Coast Mountains

mountains, North America

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Coast Mountains, segment of the Pacific mountain system of western North America. The range extends southeastward through western British Columbia, Can., for about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from just north of the border with Yukon, Can., along the border of the panhandle of Alaska, U.S., to the Fraser River. Many peaks exceed 11,000 feet (3,400 m), including Monarch Mountain and Mounts Munday, Tiedemann, and Waddington. The last, at 13,176 feet (4,016 m), is the highest point in the range. Many glaciers have carved canyonlike valleys, resulting in the formation of numerous fjords along the Pacific coast. Annual rainfall totals are very high, with some areas receiving more than 100 inches (250 cm). In winter, snowfall is equally heavy. Dense coniferous forests dominate the landscape. The Garibaldi, Mount Seymour, and Tweedsmuir provincial parks are popular tourist attractions.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer.