Monashee Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Monashee Mountains are a mountain range
mostly in British Columbia
, Canada
, extending into the U.S. state
of Washington. They stretch 530 km (329 mi) from north to south and 150 km (93 mi) from east to west. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains
. They are limited on the eastern side by the Columbia River
and Arrow Lakes
, beyond which lie the Selkirk Mountains
, and in the west by the upper North Thompson River
and by the Interior Plateau
on the west. The northern end of the range is at the southern end of the Robson Valley
just south of the town of Valemount
. The southern extremity of the range is in Washington State, where the Kettle River Range
just down to the confluence of the Kettle River
and the Columbia
, and also farther west to the southern extremity of the Okanagan Highland (spelled Okanogan Highland in the US) just northeast of the confluence of the Okanogan River
and Columbia at Pateros, Washington
.
The Okanagan Highland
and parts of the Shuswap Highland
, to the west of the main range, are technically classified as part of the Monashees, but may also be considered part of the Interior Plateau. The Okanagan Highland lies between the Kettle River
and Okanagan Lake
, south of the Shuswap River
. Within this area is the small Sawtooth Range
, which lies between the uppermost Shuswap River to the east and Mabel Lake
to the west. The portion of the Shuswap Highland south of the North Thompson River, the boundary of which extends south to the Okanagan Highland, may also be included.
Peaks include Hallam Peak (3205 m (10,515 ft)) and Cranberry Mountain (2872 m (9,423 ft)). Between Revelstoke
and Shuswap Lake the range is crossed by Highway 1 - the Trans-Canada Highway
- and by the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway
, which both run through Eagle Pass. The Crowsnest Highway
to the south takes the Bonanza Pass
. The southern end of the Monashees within Canada is an historically important mining and formerly industrial area known as the Boundary Country
, which is focussed around the basin of the lower Kettle River.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
mostly in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, extending into the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington. They stretch 530 km (329 mi) from north to south and 150 km (93 mi) from east to west. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains
Columbia Mountains
The Columbia Mountains are a group of mountain ranges located in southeastern British Columbia, and partially in Montana, Idaho and Washington. The mountain range covers 135,952 km² . The range is bounded by the Rocky Mountain Trench on the east, and the Kootenay River on the south; their...
. They are limited on the eastern side by the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
and Arrow Lakes
Arrow Lakes
The Arrow Lakes in British Columbia, Canada, divided into Upper Arrow Lake and Lower Arrow Lake, are widenings of the Columbia River. The lakes are situated between the Selkirk Mountains to the east and the Monashee Mountains to the west. Beachland is fairly rare, and is interspersed with rocky...
, beyond which lie the Selkirk Mountains
Selkirk Mountains
The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia. They begin at Mica Peak near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and extend approximately 320 km north from the border. The range is bounded on its west,...
, and in the west by the upper North Thompson River
Thompson River
The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...
and by the Interior Plateau
Interior Plateau
The Interior Plateau comprises a large region of central British Columbia, and lies between the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains on the east, and the Hazelton Mountains, Coast Mountains and Cascade Range on the west. The continuation of the plateau into the United States is known there as the...
on the west. The northern end of the range is at the southern end of the Robson Valley
Robson Valley
The Robson Valley is a geographic region of the Canadian province of British Columbia, comprising the section of the Rocky Mountain Trench that lies southeast of the city of Prince George following the Fraser River to the Yellowhead Pass. The name is derived from Mount Robson, which stands near...
just south of the town of Valemount
Valemount, British Columbia
Valemount is a village of 1,018 people in east central British Columbia, Canada. It is situated between the Rocky, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains. It is the nearest community to the west of Jasper National Park, and is also the nearest community to Mount Robson Provincial Park, which features...
