Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountain National Park (photo courtesy NPS)
The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 3000 miles (4800 km) from Mexico, through the continental United States, into Canada and Alaska. The highest peak is Mount Elbert, in Colorado, which is 14,433 feet (4399 m) above sea level. Mount Robson (12,972'/3,954m) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies.
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Snowpack accumulation at 14,255 ft. on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park (photo courtesy USDA)
The Rocky Mountains were created during what geologists call the Laramide orogeny during a period that started 70 million years ago and ended 30 million years ago. After the mountains were raised nearly as high as what the Himalayas are today, then part of western North America started to stretch and much of the south western part of the high mountain plateau started to get broken up into horsts (ranges) with grabens (basins) in between them. This area is now called the Basin and Range Province.
On July 24, 1832, Benjamin Bonneville led the first wagon train across the Rocky Mountains by using Wyoming's South Pass.
The rivers that flow from the Rocky Mountains eventually drain into three of the world's five Oceans: the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. These rivers include:
Snowmelt runoff fills a reservoir in the Rocky Mountains near Dillon, Colorado
The population is not very dense in the Rocky Mountains, with an average of four people per square kilometer and there are few cities with over 50,000 people. Although the Rockies are not the most populated area in North America, it is considered a popular tourist destination by many Americans. People from all over the country visit the beautiful sights or do their mountain sport. In the summer, main tourism attractions are Pikes Peak, Royal Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Glacier National Park (U.S.). In the winter, skiing is the main attraction. The major ski resorts are Aspen, Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge, and Copper Mountain in Colorado. In Idaho, Sun Valley is the main ski resort and in Utah, the main ski resort is Snowbird.
The main language is English, and the second main language is French. The two major commercial activities are mining and of course tourism. A major mine, Climax, located in Leadville, Colorado, is the largest producer of Molybdenum in the world. Molybdenum is used as a heat-resistant steel in such things like cars and planes. The Climax mine employs over 3,000 workers. The Coeur dÃÂÃÂAlene mine of northern Idaho produces silver, lead, and zinc.Geography and geology
Tourism and Industry
