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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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