The Canadian Rockies or Canadian Rocky Mountains is segment of the Rocky Mountains.
The range comprise both the Alberta Rockies and the B.C. Rockies in the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains.
The range is situated between the Interior Plains of Alberta and northeastern British Columbia on the east to the Rocky Mountain Trench of BC on the west. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the United States. The northern end is at the Liard River in northern British Columbia.
The Canadian Rockies are the easternmost part of the Canadian Cordillera, the collective name for the mountains of Western Canada.
They form part of the American Cordillera, an essentially continuous sequence of mountain ranges that runs all the way from Alaska to the very tip of South America.
The Cordillera, in turn, is the eastern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that runs all the way around the Pacific Ocean.
Mount Robson at 3,954 meters (12,972 feet) above sea level is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It is the second highest peak entirely in British Columbia, behind Mount Waddington in the Coast Range.
Mount Columbia at 3,747 meters (12,972 feet) above sea level is the second highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. It is the highest point in Alberta.
About 50 peaks in the Canadian Rockies surpass 3,350 metres (11,000 feet) above sea level.
The Canadian Rockies are noted for being the source of several major river systems, and also for the many rivers within the range itself.
Notable rivers originating in the Canadian Rockies include the Fraser, Columbia, North Saskatchewan, Bow and Athabasca Rivers.
The Canadian Rockies are quite different in appearance and geology from the American Rockies to the south of them. They 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 glaciated, resulting in sharply pointed mountains separated by wide, U-shaped valleys gouged by glaciers, whereas the American Rockies are overall more rounded, with river-carved V-shaped valleys between them.
The Canadian Rockies are cooler and wetter, giving them moister soil, bigger rivers, and more glaciers. The tree line is much lower in the Canadian Rockies than in the American Rockies.
This region’s human history began at least 15,000 years ago when thriving Aboriginal communities emerged along the salmon-rich coastline and in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies.
Everything changed when Europeans arrived in the 1700s. Finding untold abundance and locals without guns, they quickly transformed the area with trade, industry and pioneer settlements.
Much of this tumultuous heritage is accessible to visitors, with national historic sites – from forts to famous homes and hotels – studding British Columbia, Alberta and the Yukon.
Today, the Canadian Rocky Mountains are one of Canada’s top tourism destinations. Much of the range is protected by national and provincial parks, several of which collectively comprise a World Heritage Site. Five national parks are located within the Canadian Rockies, four of which are adjacent and make up the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. These four parks are Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho. The fifth national park, Waterton is not adjacent to the others. Spectacular alpine scenery is found in all five national
parks.
Moraine Lake is one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks in Banff National Park. The breathtaking sight of the surrounding mountains and their snowy peaks also contributes to its uniqueness and fame. Moraine Lake is a popular natural attraction site in the Canadian Rockies because of its beauty and activities.
Peyto Lake is also one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. It is a glacier-fed lake also in Banff National Park. The lake is sitated in a valley at an elevation of 1,860 meters (6,100 feet).