A Little Info. on The Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains (or Rockies) are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 4,800 kilometres (2,980 mi) from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States. The range's highest peak is Mount Elbert located in Colorado at 14,440 feet (4,401 m) above sea level. Though part of North America's Pacific Cordillera, the Rockies are distinct from the Pacific Coast Ranges (as named in Canada) or the Pacific Mountain System (as it is known in the United States), which are located directly adjacent to the Pacific coast.


The erosion by water and glaciers have sculpted the mountain range into dramatic valleys and peaks.  When humans started to inhabit the mountain range, some Europeans, such as Sir Alexander MacKenzie and the Lewis and Clark expedition, started to explore the range. Minerals and furs drove the initial economic exploitation of the mountains, although the range never became densely populated.

Currently, much of the mountain range is protected by parks, and is a popular tourist destination, especially for skiing. It is a land of splendor.

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