| Laurentian Mountains | |
|---|---|
 Jacques-Cartier Massif, as seen fromJacques-Cartier National Park | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Raoul Blanchard |
| Elevation | 1,166 m (3,825 ft) |
| Coordinates | 47°18′34″N70°49′57″W / 47.30944°N 70.83250°W /47.30944; -70.83250[1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 1,400 km (900 mi) |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | |
| Range coordinates | 50°28′49.17″N68°20′11.13″W / 50.4803250°N 68.3364250°W /50.4803250; -68.3364250 |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Grenville orogeny |
| Rock age | Precambrian |
| Rock types | |
TheLaurentian Mountains, also known as theLaurentians orLaurentides, are amountain range inCanada. The range is 1,400 km (900 mi) long and ranges in height from 500 m (1,600 ft) with peaks over 1,000 m (3,300 ft). The Laurentian Mountains extend acrossLabrador andQuebec within theLaurentian Upland, which contains foothills in northeasternOntario. The range is located near the rivers ofOttawa,St. Lawrence, andSaguenay. The Laurentian Mountains primarily stretch across multiple regions in Quebec, with geologic formations such as theJacques-Cartier Massif located within the range.
The Laurentians Mountains are one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth. The range formed around one billion years ago during theGrenville orogeny, in which theGrenville Province formed, a subdivision of theCanadian Shield. During that time,Laurentia, the geologic core of the Canadian Shield, collided with other continents and formedPrecambrian rocks which extend across the range. The mountain range is located around other related geographic features, such as theMonteregian Hills and theAdirondack Mountains.
The Laurentian Mountains are home to vast extents ofboreal ecosystems andmixed forests. The southern areas of the range are dominated byblack spruce andbalsam fir, with areas ofwhite birch. The range is home to various wildlife species. The Laurentian Mountains are an important part of the economy of Quebec, as they have been historically been used forforestry and provide access totourism andoutdoor recreation for people in the region.
The namesake of the mountains is derived from the term "Laurentide" or "Laurentian", which is itself derived from theSt. Lawrence River.François-Xavier Garneau, author ofHistoire de Canada, was first to use the term "Laurentien" when he coined the name of the mountains in 1845. Early geologists adopted the name for the complex ofmetamorphic andigneous rocks in this area, with the terms further being applied to theLaurentide Ice Sheet and the Laurentian Shield (Canadian Shield).[2][3] Garneau applied the new term to the whole range north of the St. Lawrence River. While the region has been popularly referred to as the Laurentians andLes Laurentides, it was officially adopted in 1987 as the territory was defined.[2]
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The Laurentian Mountains extend fromQuebec toLabrador over a distance of 1,448kilometers (900miles).[4] They are partially bounded by theOttawa,St. Lawrence, andSaguenay River. The Laurentian Mountains reside in theLaurentian Upland,[5] which extends as far west asLake Huron,[4] with foothills extending into northeasternOntario.[4][6] Sub-ranges in the upland are theOpeongo Hills,Misquah Hills,Huron Mountains, and thePorcupine Mountains. This region is extensively forested and contains nearly untouched wilderness, with it not being suited for agriculture.[6]
One of Quebec's official regions is calledLaurentides. The mountain range runs through four other regions;Capitale-Nationale,Outaouais,Lanaudière, andMauricie. The elevation generally ranges from around 500 m (1,640 ft) to 1,000 m (3,280 ft) withMont Raoul-Blanchard being its highest peak, at 1,166 m (3,825 ft).Mont Tremblant, Mont Bleu, and Mont des Conscrits are other prominent peaks in the mountain range.[6]Jacques-Cartier National Park is located in this mountain range, which is north ofQuebec City, residing in theJacques-Cartier Massif.[7] TheAdirondack Mountains, which are located in northeasternNew York, have great similarity to the Laurentian Mountains, consisting of the same type of rocks that are part of the Canadian Shield.[8]
The Laurentian Mountains[9] are one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, being ofPrecambrian age, with some regions dating to over one billion years old.[10] The mountain range is between other related geologic features, such as theMonteregian Hills and the older Oka Hills.[11] The mountain range is located within theGrenville orogeny.[12] The rocks of the Laurentian Mountains contain deformation and metamorphic structures that show long periods of tectonic activity occurred. TheGrenville Province is a subdivision of the Canadian Shield, and in this area, the oldest rocks of this geologic region are found. These rocks represent a chain of mountains that formed between 1,500 and 900 million years ago. During that time,Laurentia, the geologic core of the Canadian Shield, collided with othercontinents that were dragged by movingtectonic plates.[11]
The Laurentian Mountains contain denseboreal forests. It is home to some deciduous trees, such assugar maple,beech, but are rarely found past the northern boundary of the range.[13] The Laurentian region is also rich inwalnut,ash,cherry,linden, andoak.[14] The range also containsbogs. The boreal ecosystem is represented bymixed forests, dominated byblack spruce andbalsam fir to the south, including areas ofwhite birch.[15]Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, which is located in the range, contains mammals such asblack bears,bobcats, raccoons,grey wolves,otters,moose,white-tailed deer andcaribou, with birds such as thebarred owl,American kestrel, andosprey.[16]
The Laurentian Mountains are a popular recreational destination in Quebec.[14] The firstski lift in North America was built in the mountain range in 1931, and by the late 1930s, "snow trains" had brought tens of thousands of skiers to the range. In the area, there is skiing,snowboarding,dog sledding,ice climbing, andsnowmobiling during winter at Mont-Tremblant, withrafting,kayaking, hiking, camping, and golf through the region during spring, summer, and fall.[17]
The Laurentian Mountains have been historically used forlogging. During the European colonization of North America, colonists were met with a woodland that stretched from theEast Coast to theGreat Lakes. The forests reached heights of 30 to 85 meters high. While the exports of logging grew, it eventually became a wasteful practice, with thefelling of trees leaving huge portions of land vulnerable toerosion.[18] Intensive forestry has not entirely ceased in the region. Public andprivate forests in Quebec have now been entirely mapped, with information such as the soil, terrain, and waterways, and the species and the age of the trees available. With this data, the chief forester calculates the amount of wood that can be harvested, ensuring the forest is not cut down faster than it can grow back.[14]
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