The Kootenay Ranges, also known as the Western Ranges, are one of the three main subdivisions of the Continental Ranges

Continental Ranges

The Continental Ranges is a name for a major grouping of mountain ranges in the Rocky Mountains located in eastern British Columbia and western Alberta...

 which comprise the southern half of the Canadian Rockies

Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. They are the eastern part of the Canadian Cordillera, extending from the Interior Plains of Alberta to the Rocky Mountain Trench of British Columbia. The southern end borders Idaho and Montana of the USA...

, the other two subdivisions being the Front Ranges

Front Ranges

The Front Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies of eastern British Columbia and western Alberta, Canada. It is lowest and the easternmost of the three main subranges of the Continental Ranges, located east of the Bull and Elk rivers and a fault line extending northwest of...

 and the Park Ranges

Park Ranges

The Park Ranges, also known as the Main Ranges, are a group of mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies of eastern British Columbia and western Alberta, Canada...

 (which is the largest of the groupings). The Kootenay Ranges lie between the Bull River

Bull River (British Columbia)

The Bull River is a long tributary of the Kootenay River in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is part of the Columbia River basin, as the Kootenay River is a tributary of the Columbia River.-Course:...

 (E) and the town of Golden, British Columbia

Golden, British Columbia

Golden is a town in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located west of Calgary, Alberta and east of Vancouver.-History:Much of the town's history is tied into the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry...

 (W) and south of Kicking Horse Pass

Kicking Horse Pass

Kicking Horse Pass is a high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff National Parks...

, and are the location of the headwaters of the Kootenay River

Kootenay River

The Kootenay is a major river in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and the northern part of the U.S. states of Montana and Idaho. It is one of the uppermost major tributaries of the Columbia River, which is the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...

Subranges

• Vermilion Range
• Stanford Range
• Beaverfoot Range
  Beaverfoot Range
  The Beaverfoot Range is a mountain range of the Canadian Rockies, located in southeastern British Columbia. The range extends from Cedared Creek near Spillimacheen north to the Kicking Horse River.This range includes the following mountains and peaks:...