Vancouver Island Ranges Explained
The Vancouver Island Ranges, formerly called the Vancouver Island Mountains, are a series of mountain ranges extending along the length of Vancouver Island which has an area of . The Vancouver Island Ranges comprise the central and largest part of the island.[1] The Geological Survey of Canada refers to Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and the Alaska Panhandle as the Insular Belt including the sea floor out to 100 km (62 mi) west of Vancouver Island.[2] The Vancouver Island Ranges are a sub-range of the Insular Mountains.
Explorations
The first European sighting[3] of these ranges was likely Sir Francis Drake. A sighting of land on June 5, 1579 was recorded by his crew aboard the vessel Golden Hind at a latitude of 48 degrees north but not finding safe harbour, they moved on southward. The highest peak of the Vancouver Island Ranges, the Golden Hinde, is named for his vessel.
The first European explorer likely to have observed any of the mountains of the Vancouver Island Ranges would have been Captain Juan José Pérez aboard the Spanish frigate Santiago. Although he anchored off Estevan Point, on August 8, 1774 he did not land. Captain James Cook entered Nootka Sound March 29, 1778 and spent about a month refitting his ships Discovery and Resolution. His logs contain the first recorded reference to the mountains of Vancouver Island. In 1788 British Captain John Meares began a small settlement at Nootka Sound and the following year, the Spanish built a permanent fort at Friendly Cove (Yuquot) in Nuu-chah-nulth territory. The Spanish claimed sovereignty and a dispute arose which was resolved with the Nootka Convention of the 1794. There was little further exploration until the Hudson's Bay Company was granted rights to Vancouver Island on January 13, 1849 leading to the first attempt, by Captain Hamilton Moffat in 1852 to ascend a major peak on the Island when he attempted Rugged Mountain.
Adam Grant Horne located a trail across the island from the Qualicum River to the Alberni Inlet in 1856 and Joseph Despard Pemberton, Surveyor General of the Colony of Vancouver Island explored much of the southern half of the Island in 1857. The southern Island was further explored by the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition in 1865. By the mid-1880s the southern half of the island had been explored and by 1890 the northern region had been explored as well. The central part of the island, the area now within Strathcona Provincial Park, was explored by Reverend William Washington Bolton, Headmaster of the Victoria School for Boys, in 1894 and 1896.
Ranges
Only a few of the many subranges of the Vancouver Island Ranges have official names. These are:
- Refugium Range: On the Brooks Peninsula.
- Sophia Range: On Nootka Island, on the peninsula between Esperanza Inlet and Nuchatlitz Inlet.
- Genevieve Range: Nootka Island.
- Karmutzen Range: Between Nimpkish Lake, Tlakwa Creek and Karmuzten Creek.
- Hankin Range: Between Nimpkish Lake and Bonanza Lake.
- Franklin Range: Near Robson Bight on the Johnstone Strait between the Tsitika River and Kokish River.
- Bonanza Range: Between the Nimpkish River and the Tsitika River by Bonanza Lake.
- Sutton Range: Between Nimpkish River, White River, ktwanch River, Gold River.
- Newcastle Ridge: Johnstone Strait, west of Sayward-Kelsey Bay and east/north of Adams River
- Prince of Wales Range: East coast of Vancouver Island 40 km (25 mi) north of Campbell River.
- Halifax Range: Along Johnstone Strait between Amor de Cosmos Creek and Pye Creek.
- Beaufort Range: North of Port Alberni and west of Qualicum Beach.
- Pelham Range: Between the Sarita River and Alberni Inlet.
- Somerset Range: Between The Pacheena-Sarita River basins and the Klanawa River (between Nitinat Lake and Imperial Eagle channel)
- Seymour Range: Between the valley of Cowichan Lake, San Juan River and Gordon River.
- Gowlland Range: Near Victoria between Saanich Inlet and Brentwood Bay. Includes Mount Work Regional Park.
- Pierce Range: South of Gold River between the Jacklah River and the Burman River.
- Haihte Range: Between Tashsis River, the Nomash River, Zeballos Lake and Woss Lake.
