Kitsu Plateau
Kitsu Plateau | |
|---|---|
False colour image of air-fall tephra on the Kitsu Plateau from The Ash Pit which is the circular depression at bottom left centre | |
| Coordinates: 57°27′59″N 130°45′06″W / 57.46639°N 130.75167°W | |
| Location | Cassiar Land District, British Columbia, Canada |
| Range | Tahltan Highland |
| Part of | Mount Edziza complex |
| Age | 7.4 Ma to less than 20 ka |
| Formed by | Volcanism |
| Geology | Comendite, trachyte, hawaiite, alkali basalt |
| Etymology | 'Northern lights' in Tahltan |
| Dimensions | |
| • Length | Approximately 10 km (6.2 mi) |
| • Width | Approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Elevation | Above 1,700 m (5,500 ft) |
| Last eruption | Holocene age |
| Topo map | NTS 104G10 Mount Edziza NTS 104G7 Mess Lake |
| Designation | Mount Edziza Provincial Park |
| Borders on | Spectrum Range (southeast) Nagha Creek valley (south) Mess Creek valley (west) Raspberry Pass (north) Artifact Ridge (east) |
| Location in Mount Edziza Provincial Park | |
The Kitsu Plateau is a small intermontane plateau in Cassiar Land District of northwestern British Columbia, Canada. It lies on the Tahltan Highland and is surrounded by several valleys, including those of Mess Creek, Nagha Creek and Raspberry Creek. The plateau is drained by many small streams that flow into these neighbouring valleys and, unlike the valleys, it is relatively barren of vegetation. Surrounding the Kitsu Plateau is Mount Edziza Provincial Park which is one of the largest provincial parks in British Columbia. Access to this remote plateau is mainly by aircraft since motorized vehicles are prohibited from entering Mount Edziza Provincial Park.
The Kitsu Plateau is volcanic in origin, consisting of lava flows that are interbedded with volcanic ejecta. These lava flows and the associated ejecta originated from several volcanoes of the Mount Edziza volcanic complex which has been the focus of volcanic activity over the last 7.5 million years. Alkali basalt, hawaiite and trachyte are among some of the volcanic rocks comprising the Kitsu Plateau which is subdivided into five geological formations, each being the product of a distinct period of volcanic activity. Volcanism on the plateau continued into the current Holocene epoch and created the Mess Lake Lava Field which contains small volcanic cones.