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BIRDS WEEDS FLOWERS INSECTS POND LIFE CACTI
INSECT PESTS TREES

SPIDERS REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS

STARS MAMMALS SEASHORES CATS FISHES FOSSILS
TROPICAL FISH

GAMEBIRDS ORCHIDS ZOO ANIMALS

SEASHELLS OF THE WORLD ROCKS AND MINERALS EXOTIC PLANTS
BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS NON-FLOWERING PLANTS
LLLOLN 5LLNLL L11OL5
FLYING LANDFORMS

GEOLOGY ZOOLOGY BOTANY

HEART FAMILIES OF BIRDS LIGHT AND COLOR WEATHER
ECOLOGY OCEANOGRAPHY EVOLUTION INDIAN ARTS
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BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA

SEASHELLS OF NORTH AMERICA

TREES OF NORTH AMERICA MINERALS OF THE WORLD
NATIONAL PARKS OF THE WORLD
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THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
LLLOLN HANO8LLX5
HENRY GASSER'S GUIDE TO PAINTING
THE SKY OBSERVER'S GUIDE CAMPING

SCUBA DIVING
ANTIQUES KITES CASINO GAMES PHOTOGRAPHY
LLLOLN LL51KL L8KAKY
WINES SAILING GUNS
HORSES

BICYCLING

FISHING
Golden, A Golden Guide, and Golden Press
are trademarks of Western Publishing Company, Inc.
%
RocKY
MouNTAINS
by MLKbLK1 b. N, |..
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n consutoton wth the
UMIYLKITY LI LLLLKAOL NULUN TAII
Bou|der, Co|orodo
|llUSTRAT|CNS 8Y
SU ZA! NCGUCH| SWAIN
GCLDEN PREGG NEWXCRK
Ves!ern |ubshng Lompany, |nc.
Kacne, Vsconsin
This Golden Guide attempts to introduce and explore a
widely known region-big, varied, and open enough to
tempt a multitude of visitors, many of whom stay to
swell the fast-growing population. The high, cool moun
tains have a long and involved geologic history and a
wealth of rocks, ores, and minerals. The climate they help
create belies the summer heat and produces a richness
and a variety of plant and animal life which all may en| oy.
Without the expert knowledge of Hugo Rodeck and his
staff the selection and checking of data would have been
difficult if not impossible. Richard Beidleman of Colorado
College also made his wide field experience available.
May I thank Gordon Alexander, William C. Bradley, John
B. Chronic, Don Eff, Gladys R. Gary, Russell M. Honea,
Edna Johnson, Albert Knorr, Urless N. Lanham, T. Paul
Maslin, Clarence J. McCoy, John Rohner, Orer Stewart,
Lowell E. Swenson, William A. Weber and Joe Ben Wheat
of the University of Colorado Museum; also Robert |.
Allen, H. Raymond Gregg, Arnold . Grobman, Donald |.
Hoffmeister, and Alexander Sprunt IV. Thanks go, also, to
the artist, Su Zan Noguchi Swain, to Sonia Bleeker Zim for
her work on the Indian tribes, and to all those who provided
photographs.
H. S. Z
Copyright 1964 by Western Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved
including rights of reproduction and use in any form or by any means, in
eluding the making of copies by any photo process, or by any electronic or
mechanical device, printed or written or oral, or recording for sound or visual
reproduction or for use in any knowledge retrieval system or device, un
less permission in writing is obtained from the copyright proprietor. Produced
in the U.S.A. by Western Publishing Company, Inc. Published by Golden
Press, New York, N.Y. library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-11054.
HERE ARE THE ROCKI ES .... . ...... .
An i ntroducti on to the great mountai n system
that forms the backbone of North Ameri ca.
Cl i mate; more i nformati on.
5
ROCKY MOUNTAI NS TODAY ............... :... 15
The ol d and new ci ti es, t hei r attract i ons. Tours
and touri ng; cal endar of events.
THE GOOD OLD DAYS...................... 23
I ndi an tri bes of the mountai ns and adj acent
pl ai ns; the Spani sh expl orers and the French trap
pers. Lewi s and Cl ar k and the openi ng of t he re
gi on; mi ni ng, settl ement and rai l roads.
THE GEOLOGI C STORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
The anci ent l ands that were upl i fted and al tered
to bui l d the Rocki es; the deposi ts of rocks and
mi neral s and the unusual fossi l s.
ROCKY MOUNTAI N PLANTS................... 61
The ri ch vari ety of pl ants from the pl ai ns to the
mountai n tops.
Fl owers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trees
ANI MAL LIFE OF THE ROCKI ES
62
73
The r i ch and di versi fi ed ani mal life with speci es
now becomi ng rare.
Mammal s .
Bi rds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fi shes . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .
Amphi bi ans, Repti l es
I nsects .
WHAT TO SEE AND DO ................. .
87
97
1 08
1 1 0
1 1 3
N . ati onal Parks, Monuments and Forests; state
parks, museums, campi ng , sports and other
outdoor acti vi ti es.
I NDEX ........... . ......... . ........... . ... .
87
116
157
this book is an arbitrary area of some
400, 000 square miles, encompass
ing the core of the Rockies. Its 2, 200-
mile length includes parts of 5 states
The Rocky Mountai ns form a 5,000- mi l e j agged back
bone for North Ameri ca from Mexi co to Al aska. More
t han a h u ndred north - south ra nges ma ke u p thi s
mounta i n compl ex whi ch reaches i ts greatest wi dth
(300 mi l es) i n Col orado and Uta h . Col orado al one
boasts of 54 peaks over 1 4,000 ft hi gh. Mt. El bert i n
.
Col orado reaches u p to 1 4,4 1 9 feet but /
t hi s fal l s far short of Al aska's Mt. McKi nl ey,_
/
/ 20,32 ft
`

`
`
`

`
`

5
`
The Rocki es are not al l mountai nous . Between and
ar ou nd t he snow- capped r anges a nd coni fer- covered
sl opes ar e nat ur al par kl a nds, extensi ve pl atea us, brush
covered f l ats and semi - ari d deserts. Huge ra nches and
fa r ml ands hug t he mountai ns where l and has been cl eared
and water made avai l abl e.
At f i rst a gri m bar r i er to conti nent al conquest, the
Rocki es gradual l y began to attract settl ers beca use of
f u rs, mi ner al s, forests and agri cul t ur al l a nd found there.
Later, peopl e came beca use of the sti mu l at i ng cl i mate
and s u per b scenery. The Rocky Mounta i n regi on, sti l l
front i er cou ntry at the t u rn of t he centu ry, i s now boom
i ng i n popul ati on, i ndust ri al devel opment and cu l t ural
growt h. Vacati oners and new resi dents j oi n t he ol d- ti mers
i n enj oyi ng the f reedom and exh i l arati on "out where the
West begi ns. "
Upturned edges o f sandstone l ayers have eroded into unusual shapes; near
Col orado Spri ngs, Colorado
Si mpki ns-National Audubon Society
Bob and lro Spring
Hereford cattle pasture at the foot of the Sawto
.
oth Mountai ns near Stanl ey,
I daho
The great Rocky Mounta i n system i s often di vi ded i nto
a nor t her n a nd a sout her n part, whi ch ar e sepa rated by
broken pl atea us extendi ng f rom the Wyomi ng Basi n to the
Sna ke Ri ver Pl ai n. The Nort hern Rocki es begi n north and
west of Yel l owstone Nat i ona l Pa r k and extend on north
westwa rd i nto Canada and Al aska .
The Souther n Rocki es are mai nl y l ong, upl i fted ri dges
wh i ch, i n ri si ng, have upt ur ned l ayers of sedi ments on
ei ther si de. I n the north the Rocki es are more massi ve
and do not f or m r i dges wi t h u pt u r ned footh i l l s . I n both
areas t he Rocki es form the Conti nental Di vi de, where the
sl opes turn rai n and mel ti ng snow i nto ei ther t he Atl anti c
or the Paci fi c dr ai nage. The Di vi de and most Rocky ranges
are crossed by mountai n passes (the l owest usabl e paths
7
across t he mountai ns), th rough whi ch roads and rai l roads
f u n nel at el evati ons between 7, 500 a n d 1 2, 000 ft. The
d i scovery of South Pass i n 1 8 1 2 and ot hers afterward
hastened t he openi ng of t he West. Col or ado has 1 36
named passes, a nd the total nu mber for the Rocki es may
approach 500.
I n general , mounta i n soi l i s poor and rocky but i n the
natur al basi ns or parks are ri ch grassl ands. On the f l anks
of t he Rocki es-especi al l y to t he east and i n ri ver val l eys
-the soi l i s good and, wi th i rri gati on, produces f i ne crops.
I r r i gat i on means t hat corn, al f a l fa, mel ons, sugar beets
and t r uck crops can be ra i sed . Wi thout i r ri gati on, dry
fa r mi ng may prod uce sorgh u m, wheat, cor n or enough
grass for past ure. What used to be open range i s now
fenced and i mproved for catt l e. Sheep ma ke t he most of
th i n ner mountai n past ures.
The water of mountai n strea ms and l a kes i s carri ed by
i ngeni ous t unnel s and di tches to su ppl y power and i rri ga
ti on needs. Other natural resources of the Rocki es i ncl ude
great forests of pi ne, spruce and _f i r wi th some hardwoods
at l ower l evel s. The geol ogi c acti vi ty that fol l owed the up
l i ft of t he mountai ns honeycombed t he country rock wi th
vei ns ri ch i n l ead, zi nc, si l ver, gol d and copper. Petroleum
has been di scovered i n the Wyomi ng basi rs and el se
where. Coal i s mi ned i n the Rocky Mou nta i n foothi l l s.
The expl oi tat i on of these nat ur al resou rces a nd the
regi on's cl i mate and geographi c posi ti on have created i n
d u st r i es whi ch bol ster the mounta i n economy. Ra pi d
tra nsportati on by rai l and ai r, pl us the secur i ty of the i n
l and area , make the regi on attracti ve to new atomi c and
el ectroni c i ndustri es as wel l as to heavy and l i ght manu
fact ur i ng. The regi on i s far l ess dependent u pon eastern
manufact ur i ng t han i t was a generati on ago.
8
The tou ri st and vi si tor are attracted by what mi ght be
consi dered l esser natu ral resou rces. But the combi nati on
of c l i mate, scenery and a r i ch ness of nat i ve pl a nts and
ani mal s expresses the uni que physi cal and bi ol ogi c factors
t hat u ni te to make t hi s regi on so outsta ndi ng. Besi des,
t he Rocki es a re more centra l l y l ocated t han one mi ght
bel i eve. Denver, the gateway to the Rocki es, i s 830 ai r
mi l es fro m Los Angel es, 9 1 0 f r om Chi cago, 1 , 460 from
Washi ngton, 1 , 200 from
'
Atl a nta , 1 , 020 from Seattl e, and
1 , 080 from New Orl ea ns.
Ri ch farms fl l the ri ver val l eys near Mi ssoula, Montana
Bob and Ira Spring

ROCKY MOUNTAI N CLI MATE i s affected by al ti tude, l ati

t ude and geography. Temperature fa l l s a bout 31h0F.
wi t h every t housand feet of el i mb and d rops a bout 1 V2
as one moves north one degree of l at i t ude (about 66
mi l es) . Dayti me s u mmer temperatu res may be war m or
hot, but ni ghts are cool . I n mountai n va l l eys, wi nter tem
per at u res may drop to -60F. but t he l ow h u mi di ty
hel ps modi fy the effect of both heat and col d. Snow may
be heavy t hrough spr i ng and may persi st i n t he mountai ns
a l l s u mmer . Western sl opes get t he most moi st u re. The
ea ster n " ra i n shadow" may get as l i ttl e as ten i nches a
yea r . Ski es are cl oudl ess or nea rl y so, wi th some summer
t hu nderstorms. I n wi nter the unusual chi nook wi nds bl ow
down t he ea st sl opes, rai si ng t he t emperatu re mar kedl y
i n j ust a few hours.
CLI MATI C DATA FOR SOME ROCKY MOUNTAI N CI TI ES
Al ti - lati - Sl ope Avg. Jan.
Avg. Jul y
Annual
Ci ty t ude t ude E. or W. temp. temp. preci p.
Banff, Al berta 4, 53B ft. 5l'N
East 1 3"F 57"F 21 i n.
Calgary. Al berta 3. 439 ft. 5l'N
East IB' F 75"f 1 7 i n.
Mi ssoul a , Mont. 3, 223 ft. 47'N
West 22'F 6B'F 14 i n.
Hel ena. Mont. 4.047 ft. 47'N
East 20'F 66'F 13 i n.
Butte, Mont. 5.7 1 6 ft. 46'N
West z3'F 65'F 14 i n.
W. Yel l owstone, Mont. 6.667 ft. 45'N East 1 3'F 5B'F 19 i n.
Rapi d Ci t y, S. D. 3, 229 ft. 44'N East 23'F 72' F !B i n.
Sun Val l ey, I daho 6, 000 ft. 44'N West 3 l'F B2'F !B i n.
Boi se, I daho 2, B42 ft. 44'N West 27'F 75'F 1 1 i n.
Casper, Wyo. 5 , 1 23 ft. 43'N East 26'F 72'F 1 5 i n.
Pocatel l o, I daho 4, 461 ft. 43'N West 26'F 72' F 13 i n.
Rock Spri ngs, Wyo. 6, 271 ft. 42'N West 1 9'F 69'F 7 i n.
Cheyenne, Wyo. 6.060 ft. 4l"N East 27'F 67'F 16 i n.
Sal t lake Ci ty, Utah
4, 390 ft. 40'N West 30' F 77'F 16 i n.
Vernal , Utah 5, 050 ft. 40"N West 1 7'F 70'F 9 i n.
Denver, Col o. 5, 2BO ft. 40'N East 32"F 73'F 14 i n.
leadvi l l e, Col o. 10, 1BB ft. 39'N East IB'F 56'F 20 i n.
Col orado Spr. , Col o. 5, 900 ft. 39'N East 30'F 6B' F 14 i n.
Gunni son, Col o. 7, 6Bl ft. 39'N West B"F 6l 'F lO i n.
l D
Sob and Ira Spring
Changes i n life zones are evi dent in the Seven Devi l s Range, I daho. Coni fers
thi n out at hi gher al ti tudes
LIFE ZONES i ncl ude commu ni t i es of pl a nts and a n i mal s
whi ch, i n t ur n, refl ect the rel ati onshi p between cl i mate and
a l ti tude. Each thousand feet up the Rocki es bri ngs a ter
perature drop equal to a 200- mi l e j ou r ney north. Si nce
te mperat u re and r ai nfal l often deter mi ne t he ki nd of
pl ants that wi l l su rvi ve, typi cal communi ti es devel op i n
areas that have a common l ocal cl i mate. Thus, as one
cl i mbs the Rocki es, the changes he sees i n pl ant and ani
mal l i fe ref l ect t he same cha nges he woul d see i f he had
travel ed nort h.
The pl ant communi ti es and t he l i fe zones they form are
not cl ear cut . The wester n si de of t he Rocki es has more
rai nfa l l t han t he eastern sl opes and t hi s ma kes for ri cher
pl ant l i fe. The Rocki es, as covered i n t h i s book, extend
over 2, 000 mi l es north and sout h, so the average temper-
l l
at u res r un some 20 l ess i n t he Ca nadi a n Rocki es t han i n
centr al Col orado. I n Col orado, one must cl i mb to 1 1 ,500
feet to reach the ti mberl i ne, the poi nt a bove whi ch no
trees grow. The ti mberl i ne is at about 9, 000 feet i n Mon
tana and at onl y 7, 000 feet i n northern Al berta.
Spr i ng tends to come about one day l ater and f al l one
day ear l i er for every 1 00- ft. ri se i n el evati on. Thi s makes
s u mmer at t he Col orado t i mber l i ne onl y a bout si x weeks
l ong-from J u l y to mi d- August . The t i ny al pi ne fl owers
growi ng in mats and cushi ons ( pp. 62-63) bu rst i nto
bl oom a l l at once and are soon gone. Bi rds at t i mberl i ne
nest l ater and mi grate ear l i er than those on the Pl ai ns.
Bel ow i s a chart of the general i zed l i fe zones for the
Rocki es of Col orado. Farther north t he wa r m Sonoran
Zone di sappears and the ot her zones are at l ower l evel s.
I n mu c h of t he Rocki es t he Tra nsi t i on and Ca nadi an
zones f use and overl ap. The treatment of fl owers, shr ubs,
trees, mammal s and bi rds ( pp. 62-107) general l y fol l ows
a zonal pattern whi ch wi l l bot h hel p one to recogni ze l i fe
zones and make i denti fi cati on easi er.
LI FE ZONES I N THE ROCKI ES
Zone
Location Elevation Tpical plant
Arcti c above ti mber over Al pi ne grasses. l i chens,
Al pi ne l i ne 1 1.500 ft. sedges, Dwarf Wi l l ow
Hudso,i an high mountai ns 1 1 , 500
Li mber Pi ne, Engel mann
to ti mberl i ne 10,000 Spruce, Bri stl econe Pine
Canadi an l ower mountai ns
10, 000
Quaki ng Aspen, Lodge
8, 000 pole Pi ne, Dougl as Fi r,
Ponderosa Pi ne
Transi ti on foothi l l s 8, 000 Pinon Pi ne,
6, 000 oaks, Rocky Mt. Juni per
Upper 6, 000
Cottonwood, wi l l ows,
So nor an 4, 500
Box El der, Sagebrush
l 2
Bob and Ira Spring
A variety of accommodati ons are avai l abl e for vi sitors i n the Rocki es; this i s a
