Mount Edziza Park

Mount Edziza Park encompasses over 230,000 hectares of the Tahltan Highlands in northwestern British Columbia. This remote park showcases a spectacular volcanic landscape that includes lava flows, basalt plateaus, cinder fields and cinder cones.

Mount Edziza itself, (peak elevation 2,787 meters) is a composite volcano consisting of thin basalt flows and a central dome of andesite, dacite and rhyolite with a glaciated crater nearly 2,500 meters in diameter. The eruption that built the mountain and its central cone began approximately four million years ago.

Successive lava flows raised the dome above the encircling plateau and spread lava over an area 65km by 25km. The last basalt flow occurred only 10,000 years ago, at which time it solidified in place and plugged the central vent.

In the years since Mount Edziza became dormant, numerous small eruptions have taken place around it, creating more than 30 cinder cones. Perfectly symmetrical Eve Cone rises 150 meters above the plateau, as do Coffee and Cocoa craters, aptly named for their deep colours. It is estimated that these cones were formed no more than 1,300 years ago and are basically unaltered by erosion.

There are also five lakes of significant size within the park. Mowdade, Mowchilla, Kakiddi and Nuttlude form a chain along the eastern boundary, while Buckley Lake is on the northern border. All the lakes except Mowdade drain north into the Klastline River, a tributary of the Stikine.

To the south, Raspberry Pass separates the Edziza area from the Spectrum Range. Formed from lava flows, these mountains are named for their brilliant red, yellow, white and purple rock. This altered rhyolite resulted from staining by sulphurous mineral waters. Subsequent erosion has resulted in the combination of many hues, giving the landscape the appearance of a vast water colour.

There is no vehicle access to Mount Edziza Park, and there are only a very few basic facilities. This isolated wilderness area, accessible by hiking trails or a float plane, offers wilderness camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, nature study, and wildlife viewing.