the canadian rockies, coast mountains and inside passage provide some of british columbia's renowned and spectacular scenery. these landforms provide the backdrop and context for a growing outdoor adventure and ecotourism industry. in the southwestern corner of b.c., the lower fraser valley forms a flat, fertile triangle of intensively used land. the city of penticton and the small towns oliver, and osoyoos have some of the warmest summer climates in canada, although the hottest spots are the towns of lillooet and lytton in the fraser canyon. nearly all of the coast including much of vancouver island is covered by a temperate rain forest. one-third of the province consists of barren alpine tundra, icefields, and glaciers.