Chapter 12. The Rocky Mountain Region

 

The Rocky Mountain Region of the United States boasts some of the most breathtaking scenery and the Rocky Mountains themselves span from the central of New Mexico all the way into the Northeastern tip of British Columbia. The Rocky Mountains are said to contain some of the highest peaks in the United States of America.

 

According to the textbook The Geography of North America: Ennvironment, Culture, Economy, "In the eyes of most people outside the region, the Rock-ies are a region of cold, snowy winters and sunny al-pine meadows lined with wildflowers. Yet these images account for only a sliver of the climatic variation found in the Rocky Mountains. Although the weather in the mountains can turn ferocious and life-threatening in a moment’s notice, it is often mild and inviting. Surpris-ingly, some parts of the region get more days of sun-shine per year than San Diego."

 

 (www.epa.gov)

 Animals found

within the Rocky Mountain Region include Deer, Elk, Rocky Mountain Goats, Big Horn Sheep, Black Bears, Wolves, Lynx, and Mountain Lions.

 

The Rocky Mountain Region has an econonmy that relies on the mailnly on the Primary sector due to accesibilty to natural resources used ny way of mining and lumber. However in recent years the Region has experienced a boom in the Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary sectors.

 

There is an undniable respect for the Rocky Mountain Region in American culture. Many who have been fortunate to experiecne the beauty of the Rocky Mountain region have been said to be captivated by the natural ambience the region has to offer.

 

Singer/Songwriter John Denver moved to the Region, more specifically to Aspen, Colorado during the 1970s and had become so enthralled with the natural beauty of the Region that He even wrote a song called "Rocky Mountain High," for his 1972 album of the same name. Here is Denver performing live (www.youtube.com)

 

Los Angeles Also boasts a landscape of natural beauty that some cannot seem to deny. Similar to the Rocky Mountian Region, the Moutains of Los Angeles county are products of tectonic plate shifts which caused mountainus ranges to form.

(www.latimes.com)

 

Though the Los Angeles Mountains like the ones pictured above, are not as densely populated with wildlife, the Los Angeles Mountains are home to animals such as Bears, Mountain Lions, Coyotes, and a plethora of wild Birds of Prey including the Red-Tailed Hawk.