Garibaldi Ranges
Encyclopedia
The Garibaldi Ranges are the next-to-southwesternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges
of the Coast Mountains
; only the North Shore Mountains
are farther south. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River
and Green River on the west and the valley of the Lillooet River
on the east, and extend south into the eastern suburbs of Vancouver
. To their south are the North Shore Mountains
overlooking Vancouver
while to their southeast are the Douglas Ranges
.
They take their name indirectly from Mount Garibaldi
on the western side of the range, which is the namesake of Garibaldi Provincial Park
. Their southern end between the upper Stave River
and Pitt Lake
is north of the municipality of Maple Ridge
, and forms Golden Ears Provincial Park
(which was originally part of Garibaldi Park
).
Their most famous mountain
, the Black Tusk
is not among the highest in the range; it is a volcanic plug
on the meadow-ridge between Garibaldi and Cheakamus Lakes, just south of the resort of Whistler, British Columbia
. The highest peak in the range is just north of the resort, Wedge Mountain
2892 m (9488 ft) aka Wedgemont and "The Wedge".
The northern part of the range, consisting mostly of Garibaldi Provincial Park
, is extremely alpine in character, with large icefields and a sea of high peaks. The southern part of the range, north of Stave Lake
and between the upper Pitt River
and the lower Lillooet River
, has no major icefields because of the precipitous character of the network of plunging U-shaped valleys - many well over 5000' deep, with individual peaks with near-vertical flanks up to 7000'. At the core of this set of ridges decorated with sharp, spiny peaks, is the highest - Mount Judge Howay
2262 m (7421 ft). The southernmost major peaks of the Garibaldi Ranges are in Golden Ears Provincial Park
just north of Haney (downtown Maple Ridge
), whose cluster of sugarloafs resemble a donkey's ears and, on the day of naming, were gleaming in the sunset; the highest of these is Golden Ears
at 1716 m (5630 ft).
Pacific Ranges
The Pacific Ranges are the southernmost subdivision of the Coast Mountains portion of the Pacific Cordillera. Located entirely within British Columbia, Canada, they run northwest from the lower stretches of the Fraser River to Bella Coola, north of which are the Kitimat Ranges.The Pacific Ranges...
of the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
; only the North Shore Mountains
North Shore Mountains
The North Shore Mountains are a mountain range overlooking Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city....
are farther south. They lie between the valley formed by the pass between the Cheakamus River
Cheakamus River
The Cheakamus River is a tributary of the Squamish River, beginning on the west slopes of Outlier Peak in Garibaldi Provincial Park upstream from Cheakamus Lake on the southeastern outskirts of the resort area of Whistler. The river flows into Cheakamus Lake before exiting it and flowing...
and Green River on the west and the valley of the Lillooet River
Lillooet River
The Lillooet River is a major river of the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. It begins at Silt Lake, on the southern edge of the Lillooet Crown Icecap about 80 kilometres northwest of Pemberton and about 85 kilometres northwest of Whistler...
on the east, and extend south into the eastern suburbs of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. To their south are the North Shore Mountains
North Shore Mountains
The North Shore Mountains are a mountain range overlooking Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Their southernmost peaks are visible from most areas in Vancouver and form a distinctive backdrop for the city....
overlooking Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
while to their southeast are the Douglas Ranges
Douglas Ranges
The Douglas Ranges are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of the Canadian province of British Columbia, about 70 km east of downtown Vancouver, north of the Fraser River and between the valleys of Stave and Harrison Lakes. They are approximately 4900 km² in area...
.
They take their name indirectly from Mount Garibaldi
Mount Garibaldi
Mount Garibaldi is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Sea to Sky Country of British Columbia, north of Vancouver, Canada. Located in the southernmost Coast Mountains, it is one of the most recognized peaks in the South Coast region, as well as British Columbia's best known volcano...
on the western side of the range, which is the namesake of Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park, also called Garibaldi Park, is a wilderness park located in British Columbia, Canada, about 70 kilometres north of Vancouver. The park is located to the east of the Sea to Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler and covers an area of over 1,950 square kilometres...
. Their southern end between the upper Stave River
Stave River
The Stave River is a tributary of the Fraser, joining it at the boundary between the municipalities of Maple Ridge and Mission, about 35 km east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the Central Fraser Valley region....
and Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake
Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, being about 53.5 square kilometres in area. It is about 25 km long and about 4.5 km wide at its widest, and is also one of the world's largest tidal lakes, its confluence with the Fraser being only a few miles upstream...
is north of the municipality of Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
, and forms Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park is a Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada at 555.9 km². It is named after the prominent twin peaks which are commonly referred to as Golden Ears...
(which was originally part of Garibaldi Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park, also called Garibaldi Park, is a wilderness park located in British Columbia, Canada, about 70 kilometres north of Vancouver. The park is located to the east of the Sea to Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler and covers an area of over 1,950 square kilometres...
).
