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Geography
~ Enderby Cliffs
~ ~ DOT Tower
~ ~ Hunters Range
~ ~ Sheepherding
~ Floods
~ Geology of North
Okanagan
~ Naming of Enderby
~ Shuswap River
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Even to the most casual observer, the
most prominent geographic features of Enderby are the cliffs to the east and the Shuswap River as it changes
direction from west to north.
The oldest of these features is the cliffs. They were not initially cliffs, but a field of lava. Volcanic activity some 50 million years ago caused a large lava flow to cover much of the area from south of Kamloops to north of Enderby.
"Unlike the explosive Euocene volcanism where distinct volcanic edifices developed, the Chilcotin basalts passively emanated from long cracks or fissures that opened up in the crust. These highly fluid basaltic lavas spread out over the interior plateau and flowed down any river vallleys or depressions exisiting at the time." In some cases, as with the cliffs, the blanket of lava was 1,000 metres thick.
The coming of the most recent glaciers some 25,000 years ago represents the last major impact on the cliffs. The glaciers began their ascent into the Okanagan Valley from east of Mabel Lake coming down the Shuswap and Coldstream Valleys to meet another glacier moving south from north of Shuswap Lake. As is the case with any glacier, the great Okanagan Glacier grew and receded over time, causing the gouging of the cliffs, the mountains and the valleys.
The Enderby Cliffs was designated as a class "A" provincial park in June 2006. There is a well maintained trail that you climb to the top of the Cliffs. The hiker is rewarded with an excellent view of the Shuswap Valleys and Hunters Range.
Bob Cowan
Enderby Museum 1999