Dunn Peak massif
Encyclopedia
The Dunn Peak massif is a group of peaks in the central Interior
of British Columbia
, Canada
. Its most prominent summit, Matterhorn Peak, rises to 2636 metres (8,648.3 ft), making it the highest point in the Shuswap Highland
.
and the Shuwswap Highland. The group is bounded by the North Thompson River to the west and north, Harper Creek to the east, and the Barriere River to the south. The nearest towns and cities are Barriere
, Clearwater
, and Kamloops. As there are no roads in the provincial park, access to the alpine area is by trail via the Harper Creek Forest Service road.
Matterhorn Peak is the 92nd most prominent peak in British Columbia.
and interior Douglas fir
. The park also contains significant wildlife populations, including wolf, cougar, marten, river otter, black bear, mule deer and mountain goat. Several protected avian species are present, such as the Great Blue Heron
and Bald Eagle
.
" near ChuChua, on the western slopes of Dunn Peak. Nearby Baldy Mountain was the site of the Windpass gold mine from 1916 until 1939. On April 30, 1996, the massif became the central point of the new 19353 hectares (47,822.3 acre) Dunn Peak Provincial Park.
British Columbia Interior
The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Its most prominent summit, Matterhorn Peak, rises to 2636 metres (8,648.3 ft), making it the highest point in the Shuswap Highland
Shuswap Highland
The Shuswap Highland is a plateau-like hilly area of in British Columbia, Canada. It spans the upland area between the Bonaparte and Thompson Plateaus from the area of Mahood Lake, at the southeast corner of the Cariboo Plateau, southeast towards the lower Shuswap River east of Vernon in the...
.
Geography
Though technically part of the Columbia Mountains to the north and east, the Dunn massif is isolated from other ranges by the Interior PlateauInterior Plateau
The Interior Plateau comprises a large region of central British Columbia, and lies between the Cariboo and Monashee Mountains on the east, and the Hazelton Mountains, Coast Mountains and Cascade Range on the west. The continuation of the plateau into the United States is known there as the...
and the Shuwswap Highland. The group is bounded by the North Thompson River to the west and north, Harper Creek to the east, and the Barriere River to the south. The nearest towns and cities are Barriere
Barriere, British Columbia
Barriere is a district municipality in central British Columbia, Canada, located 66 km north of the larger city of Kamloops on Highway 5. It is situated at the confluence of the Barriere and North Thompson Rivers in the Central North Thompson Valley...
, Clearwater
Clearwater, British Columbia
Clearwater is a district municipality in the North Thompson River valley in British Columbia, Canada, north of Kamloops. The largest community in the valley, with a population of 4,960, Clearwater is predominantly employed by the forestry industry. Tourism is also a major industry, with Wells Gray...
, and Kamloops. As there are no roads in the provincial park, access to the alpine area is by trail via the Harper Creek Forest Service road.
Matterhorn Peak is the 92nd most prominent peak in British Columbia.
Ecology
The protected area surrounding the peaks contains old-growth forest, including stands of Engelmann spruceEngelmann Spruce
Picea engelmannii is a species of spruce native to western North America, from central British Columbia and southwest Alberta, southwest to northern California and southeast to Arizona and New Mexico; there are also two isolated populations in northern Mexico...
and interior Douglas fir
Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir
The Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. glauca, is an evergreen conifer native to the interior mountainous regions of western North America, from central British Columbia and southwest Alberta in Canada southward through the United States to the far north of Mexico...
. The park also contains significant wildlife populations, including wolf, cougar, marten, river otter, black bear, mule deer and mountain goat. Several protected avian species are present, such as the Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
and Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
.
History
James Dunn was a gold prospector in the region who left for California in 1888 after falling sick. He had mined gold with a "rockerPlacer mining
Placer mining is the mining of alluvial deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment....
" near ChuChua, on the western slopes of Dunn Peak. Nearby Baldy Mountain was the site of the Windpass gold mine from 1916 until 1939. On April 30, 1996, the massif became the central point of the new 19353 hectares (47,822.3 acre) Dunn Peak Provincial Park.