chal et in Gl aci er Nati onal Park
THE VI SI TOR comes to the Rocki es wi th a pa rcel of cl ear
expectati ons. He wi l l not be di sappoi nted. The summer
cl i mate i s sti mu l ati ng and the cool ni ghts are restf ul . The
scenery i s unri val ed. Acti vi ti es range from dude ranchi ng,
h u nti ng, f i shi ng and campi ng down to pl ai n, unadu l ter
ated rel axati on. Enj oy the Rocki es to the f ul l est, but come
pr epa red . Remember, it t akes a bi t of t i me to get accl i
mated to al ti tudes over 7,000 f t. Avoi d exerti on the
fi rst f ew days. Wear appropri ate, comforta bl e cl ot hi ng and
have wa r m j ackets or sweaters for the cool eveni ngs. Stu rdy
shoes ma ke wal ki ng a pl easure. Don' t be decei ved by di s
tances on a road map. Mountai n dri vi ng requi res care and
shoul d be done sl owl y. Stop often to enj oy the scenery
and to rel ax. Check before ta ki ng u ngraded mou ntai n
r oads or l ocal s hort cut s. I n su mmer there may be mos
q u i toes a l ong l a kes and strea ms and bi ti ng f l i es i n the
forests. Ti cks occur i n grassl ands and brushl and. Some
t i cks a re car r i er s of di sease. Ratt l ers a re fou n d but not
commonl y i n t he mountai ns. Leave t hem al one. I n short,
take the same care out- of- doors that you wou l d at home.
l 3
MORE I NFORMATI ON on the Rocki es may be had f rom
federa l and state sources.
Nati onal Forests: U. S. Forest Servi ce, for E. Wyo. and Colo., Federal Center,
Denver 2, Col o. For W. Wyo., Utah and S. Idaho, Forest Servi ce Bl dg. ,
Ogden, Utah. For N. Idaho, Mont., Federal Bl dg. , Mi ssoul a, Mont.
Nati onal Parks and Monuments: Nati onal Park Servi ce, Washi ngton 25, D. C. , or
the regi onal offi ce for the Rocki es, Nati onal Park Servi ce, Omaha 2, Nebraska.
COLORADO Adv. and Publ i ci ty Dept. , Capi tol Bl dg. , Denver 2
WYOMI NG Travel Comm. , State Ofc. Bl dg. , Cheyenne
I DAHO State Dept. of Commerce & Dev. , Capi tol Bl dg. , Boi se
MONTANA Travel and Adv. Dept. , State Hi ghway Comm. , Hel ena
UTAH Road and Touri st I nfo. , State Capi tol Bl dg. , Sal t Lake Ci ty
BRI TI SH COLUMBI A Gov' t Travel Bureau, Parl i ament Bl dg. , Vi ctori a, B. C.
ALBERTA Gov' t Travel Bureau, Legi sl ati ve Bl dg. , Edmonton, Al berta
MAPS are essenti al . Use road maps from several sources,
especi al l y to check mi nor roa ds. Deta i l ed topogra phi c
maps are f i ne for hi kers. Wri te U. S. Geol ogi cal Survey,
Washi ngton 25, D. C. , for a f ree key map of each state you

