench in southern British Columbia are called the Columbia Mountains, and are not considered to be part of the Rockies by Canadian geologists.[1]
Highest peaks
Mount Robson (3,954 metres; 12,972 feet) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, but not the highest in British Columbia, since there are some higher mountains in the Coast Mountains and Saint Elias Mountains. Mount Robson lies on the continental divide near Yellowhead Pass, one of the lowest passes in the Canadian Rockies, and is close to the Yellowhead Highway. Its base is 985 m (3,232 ft) above sea level, with a total vertical relief of 2,969 m (9,741 ft).
Mount Columbia (3,747 m; 12,293 ft) is the second-highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and is the highest mountain in Alberta.
Snow Dome (3,456 m; 11,339 ft) is one of two
The Canadian Rockies are not the highest mountain ranges in Canada. Both the Saint Elias Mountains (highest point in Canada Mount Logan at 5,959 m; 19,551 ft) and the Coast Mountains (highest point Mount Waddington at 4,016 m; 13,176 ft) have higher summits.
Mountain ranges
The Canadian Rockies are subdivided into numerous
Rivers
The Canadian Rockies are noted for being the source of several major river systems, and also for the many rivers within the range itself. The Rockies form the
Geology
The Canadian Rockies are quite different in appearance and geology from the American Rockies to the south of them. The Canadian Rockies are composed of layered sedimentary rock such as limestone and shale, whereas the American Rockies are made mostly of metamorphic and igneous rock such as gneiss and granite.
The Canadian Rockies are overall more jagged than the American Rockies, because the Canadian Rockies have been more heavily
Parks
Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies, four of which are adjacent and make up the
Numerous provincial parks are located in the Canadian Rockies, including Hamber, Mount Assiniboine and Mount Robson parks.
Throughout the Rockies, and especially in the national parks, the Alpine Club of Canada maintains a series of alpine huts for use by mountaineers and adventurers.[6]
Human history
The Rockies and the Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway was founded to provide a link from the province of British Columbia to the eastern provinces. The main difficulty in providing such a link were the Rockies themselves: treacherous mountain passes, fast rivers and sheer drops made for a difficult railway construction process. The following articles describe in detail the political and technical feats involved:
See also
- Ecology of the Rocky Mountains
- Geology of the Rocky Mountains
- Arctic Cordillera: an example of another major mountain system in North America east of the Canadian Rockies.
- The Rocky Mountain Rangers
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-9692631-1-1.
- ^ "Laramide and Sevier orogenies (PLATE TECTONICS) – g17" (PDF). geowords.com. p. 423. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- ISBN 9780813754147. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
- ^ Jennings, Ken. "The Canadian Mountain Peak that Feeds Three Different Oceans". Conde Nast Traveler. Archived from the original on 2020-03-03. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- ^ "Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks". World Heritage List. UNESCO. Archived from the original on 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
- ^ "ACC Huts". Alpine Club of Canada. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
Further reading
- Adams, Ansel (2013). Ansel Adams In The Canadian Rockies. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 978-0-316-24341-4.
- Koller, Brenda (2006). The Canadian Rockies Adventure Guide. Hunter Publishing Inc. )
- "Canadian Rockies". Encyclopædia Britannica (Online ed.). 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
External links
- Canadian Rockies, NASA Earth Observatory POTD, April 23, 2023.