The Elk River Mountains, located in Strathcona Provincial Park, are considered a range by some sources.[4]
Peaks of the Vancouver Island Ranges
| Mountain/Peak | Location | Height (metres) | Prominence (metres) | Range |
|---|
| Golden Hinde | 49.6627°N -125.747°W | 2,201 | 2,195 | Elk River |
| Elkhorn Mountain | 49.79°N -174.7°W | 2,195 | 996 | Elk River |
| Victoria Peak | 50.055°N -132°W | 2,163 | 1,849 | Sutton |
| Mount Colonel Foster | 49.75°N -177.1°W | 2,135 | 864 | Elk River |
| Mount Albert Edward | 49.6783°N -150.9°W | 2,093 | 1,203 | ? |
| Rambler Peak | 49.7333°N -169.8°W | 2,092 | 647 | Elk River |
| Mount McBride | 49.7217°N -164°W | 2,083 | 918 | ? |
| Kings Peak | 49.8117°N -175.2°W | 2,065 | 328 | Elk River |
| Mount Celeste | 49.5667°N -149°W | 2,041 | 369 | ? |
| The Comb | | 2,040 | 0 | ? |
| Mount Filberg | 49.8078°N -125.7275°W | 2,035 | 0 | ? |
| The Red Pillar | 49.5256°N -125.3892°W | 2,035 | 0 | ? |
| Mount Cobb | 49.7897°N -125.7475°W | 2,031 | 0 | ? |
| The Behinde | 49.6642°N -125.7706°W | 1,989 | 0 | |
| Mount Colwell | | 1,989 | 0 | |
| Alexandra Peak | 49.7381°N -125.4922°W | 1,983 | 0 | |
| Argus Mountain | 49.5386°N -125.3864°W | 1,982 | 0 | |
| Mount Harmston | 49.5489°N -125.3983°W | 1,982 | 0 | |
| Mount Regan | 49.685°N -125.4319°W | 1,982 | 0 | |
| Iceberg Peak | 49.5667°N -149°W | 1,977 | 0 | |
| Warden Peak | 50.0622°N -126.0961°W | 1,970 | 0 | |
| El Piveto Mountain | 49.7217°N -172.2°W | 1,969 | 500 | |
| Mount Rosseau | 49.4789°N -125.5061°W | 1,962 | 0 | |
| Comox Glacier | | 1,960 | 0 | |
| Mount Haig-Brown | 49.7731°N -125.7386°W | 1,947 | 0 | |
| Mount Frink | 49.6633°N -125.4086°W | 1,921 | 0 | |
| Shepherd Ridge | | 1,921 | 0 | |
| Peak 1920 | | 1,920 | 0 | |
| Peak 1909 | | 1,909 | 0 | |
| Mount George V | 49.6933°N -150.9°W | 1,884 | 0 | |
| The Misthorns | | 1,880 | 0 | |
| Tzela Mountain | 49.5333°N -150°W | 1,880 | 0 | |
| Rugged Mountain | 50.0253°N -126.6778°W | 1,875 | 0 | Haihte |
| Mount Adrian | 49.7564°N -125.5294°W | 1,870 | 0 | |
| Mount Shoen | | 1,862 | 0 | |
| Big Interior Mountain | 49.4606°N -125.5739°W | 1,863 | 0 | |
| Sutton Peak | 50.0411°N -126.2353°W | 1,862 | 0 | |
| Mount Septimus | 49.4806°N -125.5136°W | 1,850 | 0 | |
| Crown Mountain | 49.945°N -173.8°W | 1,846 | 1339 | |
| Nine Peaks | 49.4319°N -125.5492°W | 1,842 | 0 | |
| Syd Watts Peak | | 1,840 | 0 | |
| Siokum Mountain | | 1,840 | 0 | |
| Siocomb Peak | | 1,840 | 0 | |
| Mount Mitchell | 49.6881°N -125.4633°W | 1,838 | 0 | |
| Jutland Mountain | 49.7019°N -125.4144°W | 1,838 | 0 | |
| Puzzle Mountain | 49.7906°N -125.9156°W | 1,828 | 0 | |
| Maquilla Peak | 50.1117°N -126.339°W | 1,821 | 0 | |
| Mount Arrowsmith | 49.2233°N -159.7°W | 1,817 | 1,429 | |
| Mount Donner | 49.69°N -125.8922°W | 1,812 | 0 | |
