The Mountains of Western Canada
The Canadian Cordillera runs from the Yukon to British Columbia and stretches along the Pacific Ocean, passing through many mountain ranges including a small portion of the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Mountains, the Interior Plateau, the Coast Mountains and its highest point Mount Waddington, the Insular Mountains, and the St. Elias Mountains where Mount Logan rises to an altitude of 5,959 metres. While the Rocky Mountains, a triple row of mountains formed about 70 million years ago, contribute to the common identity of the four provinces and territories covered in this guide, other mountain ranges such as the Coast Mountains mark the singular character of the Canadian West. Its peaks and plateaus were formed more than 200 million years ago as a result of the collision of the Pacific and North American plates. Volcanic activity and plate tectonics pose an earthquake and tsunami hazard for this region of Canada. For rock climbing enthusiasts, don't miss the activities offered by Squamish Rock Guides to climb the granite walls of the region. There is no shortage of ski resorts that will delight seasoned skiers. Banff Norquay offers endless snow trails in the winter and a via ferrata along the cliffs in the summer. The Coast Mountains run more than 1,600 km along the Pacific coast, from Vancouver in the south to southeast Alaska and southern Yukon. Part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, this series of mountain ranges extends from Alaska to Mexico. In the Vancouver area, it is home to several ski resorts that are a delight for city dwellers, such as Whistler andGrouse Mountain.From the Alberta Plains and southeastern British Columbia to the Northwest Territories
The Interior Plains region, stretching from the Northwest Territories to Alberta, was formed millions of years ago. Originally covered by the sea, these lands were shaped by sediments deposited by nearby rivers that created rich, abundant soil for agriculture. This region bordering the Canadian Shield, a large rocky surface that encompasses the Northwest Territories, parts of Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, will introduce you to places dating back to the Mesozoic such as Horseshoe Canyon, not far from Drumheller, revealing the rocky and colourful pinnacles once inhabited by dinosaurs. British Columbia, a land between sea and mountains, is a mosaic of landscapes. The rugged Rocky Mountains plunge westward into the Thompson Plateau and the Fraser Valley (Vancouver). In southern British Columbia, at Osoyoos, there is a desert that begins in Mexico and ends in the Mojave Desert in California. Finally, the Arctic lands are located in the extreme northwest. They constitute the Arctic coastal plains, the Arctic lowlands and the Innuitian region. These lands are, of course, sparsely inhabited, although some indigenous peoples still reside there.An important hydrographic network
Covered by lakes, rivers, glaciers and surrounded by a variety of oceans, Canada has a remarkable amount of fresh water, which would hardly be here without its glaciers, which are found all along the Icefields Parkway, the famous Icefield Parkway. The force of water has sculpted Canada's magnificent landscape as we know it today and continues to act on the land.
Alberta gives birth to the Athabaska River, the province's longest river at 1,538 km, flowing from the Columbia Glacier, Columbia Icefield, within Jasper National Park. This river was very important during the construction of the railway and for the fur trade. Today, rafting activities are offered, notably by Jasper Raft Tours. Geology enthusiasts will marvel at Maligne Lake and its 50-metre deep canyon. British Columbia is home to its largest river, the Fraser River, which is 1,370 km long. Alexander Mackenzie (1793) and Simon Fraser (1808) were the first two explorers to reach the Pacific from the east, using part of the Fraser River. The river is named after the exploits of Simon Fraser. The Fraser River is thesource of water from Mount Robson in the RockyMountains, flows along much of British Columbia and disappears into the Pacific Ocean at the city of Vancouver. In southern British Columbia, at Osoyoos, is Spotted Lake, which contains more minerals than water: this is a very special natural phenomenon that you will have the chance to observe. The Yukon Territory, meaning "great river" in the Native American language, is dotted with lakes and rivers. Its main rivers are the Yukon at Whitehorse, which was highly coveted by gold diggers who were forced to use it to reach the Klondike region at the end of the 19th century, and the Klondike River, which is rich in minerals such as gold. The Northwest Territories, landlocked between the Yukon in the west and Nunavut in the east, is an immense northern region with many lakes and rivers, such as the Mackenzie River at Norman Wells, which you can fly over in a float plane and canoe down with Canoe North Adventures. The Northwest Territories also provides access to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which is frozen in ice for a long part of the year.The Pacific Coast
Off the coast of British Columbia, Vancouver Island is a huge area the size of Scotland whose spinal cord is a mountain range separating a relatively urbanized east coast along the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca from a much wilder west coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Tothe south of this island, the archipelago of the Gulf Islands, Gulf Island, is a group of islands of much smaller size and with a much less tortured relief. All these islands are bathed in the Salish Sea
, which takes its name from the great indigenous group of the region. This sea is made up of three large inlets: the Strait of Georgia (Georgia Strait), which separates the west coast of British Columbia from Vancouver Island, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates southern Vancouver Island from the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington (USA), and Pudget Sound, which separates the latter peninsula from American territory. , north of the coast of British Columbia, is made up of approximately 150 islands spread over 250 km. Equally important for navigation, many sea passages have served mankind over the ages. One of the best known is the Inside Passage, a coastal seaway in the Pacific Ocean along northwestern British Columbia and southeastern Alaska. The Inside Passagepasses east of the Haida Gwaii Archipelago, passes through the succession of straits and passages east of Vancouver Island, then opens into Georgia Strait, where Vancouver Harbour is located, and into the Pacific Ocean at the Strait of Juan de Fuca, just south of Victoria. Nearby Seattle (USA) is connected to the latter Strait via Pudget Sound. It is a real maritime highway where cruise ships and merchant ships follow one another on their way to Alaska. The West Coast is in its northern part very irregular, even jagged, and offers a spectacle of beauty in the famous Inside Passage.
