The
Northern Rockies region contains the northern portion of the
internationally famous Rocky Mountains which extends from the Yukon down into New Mexico.
Unlike the better known Rockies near Banff and Jasper, the Northern
Rockies wilderness has remained relatively untouched, still much as it was centuries ago.
The Rocky Mountains are comprised of folded, uplifted, sedimentary
rock and have a distinctly ragged feature compared to the great
ice domes and high peaks of the
Tatshenshini region. The western
Rockies merge into a flat, featureless plain where boreal forest
and muskeg predominate. To the south, the Peace River district is
a prime grain and wheat production center much like the prairies.
The scenic Alaska Highway runs through this vast northern part of
British Columbia, connecting Dawson Creek in British Columbia with Fairbanks, Alaska.
Separating
the western third of the Northern Rockies Region is the Kechika-Gataga
Valley, also called the Great Valley, which is the northern extension of
the Rocky Mountain trench. This geographic feature runs
for almost 1600 km (1000 mi), from the US border all the way to the Yukon.
The section of the trench which stretches through the Northern Rockies
is among the wildest and most pristine portions.
Some of the most important wildlife populations in North America
are found in this region, particularly in the
Muskwa-Kechika. In fact, the Muskwa-Kechika is the
largest wilderness area in North America south of 60 degrees parallel,
and the most abundant in wildlife. It is one of the most
important conservation regions in Canada.
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