Anytime you are starting a conversation about a 3,000 mile stretch of mountains, you are bound to run into some variations. After all, the expansive collection of peaks and valleys that we call The Rocky Mountains is actually an ensemble of different climates, ecosystems, and geological oddities.
In particular, the Canadian Rockies present some unique characteristics that makes them a fascinating topic on their own … from how they came to be to what you can expect to find if you happen to be wandering through them.
Defining the Canadian Rockies
Asking where the Canadian Rockies begins might sound like a question with an obvious answer, and it kind of is. Speaking strictly geographically, the “Canadian Rockies” are any part of the Rocky Mountain system that is above the U.S. / Canada border. It is also a convenient catch-all term for all the national parks in that area, Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Yoho, and Waterton.
However, there is second way to define the borders of the Canadian Rockies. Geologically speaking, the portion of the Rocky Mountains that exist in Canada are part of a smaller mountain system that begins in northern Montana.
The Unique Geology
While the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and other parts of the United States are made of igneous and metamorphic rock, the Canadian Rockies are composed of limestone, shale, and other sedimentary rock. While the precise mechanics of mountain formation will always be hard to pin down, the popular theory on this difference is that the ancient limestone rock-bed was thicker in the north (present day Canada) than it was further south (present day New Mexico / Colorado).
The Stunning Shapes
Even if you are not into geology, simply looking at a picture of the Canadian Rockies is enough evidence that there is something very unique about this small subset of mountains. The mountains in Canada (at least the ones we see in all the postcards) look sharper somehow, or perhaps steeper, or generally more dramatic. This is due to the fact that the cooler and wetter climate up north led to significantly more glaciers than were able to form further south.
This increased glacial activity helped carve the Canadian Rockies into the steep, jagged, and sharply pointed shapes that they are in today.
The Wetter Climate
Canada has always been more moist than the United States, since eons before either countries ever existed. The cooler and wetter climate of present-day Canada is responsible not only for the increased glacial activity that we talked about above, but also for thicker rivers, richer soil, and taller trees.
In fact, the rivers of the Canadian Rockies are one of their most treasured features. Not only are they a great place to dip your feet in the water, but anglers from all over the world visit them for easy pickings on walleye, perch, pike, and sturgeon.
The Banff – Jasper Highway
In what is one of the most scenic drives on the entire planet, the Icefields Parkway connects Banff and Jasper National Parks. At 175 miles and about 4 hours in summer, there is hardly a better way to get an idea of what the Canadian Rockies are all about.
