Discover the Top 10 Fun Facts About the Majestic Rocky Mountains!

1. Pika Power Problems

Who needs a superhero cape when you've got fur and an ear-piercing shriek for a superpower? Meet the pint-sized, mountain-dwelling American pika: forever perched above the tree line and snickering at the cold, challenging Rocky Mountain high life. These fuzzy critters are true survivalists, forming colonies, perfecting their predator-busting screech, and hoarding food for the wintery days to come. Alas, there's a new nemesis in town: climate change is creeping in and ousting them from their high-altitude homes one temperature rise at a time.
Source => nwf.org

2. Rebel Rockies Formation

You might say the Rocky Mountains are the rebels of the geological world, scoffing at the rules that govern tectonic plate boundaries: in reality, they owe their distinct formation to at least 6 major glaciation events within the last 700,000 years, resulting in the iconic U-shaped valleys and moraines we see today.
Source => usgs.gov

Did you know the Canadian Shield is home to some of Earth's oldest rocks, dating back 4.28 billion years? Discover its ancient stories and the precious minerals hidden within, from gold to diamonds!

=> Fun Facts about The-Canadian-Shield

3. Divide-Hopping Adventures

Feeling a bit "divided" on your next adventure? Why not try walking the line where the East meets Wet: The Rocky Mountains actually harbor multiple Continental Divides, including the renowned Great Divide that parts the watersheds for the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Colorado's finest scenery awaits explorers seeking twists and turns, such as the Continental Divide Scenic Trail, Trail Ridge Road, and Loveland Pass.
Source => theadventurecompany.com

4. Tree Line Tango

Calling all tree-tickling thrill-seekers: did you know that the elusive tree line in the Rocky Mountains is the ultimate height-flaunting ruler, with a mercurial attitude that changes its elevation marker as it zigzags across different states? No kidding: while the Southern Rockies in New Mexico boast a tree line of about 12,000 feet, Colorado struts with 11,000 to 12,000 feet, the Tetons in Wyoming waver around 10,000 feet, and Glacier National Park humbly bends its knee, with 6,900 feet on the west slope and a submissive 6,000 feet on the east slope.
Source => jakesnatureblog.com

5. Canadian Rockies: Hollywood's Backyard

When Hollywood needs a mountainous makeover, they head north to the siren call of nature's rock stars: The Canadian Rocky Mountains have set the scene for multiple award-winning films, including Brokeback Mountain, The Revenant, and One Week, showcasing nearly a thousand miles of cinematic eye candy that can only be found in Canada.
Source => inspiredbymaps.com

6. Mount Elbert: Gentle Giant

If mountains could be social butterflies, Mount Elbert would be the life of the party as it gracefully accepts their timid admiration: Mount Elbert is the second-highest summit in the contiguous United States, towering at 14,440 feet, yet it's also a welcoming "gentle giant" thanks to its beginner-friendly Class 1 to 2 hiking routes that lure climbers without expert mountaineering skills or a Spider-Man costume.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Rockies' Beastly Block Party

If you ever wanted a beastly block party, the Rockies have you covered: The Rocky Mountains are home to over 60 species of mammals such as bears, moose, deer, beavers and wolves, numerous birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as a rich aquatic life containing different types of trout, whitefish, and insects.
Source => jakesnatureblog.com

8. The Colorado River: Fish and Sips Showdown

As the Colorado River squeezes out of the Rockies like a snowcone in a vice, it's caught in a never-ending game of "Fish and Sips" between millions of humans and some very rare finned friends: The river supplies water and hydroelectric power to almost 35 million people across the United States and Mexico, and serves as a crucial habitat for several unique fish species. Regrettably, our aquatic drinking buddies suffer as excessive human water consumption has altered the river's natural flows, causing the disappearance of numerous native plants and animals and drying up the river before it can reach the Pacific Ocean.
Source => coloradoencyclopedia.org

9. Pikes Peak: America the Beautiful's Birthplace

They say that "Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony," but, little did we know he had a pit stop at the Rocky Mountains for some lyrical inspiration: Katharine Lee Bates was so moved by the view from Pikes Peak that it led her to pen the poem "Pikes Peak," which later became "America the Beautiful," a hymn treasured by the nation.
Source => dictionary.com

10. Rocky Mountains: Oily Shenanigans

Who said Petroleum Jelly was just for dry lips? The Rocky Mountains are hiding an oily secret: This region, spanning Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, boasts a fantastic trove of unconventional oils like tight shale oil, oil sands, and oil shale, making it a sizzling hot oil-production hub in the world. But beware, with great oil comes great responsibility: extracting these slippery treasures needs more energy and water, and involves higher contamination risks compared to conventional oil production, putting the region's oil-water relationship in a delicate balance.
Source => carnegieendowment.org