Lillooet Ranges
Encyclopedia
The Lillooet Ranges are the southeasternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges
of the Coast Mountains
of British Columbia
. They are located between the drainage of the Lillooet River
and Harrison Lake
on the west and the canyon of the Fraser River
on the east, and by the lowland coastal valley of that river on the south.
The Lillooet Ranges are approximately 8100 square kilometres (3150 mi²) in area. The range is extremely rugged and varied in terrain, and includes some of the highest peaks in southwestern British Columbia
. The highest is Skihist Mountain, 2968 m (9,738 ft), crowning the Cantilever Range
in the heart of the area to the west of the community of Lytton
at the confluence of the Thompson
and Fraser River
s. The northernmost subdivision of the Lillooet Ranges is the Cayoosh Range
, which includes the second-highest summit in the Lillooet Ranges, an unnamed 2855 m (9,367 ft) peak just south of Seton Lake
and about 20 km (12 mi) WSW of the town of Lillooet
. To the northeast of Harrison Lake, Mount Breakenridge
stands 2395 m (7,858 ft) tall and poses a significant local landslide tsunami
risk to the area.
There are a number of provincial parks and recreation areas within the boundaries of the Lillooet Ranges. The largest and most important is the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park
, which takes in the entire Stein River
basin, immediately west of Lytton
and east of Pemberton
-Mount Currie
. "The Stein" is the largest unlogged watershed in the southern Coast Mountains
and, like the rest of the Lillooet Ranges, varies from coastal-type alpine in the west to desert-canyon arid on its east.
There is only one highway traversing the Lillooet Ranges, Hwy 99 from Mount Currie
to Lillooet
, via the valley of Cayoosh Creek. North of that highway is the subarea known as the Cayoosh Range
, which contains the second-highest peak in the Lillooet Ranges, an unnamed summit just south of Seton Lake
.
The main watershed
s entirely within the Lillooet Ranges are those of Cayoosh Creek, the Stein River
, the Nahatlatch River
, and the Silver River
(aka the Big Silver River). Many smaller streams, still of considerable size, are not listed here.
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...
of 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...
. They are located between the drainage 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...
and Harrison Lake
Harrison Lake
Harrison Lake is the largest lake in the southern Coast Mountains of Canada, being about 250 square kilometres in area. It is about 60 km in length and at its widest almost 9 km across. Its southern end, at the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs, is c. 95 km east of...
on the west and the canyon of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
on the east, and by the lowland coastal valley of that river on the south.
The Lillooet Ranges are approximately 8100 square kilometres (3150 mi²) in area. The range is extremely rugged and varied in terrain, and includes some of the highest peaks in southwestern 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...
. The highest is Skihist Mountain, 2968 m (9,738 ft), crowning the Cantilever Range
Cantilever Range
The Cantilever Range is a subrange of the Lillooet Ranges subgrouping of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains. About 1100 km² in area and about 50 km E-W and 35 km N-S, it is located southwest of Lytton between the valleys of the Stein River and Kwoiek Creek .The Cantilever...
in the heart of the area to the west of the community of Lytton
Lytton, British Columbia
Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. The location has been inhabited by the Nlaka'pamux people for over 10,000 years, and is one of the earliest locations settled by non-natives in the Southern Interior of...
at the confluence of the Thompson
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 Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
s. The northernmost subdivision of the Lillooet Ranges is the Cayoosh Range
Cayoosh Range
The Cayoosh Range is the northernmost section of the Lillooet Ranges, which are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia. The range is c...
, which includes the second-highest summit in the Lillooet Ranges, an unnamed 2855 m (9,367 ft) peak just south of Seton Lake
Seton Lake
Seton Lake is a freshwater fjord draining east via the Seton River into the Fraser River at the town of Lillooet, British Columbia, about 22 km long and 243 m in elevation and 26.2 square kilometres in area...
and about 20 km (12 mi) WSW of the town of Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
. To the northeast of Harrison Lake, Mount Breakenridge
Mount Breakenridge
Mount Breakenridge, , is a mountain in the Lillooet Ranges of southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located on the east side of upper Harrison Lake in the angle of mountains formed by that lake and the Big Silver River.-Name:...
stands 2395 m (7,858 ft) tall and poses a significant local landslide tsunami
Megatsunami
Megatsunami is an informal term to describe a tsunami that has initial wave heights that are much larger than normal tsunamis...
risk to the area.
There are a number of provincial parks and recreation areas within the boundaries of the Lillooet Ranges. The largest and most important is the Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park
Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park
Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Nearly the complete Stein River watershed from the mountains to the Fraser River is protected in this park, though there are some areas of the watershed that were left out....
, which takes in the entire Stein River
Stein River
The Stein River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The name is derived from the Nlaka'pamux word Stagyn, meaning "hidden place", referring to the fact that the size and extent of the Stein River valley is not very noticeable from the river's confluence...
basin, immediately west of Lytton
Lytton, British Columbia
Lytton in British Columbia, Canada, sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. The location has been inhabited by the Nlaka'pamux people for over 10,000 years, and is one of the earliest locations settled by non-natives in the Southern Interior of...
and east of Pemberton
Pemberton, British Columbia
Pemberton is a village north of Whistler in the Pemberton Valley of British Columbia in Canada, with a population of 2,192. Until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler and Pemberton.-Climate:The climate of Pemberton is...
-Mount Currie
Mount Currie, British Columbia
Mount Currie is a small community in British Columbia, 164 kilometres north-west of Vancouver and 40 kilometres north-west of Whistler along Highway 99....
. "The Stein" is the largest unlogged watershed in the southern 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...
and, like the rest of the Lillooet Ranges, varies from coastal-type alpine in the west to desert-canyon arid on its east.
There is only one highway traversing the Lillooet Ranges, Hwy 99 from Mount Currie
Mount Currie, British Columbia
Mount Currie is a small community in British Columbia, 164 kilometres north-west of Vancouver and 40 kilometres north-west of Whistler along Highway 99....
to Lillooet
Lillooet, British Columbia
Lillooet is a community on the Fraser River in western Canada, about up the British Columbia Railway line from Vancouver. Situated at an intersection of deep gorges in the lee of the Coast Mountains, it has a dry climate- of precipitation is recorded annually at the town's weather station,...
, via the valley of Cayoosh Creek. North of that highway is the subarea known as the Cayoosh Range
Cayoosh Range
The Cayoosh Range is the northernmost section of the Lillooet Ranges, which are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia. The range is c...
, which contains the second-highest peak in the Lillooet Ranges, an unnamed summit just south of Seton Lake
Seton Lake
Seton Lake is a freshwater fjord draining east via the Seton River into the Fraser River at the town of Lillooet, British Columbia, about 22 km long and 243 m in elevation and 26.2 square kilometres in area...
.
The main watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
s entirely within the Lillooet Ranges are those of Cayoosh Creek, the Stein River
Stein River
The Stein River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The name is derived from the Nlaka'pamux word Stagyn, meaning "hidden place", referring to the fact that the size and extent of the Stein River valley is not very noticeable from the river's confluence...
, the Nahatlatch River
Nahatlatch River
The Nahatlatch River is a tributary of the Fraser River in the Canadian province of British Columbia.-Course:The Nahatlatch River originates in the Coast Mountains and flows generally east to join the Fraser River north of Boston Bar....
, and the Silver River
Silver River (British Columbia)
The Silver River, aka the Big Silver River and Big Silver Creek, or zácta in the St'at'imcets language of the In-SHUCK-ch people, is the second-largest stream entering Harrison Lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada...
(aka the Big Silver River). Many smaller streams, still of considerable size, are not listed here.