| Mount Kent-Urquhart | 49.6764°N -125.8969°W | 1,811 | 0 | |
| Mount Myra | 49.5444°N -125.6061°W | 1,810 | 0 | |
| Matchlee Mountain | 49.6319°N -125.9669°W | 1,806 | 0 | |
| Moyeha Mountain | 49.5169°N -125.7389°W | 1,804 | 0 | |
| Mount Cain | 50.2283°N -145.6°W | 1,804 | 0 | |
| Mount Abel | 50.2119°N -145.218°W | 1,800 | 0 | |
| Ptarmigan Pinnacles | | 1,800 | 0 | |
| Morrison Spire | | 1,800 | 0 | |
| Merlon Mountain | 50.0333°N -167.8°W | 1,798 | 0 | |
| Mount Laing | 49.8242°N -125.7067°W | 1,798 | 0 | |
| Mount Tom Taylor | 49.4775°N -125.6378°W | 1,778 | 0 | |
| Mariner Mountain | 49.46°N -170.783°W | 1,778 | 0 | |
| Big Den Mountain | 49.885°N -173.8°W | 1,776 | 0 | |
| Peak 5800 | | 1,768 | 0 | |
| Bonanza Peak | 50.33°N -163.8°W | 1,767 | 0 | |
| Hapush Mountain | 50.2433°N -146°W | 1,767 | 0 | |
| Marble Peak | 49.695°N -161.5°W | 1,767 | 0 | |
| Splendour Mountain | | 1,766 | 0 | |
| Mount Palmerston | 50.4075°N -126.3372°W | 1,763 | 0 | |
| Mount Burman | 49.6239°N -125.7311°W | 1,756 | 0 | |
| Mount Judson | 49.94°N -125.9219°W | 1,747 | 0 | |
| Mount Beadnell | | 1,746 | 0 | |
| Mount Ashwood | 50.3097°N -126.6036°W | 1,744 | 0 | |
| Mount Con Reid | 49.7456°N -125.7369°W | 1,744 | 0 | |
| Mount Alston | 50.0169°N -126.2253°W | 1,743 | 0 | |
| Watchtower Peak | 50.0872°N -126.2272°W | 1,740 | 0 | |
| Mount Russell | 50.3847°N -126.3633°W | 1,740 | 0 | |
| Elk Mountain | | 1,737 | 0 | |
| Ya'ai Peak | 50.04°N -167.3°W | 1,736 | 0 | |
| Trio Mountain | 49.8794°N -126.0033°W | 1,732 | 0 | |
| Phillips Ridge | 49.5969°N -125.6806°W | 1,732 | 0 | |
| Mount Thelwood | 49.5383°N -169°W | 1,731 | 0 | |
| Mount Phillips | 49.6203°N -125.5789°W | 1,723 | 0 | |
| Mount Adam | 50.1206°N -126.2228°W | 1,729 | 0 | |
| Mount DeVoe | 49.6925°N -125.8067°W | 1,710 | 0 | |
| Haihte Spire | 50.0494°N -126.7°W | 1,706 | 0 | |
| Jagged Mountain | 50.2672°N -126.2911°W | 1,701 | 0 | |
| Whiltilla Mountain | 50.3664°N -126.7058°W | 1,693 | 0 | Bonanza Range |
| Popsicle Peak | 49.6244°N -125.9144°W | 1,682 | 0 | |
| Mount Bate | 49.89°N -126.4733°W | 1,680 | 0 | |
| Volcano Peak | | 1,676 | 0 | |
| Mount Abraham | | 1,676 | 0 | |
| South Blades | | 1,676 | 0 | |
| Scimitar Peak | | 1,676 | 0 | |
| Tyee Mountain | 49.9794°N -125.8942°W | 1,672 | 0 | |
| Hkusam Mountain | 50.3347°N -125.8408°W | 1,670 | 0 | Prince of Wales |
| Mount Heber | 49.8969°N -125.9169°W | 1,666 | 0 | |
| Crest Mountain | 49.8719°N -125.8761°W | 1,661 | 0 | |
| Tsitika Mountain | 50.4267°N -126.6517°W | 1,657 | 0 | |
| Mount Juliet | 50.2581°N -126.1711°W | 1,637 | 0 | |
| Ms. Mountain | 49.6522°N -125.8897°W | 1,655 | 0 | |
| Mount Nora | 50.1542°N -126.1139°W | 1,648 | 0 | |
| Mount Sarai | | 1,646 | 0 | |
| Mount Derby | 50.4381°N -126.5394°W | 1,646 | 0 | |
| Klitsa Mountain | 49.2539°N -125.2314°W | 1,642 | 0 | |
