The Canadian Rockies are the Canadian section of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They encompass the Interior Plains in Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench in British Columbia. They are part of the eastern portion of the Canadian Cordillera which is the shared name for the mountains in Western Canada. They also form part of the American Cordillera which almost runs continuously from Alaska all the way to the tip of South America. The Cordillera is the eastern part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that runs all the way around the Pacific Ocean. The majority of the Canadian Rockies are protected by parks and they are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Canadian Rockies have quite a different appearance than the American Rockies. The Canadian Rockies are primarily made from limestone and shale and other sedimentary rock, whereas the American Rockies are made primarily from gneiss and granite and other metamorphic and igneous rock. The American Rockies are also higher in elevation, but the Canadian Rockies have more of a vertical relief due to shorter valley walls. The Canadian Rockies were heavily glaciated. This results in them being far more jagged, with sharply pointed mountains and wide valleys between the mountains. The climate in the Canadian Rockies is also more moist and cooler, this allows for larger rivers, and more glaciers throughout the range.
There are numerous peaks in the Canadian Rockies. The highest peak is Mount Robson, it reaches nearly 13,000 feet. While climbing Mount Robson is possible it is reserved for those that are experienced and well prepared. The climb takes about one whole week. Mount Columbia is the second highest peak, its summit just under 12,300 feet. There is a non-technical route to climb Mount Columbia, but that still does not make it an easy feat. It still requires glacier travel as well as crevasse recue knowledge. The hike normally takes two days, with good weather. There are a variety of other climbs that can be made from the high camp for Mount Columbia. Snow Dome is a peak that is just less than 11,400 feet. It is the hydrological apex of North America. The water that runs off of Snow Dome flows into three different areas, the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. Snow Dome is the most popular climb in the Canadian Rockies, and the easiest. Depending on what your definition of easy is though, there is still glacier travel required to make the ascent.
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