Download Rocky Mountains: Geography, Climate, Wildlife, and Settlement in US & Canada and more Study notes Geography of the U. S. in PDF only on Docsity! 1 1 US & Canada: Rocky Mountains (Ch.14) 2 What states and provinces are part of the region? 3 What regions does it border? 2 4 Overview • Rugged • Scenic • Unpopulated 5 Physical setting • Mostly mountainous with some peaks above 14,000 ft • Relatively new – Complicated history, uplifted several times • Regions – The Rocky Mountains themselves – The Wyoming Basin – The Rocky Mountain Trench – Inland British Columbia 6 US Rocky Mountains • Generally run north-south – Uinta Mountains in Utah run east-west • Highest peaks in the southern Rockies – Highest: Mt. Elbert, 14,433’ • Lower peaks, more disorganized north • Sharp relief – “Front Range” rises up from Plains floor 5 13 14 Climate comparison 43 in.73 in.85 in.45 in.Snowfall 16 in.17 in.23 in.38 in.Rainfall 86 / 5381 / 3972 / 4882 / 61Jul Temp 47 / 1328 / 520 / 733 / 17Jan Temp Trinidad, Colorado Jackson, Wyoming Prince George, BC Akron 15 Natural vegetation: Forest • Coniferous – Stunted in locations – Growth controlled by wind 6 16 Natural vegetation: Grasslands and Shrublands • Grow in more arid parts of land 17 Treeline • Elevation above which trees don’t grow – Too cold – Too windy – Too little moisture • Varies with latitude – New Mexico 12,000’ – Wyoming: 10,000’ – S. Alberta: 5,000’ – Yukon line: 2,500’ 18 Alpine vegetation • Lichens • Mosses • Herbs • Ground-hugging 7 19 Wildlife • Elk • Mountain lion • Bighorn Sheep • Antelope • Bear 20 Settlement • Sparse throughout history • Natives used area as summer hunting ground • Spanish explored southern sections • French explored northern Rockies via Missouri River – Mostly as fur traders • Early explorers sought routes west – Mackenzie 1793 – Lewis and Clark 1803-4 21 Settlement • Only settlements for fur trading through 1840s • Gold Rush – California 1849 – People had to pass through • Gold rush – Rockies 1859 – Barkerville, Cariboo Mountains, B.C. – Central City, CO – up to 100,000 prospectors • Later attractions – Lumber – Tourism 10 28 Agriculture • Lesser importance than in other regions • Mostly feed for livestock – Hay • Ginseng – Significant cash crop in British Columbia • Irrigation necessary in most locations • Most farmland small, due to topography 29 Water Resources • Relatively clean rivers flow out of Rockies in all directions • Recent developments: reservoirs and hydroelectric dams • Increasing water surface area • Most rivers in Colorado that flow west have some diverted east for Denver and other cities 30 Tourism • Tourism most dynamic of industries in region • Variability between summer and winter tourism 11 31 Tourism • Scenery • Southwest Native culture • Fishing • Hunting • Skiing 32 Santa Fe • 400-year old settlement • Major Arts community • Southwestern cultural center 33 Colorado • Pike’s Peak • Rocky Mountain National Park • Many local Parks • Numerous ski resorts in winter – Aspen, Vail, … 12 34 Yellowstone - Tetons • Yellowstone, Wyoming: First national park in world (1872) • Much wildlife • Geothermal activity • 4 million visitors annually 35 Canadian Rocky parks • Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay • Spectacular scenery • 3 million visitors 36 Transportation • Roadways have made travel easier • I-80 and Transcanada Hwy. • Seasonal concerns
