The Rainbow Range is a mountain range in British Columbia, Canada, located northwest of Anahim Lake. It is on the western edge of the Chilcotin Plateau, adjoining the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains to the south, and the Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains to the north. In some classification systems it is considered part of the Coast Mountains and has been assigned here in Wikipedia to the Pacific Ranges although it is not formally part of that range-complex.

It lies north of the Bella Coola and Atnarko Rivers and south and west of the Dean River, which curves around its north flank, and is relatively drier in climate and easier of terrain than more mountainous areas immediately west.

Geology

The Rainbow Range is an eight million year old (Miocene) massive peralkaline shield volcano in the Anahim Volcanic Belt which includes the lower but similar Itcha and Ilgachuz Ranges. The shield has a diameter of is now heavily eroded by glaciers carving into the volcanic rock and sands over millions of years. The volcanism that created the shield is not well studied and is poorly understood. It is thought to be the result of the North American Plate passing over a hotspot, similar to the one feeding the Hawaiian Islands, known as the Anahim hotspot. Its main summit is the volcanic cone of Tsitsutl Peak and the only real separate volcanic peak associated with the Rainbow Range is Anahim Peak which sits on its northeast flank. Other peaks in the range are other high eroded remnants of the shield, including Beef Peak, TaiaTaeszi Peak and Mount MacKenzie. Like most volcanoes in British Columbia, it is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire which includes over 160 active volcanoes.

The range gets its name from the intense and varied colours of its terrains' volcanic lavas and sands from heavy mineralization, like the Spectrum Range in the Spatsizi Plateau.

Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park

The Rainbow Range lies partly in the Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park, while to its east the Itcha and Ilgachuz Ranges form the core of the Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park.

See also

• List of volcanoes in Canada
• Volcanism in Canada

External links

• Rainbow Range entry in Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia

• Skiing the Pacific Ring of Fire and Beyond

<gallery> Image:Rainbow range route.jpg|Rainbow Range route Image:Rainbow Range Colours.jpg|Rainbow Range colours and volcanic cinder iMAGE:Rainbow Range Slopes.jpg|Slopes of the Rainbow Range </gallery>