"Coast Mountains (not Cascade Mountains)" adopted in the 4th Report of the Geographic Board of Canada, 30 June 1902. Coast Mountains confirmed 7 March 1933 on Ottawa file OBF 1420, 6 March 1947 on 104/NW, and 4 October 1951 on 103I.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"Coast Mountains" and the approved French form, "Chaîne Côtière", are identified as names of pan-Canadian significance per Treasury Board Circular 1983-58, 23 November 1983.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

"Cascade Range" labelled on Trutch's 1871 map of BC.

Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office

Also called Coast Range. So-named because of their proximity parallel to the sea coast. They extend through the province from Fraser River to Alaska and are a continuation of the Coast Range in the United States, where the name originated - probably with the early settlers. The highest peak in the BC portion of the mountain range is Mount Waddington - 13,260 ft.

Source: Provincial Archives of BC "Place Names File" compiled 1945-1950 by A.G. Harvey from various sources, with subsequent additions

"The Coast Mountains are an immense chain of rugged peaks sweeping 1600km along the BC coast from Vancouver to the Alaskan Panhandle. Formed about 45 million years ago as a result of collisions between pieces of the earth's crust, they rise abruptly from the ocean and are intersected by deep fiords created by glaciation... About 300km wide, the Coast Mountains have a profound effect on BC's climate by forcing moisture-laden air off the ocean to rise, dropping precipitation on the lush forests of the western slopes. As a result, parts of the coast have the heaviest rainfalls in North America.... The eastern slopes descending to the Interior Plateau are less steep and comparatively dry. The range is bisected by 2 main transportation corridors: Hwy 20 across the Chilcotin to Bella Coola, and the Skeena River valley to Prince Rupert." (Enyclopedia of British Columbia, Harbour Publishing, 2000)

Source: included with note