| Queen Peak | 50.0486°N -126.0539°W | 1,640 | 0 | |
| Mount Romeo | 50.2594°N -126.2081°W | 1,637 | 0 | |
| Mount McKelvie | 49.9881°N -126.5808°W | 1,630 | 0 | |
| Hyro Peak | | 1,628 | 0 | |
| Eden Mountain | 50.2364°N -126.2478°W | 1,625 | 0 | |
| Mount Cokely | 49.2394°N -124.5867°W | 1,616 | 0 | |
| Kokummi Mountain | 50.0986°N -126.1397°W | 1,615 | 0 | Sutton |
| Thumb Peak | | 1,615 | 0 | |
| Mount Moriarty | 49.1383°N -151.1°W | 1,610 | 0 | |
| Big Baldy Mountain | 49.76°N -134°W | 1,610 | 0 | |
| Bancroft Peak | | 1605? | 0 | |
| Waring Peak | | 1,601 | 0 | |
| The Scissors | | 1,597 | 0 | |
| Woss Mountain | 50.0597°N -126.5603°W | 1,594 | 0 | |
| Mount Washington | 49.75°N -143°W | 1,585 | 510 | |
| Mount Elliott | 50.2908°N -126.4942°W | 1,581 | 0 | |
| Zeballos Peak | 50.0967°N -126.7689°W | 1,576 | 0 | |
| Mount McQuillan | 49.1094°N -124.605°W | 1,575 | 0 | |
| Malaspina Peak | 49.865°N -158.1°W | 1,573 | 0 | |
| Peak 5150 | | 1,570 | 0 | |
| Nahmint Mountain | 49.2083°N -137.8°W | 1,568 | 0 | |
| Mount Peel | | 1,564 | 0 | |
| Mount Joan | 49.415°N -179.2°W | 1,557 | 0 | Beaufort |
| Mount Grattan | 49.9067°N -155.2°W | 1,550 | 0 | |
| Mount Flannigan | 49.92°N -168.9°W | 1,550 | 0 | |
| Mount ʻAlava | 49.89°N -155.8°W | 1,550 | 0 | |
| Pinder Peak | 50.195°N -181.8°W | 1,542 | 0 | |
| Mount Whymper | 48.9517°N -133.7°W | 1,541 | 0 | |
| Abco Mountain | 49.425°N -176.3°W | 1,526 | 0 | |
| Peak 5005 | | 1,525 | 0 | |
| Stevens Peak | 49.8567°N -153.4°W | 1,509 | 0 | |
| Barad-dur | | 1,505 | 0 | |
| Mook Peak | 50.1533°N -177.7°W | 1,505 | 0 | |
| El Capitan Mountain | 48.955°N -137.2°W | 1,492 | 0 | |
| Mount Service | 48.9633°N -139.1°W | 1,490 | 0 | |
| Douglas Peak | 49.1283°N -162.6°W | 1,490 | 0 | |
| Genesis Mountain | | 1,486 | 0 | |
| Mount Titus | | 1,481 | 0 | |
| Conuma Peak | 49.8283°N -144.6°W | 1,481 | 0 | |
| Limestone Mountain | 49.095°N -162.7°W | 1,480 | 0 | |
| Adder Peak | 49.2483°N -144°W | 1,480 | 0 | |
| Megin Mountain | 49.5383°N -129.2°W | 1,480 | 0 | |
| Lone Wolf Mountain | 49.4661°N -125.9128°W | 1,479 | 734 | |
| The Stone Trolls | | 1,478 | 0 | |
| Ursus Mountain | 49.4033°N -167.9°W | 1,471 | 0 | |
| Mount Milner | 50.3217°N -171.9°W | 1,470 | 0 | Prince of Wales |
| Steamboat Peak | 49.22°N -150.3°W | 1,465 | 0 | |
| Mount Roberts | 50.3133°N -168.5°W | 1,463 | 0 | Prince of Wales |
| Mount Leiner | 49.9617°N -160.5°W | 1,458 | 0 | |
| Mount Kitchener | 50.2967°N -167.1°W | 1,457 | 0 | |
| Tlakwa Mountain | 50.3117°N -130.1°W | 1,457 | 0 | |
| Mount Sir John | 50.47°N -164.7°W | 1,429 | 0 | Franklin |
| Karmutzen Mountain | 50.3537°N -169.8°W | 1,426 | 0 | Karmutzen |
| Leighton Peak | 49.8633°N -146.1°W | 1,411 | 0 | |
| Merry Widow Mountain | 50.34°N -144.1°W | 1,402 | 0 | |
