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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 feet/3954 m) is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Rocky Mountain System is a United States physiographic region. 1 Geography and geology
The Rocky Mountains were created during what geologists call the Laramide orogenyThe Laramide orogeny was a 30 million year period of mountain building in western North America that started in the Late Cretaceous 70 million years ago and ended in the Late Paleogene 40 million years ago. The major feature that was created by this oroge 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 horstIn physical geography and geology, a horst is the term used for a block of the earth's crust that has remained stationary while the land has sunk on either side of it, or has been crushed n a mountain range against it. The Vosges and Black Forest are exams (ranges) with grabenIn geology, a graben is a depressed fault block bordered by normal faults. See also rift (geology). There are municipalities and communities names that have the name Graben ; In Germany Graben bei Augsburg Graben bei Treuchtlingen ; In Switzerland Graben,s (basins) in between them. This area is now called the Basin and Range Province.
On July 24July 24 is the 205th day (206th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 160 days remaining. Events 1567 Mary Queen of Scots is deposed. 1701 Detroit, Michigan founded. 1814 War of 1812: General Phineas Riall advances toward Niagara to h, 1832Events February 12 Ecuador annexes the Galapagos Islands February 12 serious cholera epidemic begins in London from the East London. It is declared officially over in early May but deaths continue. At least 3000 victims March 24 In Hiram, Ohio a group of, Benjamin BonnevilleBenjamin Louis Eulalie de Bonneville ( April 14, 1796- 1878) was a French-born officer in the United States Army, fur trapper, and explorer in the American West. He is noted for his expeditions to the Oregon Country and the Great Basin, and in particular 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:
View of Colorado Rockies. The aspens are turning their fall colors.