. The southern extremity of the range is in Washington State, where the Kettle River Range
Kettle River Range
The Kettle River Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and north-central Washington state, United States. It has an area of 4345 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the Columbia Mountains.-References:...
just down to the confluence of the Kettle River
Kettle River (Columbia River)
The Kettle River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northeastern Washington in the United States and southeastern British Columbia in Canada. Its drainage basin is large, of which are in Canada and in the United States.-Course:...
and the Columbia
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, and also farther west to the southern extremity of the Okanagan Highland (spelled Okanogan Highland in the US) just northeast of the confluence of the Okanogan River
Okanogan River
The Okanogan River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington...
and Columbia at Pateros, Washington
Pateros, Washington
Pateros is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 643 at the 2000 census and increased 3.7% to 667 in the 2010 census.-History:Pateros was originally established as Ive's Landing in around 1886 by Lee Ives...
.
Okanagan Highland
The Okanagan Highland is a plateau-like hilly area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington . It lies between the Okanagan Valley on its west and the Kettle River on its east, and geologically is more or less an extension of the Thompson Plateau, which lies west of the Okanagan...
and parts of the Shuswap Highland
Shuswap Highland
The Shuswap Highland is a plateau-like hilly area of in British Columbia, Canada. It spans the upland area between the Bonaparte and Thompson Plateaus from the area of Mahood Lake, at the southeast corner of the Cariboo Plateau, southeast towards the lower Shuswap River east of Vernon in the...
, to the west of the main range, are technically classified as part of the Monashees, but may also be considered part of the Interior Plateau. The Okanagan Highland lies between the Kettle River
Kettle River (Columbia River)
The Kettle River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northeastern Washington in the United States and southeastern British Columbia in Canada. Its drainage basin is large, of which are in Canada and in the United States.-Course:...
and Okanagan Lake
Okanagan Lake
Okanagan Lake is a large, deep lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. The lake is 135 km long, between 4 and 5 km wide, and has a surface area of 351 km². The lake's maximum depth is 232 meters near Grant Island...
, south of the Shuswap River
Shuswap River
The basin of the Shuswap River lies northeast of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. It is the upper part of the drainage better known to British Columbians as belonging to Shuswap Lake and the South Thompson River...
. Within this area is the small Sawtooth Range
Sawtooth Range (British Columbia)
The Sawtooth Range is a subrange of the Shuswap Highland area of the centralMonashee Mountains in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is located between Mabel Lake and Sugar Lake and bounded on the south by the upper Shuswap River...
, which lies between the uppermost Shuswap River to the east and Mabel Lake
Mabel Lake
Mabel Lake is a lake located in southern Interior British Columbia, Canada, that is fed by and drained by the Shuswap River. It is located southeast of Shuswap Lake, northeast of Okanagan Lake, and west of the Monashee Mountains, and is popular for camping and fishing.The lake is oriented roughly...
to the west. The portion of the Shuswap Highland south of the North Thompson River, the boundary of which extends south to the Okanagan Highland, may also be included.
Peaks include Hallam Peak (3205 m (10,515 ft)) and Cranberry Mountain (2872 m (9,423 ft)). Between Revelstoke
Revelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
and Shuswap Lake the range is crossed by Highway 1 - the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
- and by the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
, which both run through Eagle Pass. The Crowsnest Highway
Crowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is an east-west highway, in length, through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and...
to the south takes the Bonanza Pass
Bonanza Pass
Bonanza Pass, also known as the Blueberry-Paulson, is mountain pass in the Monashee Mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It is utilized by the Crowsnest Highway to traverse the Monashees, and informally separates the Kootenays to the east from the Boundary Country to the west.-External links:*...
. The southern end of the Monashees within Canada is an historically important mining and formerly industrial area known as the Boundary Country
Boundary Country
The Boundary Country is a historical designation for a district in southern British Columbia lying, as its name suggests, along the boundary between Canada and the United States. It lies to the east of the southern Okanagan Valley and to the west of the West Kootenay. It is often included in...
, which is focussed around the basin of the lower Kettle River.
Subranges
- Anstey RangeAnstey RangeThe Anstey Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located east of the Seymour Arm of Shuswap Lake, south of Ratchford Creek and between the Perry River on the east. It has an area of 507 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the...