| Snowsaddle Mountain | 50.2417°N -139.5°W | 1,400 | 0 | Refugium |
| Jacklah Mountain | 49.6067°N -136.4°W | 1,400 | 0 | |
| Mount Cederstedt | | 1,379 | 0 | |
| Half Dome | 50.0533°N -167.7°W | 1,365 | 0 | Haihte |
| Mount De Cosmos | 49.1183°N -136.9°W | 1,355 | 0 | |
| Peak 4400 | | 1,341 | 0 | |
| Peak 4330 | | 1,319 | 0 | |
| Kaouk Mountain | 50.035°N -178.1°W | 1,309 | 0 | |
| Peak 4225 | | 1,287 | 0 | |
| Kwois Peak | | 1,274 | 0 | |
| Mount Wolfenden | 50.4267°N -161°W | 1273 | 0 | |
| Garibaldi Peaks | 50.1867°N -140.5°W | 1,235 | 0 | |
| Hannah Mountain | 49.07°N -181.5°W | 1,250 | 0 | |
| Twin Peaks | | 1,208 | 953 | |
| Shelbert Mountain | | 1,207 | 0 | |
| Mount Brenton | 48.9017°N -173.8°W | 1,200 | 0 | |
| Mamat Mountain | 50.005°N -180.2°W | 1,161 | 0 | |
| Lukwa Mountain | 50.0033°N -172.3°W | 1,142 | 0 | |
| Mount Renwick | | 1,139 | 0 | |
| Mount Gore | 49.61°N -148.7°W | 1,120 | 0 | |
| Grayback Peak | 49.995°N -170.3°W | 1,119 | 0 | |
| Carter Peak | | 1,097 | 0 | |
| Comestock Peak | | 1,097 | 0 | |
| Mount Rufus | 49.5967°N -147.6°W | 1,080 | 0 | |
| False Ears | 50.125°N -135.6°W | 1,063 | 0 | |
| Mount Albemarie | 49.5783°N -153.7°W | 1,040 | 0 | |
| Mount Clark | 50.3617°N -158.5°W | 1,036 | 0 | |
| Mount Benson | 49.1497°N -124.0511°W | 1,023 | 668 | |
| Pretty Girl Peak | 49.5167°N -141°W | 1,020 | 0 | |
| Mount Pickering | 50.3733°N -161°W | 1,006 | 0 | ? |
| Sydney Cone | 49.52°N -145.2°W | 996 | 0 | ? |
| Mount Seaton | | 957 | 0 | ? |
| Mount Crespi | 49.6017°N -153.9°W | 920 | 0 | ? |
| Mount Lombard | 49.575°N -156.5°W | 920 | 0 | ? |
| Unnamed peak | 48.6333°N -179°W | 920 | ? | ? |
| Nunatak Mountain | 50.1967°N -169.1°W | 909 | 0 | Refugium |
| Saxifrage Mountain | | 800 | 0 | ? |
| Doom Mountain | 50.1717°N -173.1°W | 762 | 0 | Refugium |
| Mount Finlayson | 48.4828°N -123.5386°W | 419 | 249 | Gowlland | |
See also
Sources
- Book: Philip Stone . Island Alpine, A Guide to the Mountains of Strathcona Park and Vancouver Island . Wild Isle Publications: Heriot Bay, BC . 2003 . 0-9680766-5-3 .
- Book: Lindsay Elms . Beyond Nootka, A Historical Perspective of Vancouver Island Mountains . Misthorn Press: Courtenay, BC . 1996 . 0-9680159-0-5.
External links
Notes and References
- 10.13140/RG.2.1.3032.9848 . Guthrie, R.H. . 2005. Geomorthology of Vancouver Island: Mass Wasting Potential. BC Ministry of Environment. Victoria BC Report No RR01. p 1 (and see map at p 2 for area of Vancouver Island Ranges)
- Web site: Geodetic Survey of Canada, Cordilleran Geoscience Island mountains and sea floor . 2006-10-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20061020010959/http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/cordgeo/insular_e.php . 2006-10-20 . dead .
- see Elms, p 17-29 for the sources of this section
- Stone
