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The Cassiar Mountains extend from the Yukon 440 km southeast to the confluence of the Finlay and Fox rivers in north-central British Columbia. The name Cassiar is thought to derive from Southern Tutchone or Kaska.
Geography
The Stikine Ranges, with a central ridge of granite, rise to 2,667 m. Peaks lower than 2,000 m were rounded by glacial action. They have low relief and extensive tundra, owing to the area's severe boreal climate.
Economic Importance
In the 1870s, the Dease River attracted gold prospectors (see Gold Rushes in Canada). Mineral exploration continued, but the mountains remain a remote part of BC. An asbestos mine operated 1952–92, supporting the company town of Cassiar, now depopulated.
An all-weather highway through the mountains opened in 1972.