Their most famous mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
, the Black Tusk
Black Tusk
Black Tusk is a remarkably abrupt pinnacle of volcanic rock located in Garibaldi Provincial Park of British Columbia, Canada. At above sea level, the upper spire is visible from a great distance in all directions. It is particularly noticeable from the Sea-to-Sky Highway just south of Whistler,...
is not among the highest in the range; it is a volcanic plug
Volcanic plug
A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcanic landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano. When forming, a plug can cause an extreme build-up of pressure if volatile-charged magma is trapped beneath it, and this can sometimes lead to an...
on the meadow-ridge between Garibaldi and Cheakamus Lakes, just south of the resort of Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
. The highest peak in the range is just north of the resort, Wedge Mountain
Wedge Mountain
Wedge Mountain, 2892 m prominence: 2249 m, often locally referred to as The Wedge or simply "Wedge", is the highest summit in the Garibaldi Ranges and therefore also Garibaldi Provincial Park, and is among the nearest of the many peaks visible from the Whistler Blackcomb Ski Area, lying north...
2892 m (9488 ft) aka Wedgemont and "The Wedge".
The northern part of the range, consisting mostly of Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park, also called Garibaldi Park, is a wilderness park located in British Columbia, Canada, about 70 kilometres north of Vancouver. The park is located to the east of the Sea to Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler and covers an area of over 1,950 square kilometres...
, is extremely alpine in character, with large icefields and a sea of high peaks. The southern part of the range, north of Stave Lake
Stave Lake
Stave Lake is a hydroelectric reservoir in the Stave River system, located on the northern edge of the District of Mission, about 65 km east of Vancouver, British Columbia. The main arm of the lake is just over 20 km long, and there is a southwest arm ending at Stave Falls Dam about...
and between the upper Pitt River
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
and the lower Lillooet River
Lillooet River
The Lillooet River is a major river of the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. It begins at Silt Lake, on the southern edge of the Lillooet Crown Icecap about 80 kilometres northwest of Pemberton and about 85 kilometres northwest of Whistler...
, has no major icefields because of the precipitous character of the network of plunging U-shaped valleys - many well over 5000' deep, with individual peaks with near-vertical flanks up to 7000'. At the core of this set of ridges decorated with sharp, spiny peaks, is the highest - Mount Judge Howay
Mount Judge Howay
Mount Judge Howay, originally the Snow Peaks , is a distinctive twin summit located from the north end of Stave Lake, and is visible from many of the peaks around Vancouver, British Columbia.-Name:...
2262 m (7421 ft). The southernmost major peaks of the Garibaldi Ranges are in Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park is a Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada at 555.9 km². It is named after the prominent twin peaks which are commonly referred to as Golden Ears...
just north of Haney (downtown Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Maple Ridge is a District Municipality in British Columbia, located in the northeastern section of Metro Vancouver. Maple Ridge has a population of approximately 68,949.-History:...
), whose cluster of sugarloafs resemble a donkey's ears and, on the day of naming, were gleaming in the sunset; the highest of these is Golden Ears
Golden Ears
Golden Ears may refer to:* Golden ear, a term for a person with an above-standard sense of hearing* Golden Ears a mountain in British Columbia** Golden Ears Provincial Park, a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada...
at 1716 m (5630 ft).
Sub-ranges
- Garibaldi NévéGaribaldi NévéThe Garibaldi Névé is a large icefield in the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the eastern flank of Mount Garibaldi.-References:...
- Fitzsimmons RangeFitzsimmons RangeThe Fitzsimmons Range is a small mountain range on the northwestern edge of the Garibaldi Ranges in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located between the valleys of Cheakamus Lake and Fitzsimmons Creek . Its most famous summit is Whistler Mountain, which overlooks the resort town of Whistler...
- Musical Bumps
- McBride RangeMcBride RangeThe McBride Range is a small mountain range in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located east of Cheakamus Lake at the northeast side of Garibaldi Provincial Park. It has an area of 228 km2 and is a subrange of the Garibaldi Ranges which in turn form part of the Pacific Ranges of the...
- Spearhead RangeSpearhead RangeThe Spearhead Range is a short subrange of the Garibaldi Ranges of southwestern British Columbia, Canada, adjacent to the resort town of Whistler, British Columbia and ending at its northwestern apex in Blackcomb Mountain, one of two mountains forming the Whistler Blackcomb ski resort...
- Golden EarsGolden Ears (mountain)Golden Ears is the name of the summit that lies north of Maple Ridge, British Columbia and is visible from most of Metro Vancouver. The mountain is in Golden Ears Provincial Park, and was originally referred to as Golden Eyries, possibly for Golden Eagles that were observed near the summit...
- Misty IcefieldMisty IcefieldThe Misty Icefield is a high glaciated plateau in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. It is located in the eastern part of Garibaldi Provincial Park and the northern portion of Golden Ears Provincial Park...
- Bastion RangeBastion RangeThe Bastion Range is a small mountain range at the northeastern corner of Garibaldi Provincial Park in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Overlooking Lillooet Lake, it has an area of 50 km2....
External links
- Garibaldi Ranges in the Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia