Canadian Rockies: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. The southern end in Alberta and British Columbia borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. The northern end is at the Liard Plain in British Columbia. Contrary to popular misconception, the Rockies do not extend into the Yukon or Alaska.

The Canadian Rockies also contain five national parks:

• Banff National Park
• Jasper National Park
• Kootenay National Park
• Waterton Lakes National Park
• Yoho National Park

Significant peaks

For scrambling up peaks of the Canadian Rockies, check out Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies. Note that of the mountains listed above, only Mount Temple has an established scrambling route. All other mountains (including other routes up Mount Temple), require more mountaineering skills and experience.

For hikers and backpackers, The Canadian Rockies Trail Guide is the original and definitive reference guide book.

The Canadian Rockies are subdivided into numerous mountain ranges:

• Ball Range in Kootenay National Park
• Bare Range in Banff National Park
• Beaverfoot Range, NE of Columbia River valley
• Berland Range
• Blackwater Range
• Blairmore Range, east of Blairmore, Alberta
• Blue Range in Banff National Park
• Bosche Range
• Boule Range
• Brazeau Range
• Brisco Range
• Clark Range
• Colin Range
• De Smet Range
• Dezaiko Range
• Elk Range
• Fairholme Range
• Fiddle Range
• Fisher Range
• Flathead Range
• Galton Range
• Goat Range
• High Rock Range
• Highwood Range
• Hoff Range
• Hughes Range
• Jacques Range
• Kananaskis Range
• Livingstone Range
• Lizard Range
• Macdonald Range
• Maligne Range
• Massive Range
• Miette Range
• Misty Range
• Mitchell Range
• Nikanassin Range
• Opal Range
• Ottertail Range
• Palliser Range
• Persimmon Range
• President Range
• Queen Elizabeth Range
• Quinn Range
• Rainbow Range
• The Ramparts Range
• Royal Range
• Sawback Range
• Selwyn Range
• Sir Winston Churchill Range in Jasper National Park
• Slate Range in Banff National Park
• Spray Range
• Stanford Range
• Starlight Range
• Sundance Range
• Ten Peaks Range
• Trident Range
• Van Horne Range
• Van Nostrand Range
• Vermilion Range (Alberta)
• Vermilion Range (BC)
• Victoria Cross Range
• Waputik Range
• Wilson Range
• Wisukitsak Range

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. The following articles detail the political and technical feats involved:

• Canadian Pacific Railway (main article)
• Big Hill
• Connaught Tunnel
• Field Hill
• Rogers Pass
• Spiral Tunnels