- Christina RangeChristina RangeThe Christina Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located roughly north of Grand Forks, between Lower Arrow Lake and the Granby River. It has an area of 2442 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the Columbia...
- Gold RangeGold RangeThe Gold Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains in the southern British Columbia Interior. Originally a term used to describe all of the Monashees between the Arrow Lakes and the Okanagan, the term today only applies to a narrow stretch of the Monashee Mountains' eastern flank adjoining...
- Jordan RangeJordan RangeThe Jordan Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located northwest of Revelstoke, between the Columbia River and the Perry River, to the north of Three Valley Gap . It has an area of 634 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of...
- Kettle River RangeKettle River RangeThe Kettle River Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada and north-central Washington state, United States. It has an area of 4345 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the Columbia Mountains.-References:...
- Malton RangeMalton RangeThe Malton Range is a mountain range in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of the Canoe Reach of Kinbasket Lake and east of the Albreda River, north of Dominion Mountain. It has an area of 451 km2 and is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains which in turn form part of the...
- Midway RangeMidway RangeThe Midway Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains, located between the Kettle and Granby Rivers in British Columbia, Canada.-References:* in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia...
- Okanagan HighlandOkanagan HighlandThe Okanagan Highland is a plateau-like hilly area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington . It lies between the Okanagan Valley on its west and the Kettle River on its east, and geologically is more or less an extension of the Thompson Plateau, which lies west of the Okanagan...
- Beaverdell RangeBeaverdell RangeThe Beaverdell Range is a subrange of the Okanagan Highland in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, located between the West Kettle and Kettle Rivers, and running nearly due south from Big White Mountain, which is its highest summit, and the highest in the Okanagan Highland, and lies near the...
- Beaverdell Range
- Sawtooth RangeSawtooth Range (British Columbia)The Sawtooth Range is a subrange of the Shuswap Highland area of the centralMonashee Mountains in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is located between Mabel Lake and Sugar Lake and bounded on the south by the upper Shuswap River...
- Ratchford RangeRatchford RangeThe Ratchford Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains of the Columbia Mountains, located east of the Seymour River in British Columbia, Canada.-References:* in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia...
- Rossland RangeRossland RangeThe Rossland Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains of the Columbia Mountains, located between the Columbia River and Big Sheep Creek in British Columbia, Canada.-References:* in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia...
- Scrip RangeScrip RangeThe Scrip Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains of the Columbia Mountains, located on the west side of Lake Revelstoke and north of Hoskins Creek in British Columbia, Canada.-References:* in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia...
- Shuswap HighlandShuswap HighlandThe Shuswap Highland is a plateau-like hilly area of in British Columbia, Canada. It spans the upland area between the Bonaparte and Thompson Plateaus from the area of Mahood Lake, at the southeast corner of the Cariboo Plateau, southeast towards the lower Shuswap River east of Vernon in the...
- Whatshan RangeWhatshan RangeThe Whatshan Range is a subrange of the Monashee Mountains of the Columbia Mountains in southeastern British Columbia, Canada, located south of South Fosthall Creek.-References:* in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia...
Mountains
- Mount Monashee 3274 m (10,741 ft)
- Hallam PeakHallam PeakHallam Peak is a distinctive rock peak in the Kukri Hills, Victoria Land. The peak rises to 900 m between the heads of Von Guerard Glacier and Aiken Glacier and provides an unobstructed view of the Lake Fryxell locality of Taylor Valley. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names after Dr....
3205 m (10,515 ft) - Thor Mountain 3146 m (10,322 ft)
- Mount OdinMount Odin (British Columbia)Mount Odin is a mountain in British Columbia, Canada. The mountain was likely named by George Dawson as his map contains the earliest known appearance of the name....
2971 m (9,747 ft) - Cranberry Mountain 2872 m (9,423 ft)
- The Pinnacles 2607 m (8,553 ft)