desi re and for order forms.
BOOKS on t hi s . regi on a re pl ent i f u l . Most deal wi th speci
fi e s u bj ects, s uch as hi story, mi n i ng, trees, or bi rds.
Bel ow are some gui des and gener al i ntroduct i ons. Those
of t he W. P. A. Wri ters' Proj ect tend to be dated but sti l l
h ave a weal th of perti nent deta i l .
Colrad Ormes, Robert M. , GUI DE T O COLORADO MOUNTAI NS, Sage, 1955.
wri ters' Project, COLORADO, Rev. Ed. , 1 951 , Hasti ngs.
Wyoming Bonney, 0. H. and L., GUI DE TO THE WYOMI NG MOUNTAI NS AND
WI LDERNESS AREAS, 1 960, Sage. Wri ters' Project, WYOMI NG, GUI DE TO I TS
HI STORY, HI GHWAYS AND PEOPLE, 1941, Oxford Uni v. Press.
Idaho Wri ters' Project, I DAHO, A GUI DE I N WORD AND PI CTURE, 1 950,
Oxford Uni v. Press.
Montana Wri ters' Project, MONTANA, Rev. Ed. , 1 955, Hasti ngs. Howard,
Joseph K. , MONTANA, HI GH, WI DE AND HAN DSOME, Rev. Ed . , 1 959, Yal e.
Utah Wri ters' Project, UTAH, Rev. Ed. , 1 954, Hasti ngs.
British Columbia Goodchi l d, Fred H. , BRI TI SH COLUMBI A, I TS HI STORY,
PEOPLE AND I NDUSTRY, 1 951 , Macmi l l an. Ormsby, M. A. , BRI TI SH COLUM
BI A, 1958, Macmi l l an.
l 4
Josef Muench
Denver' s Ci vi c Center, vi ewed from the dome of the State Capi tol Bui l di ng, i s a
symbol of the Rocki es' growth
Dur i ng the next decades centenni al s of al l sorts wi l l be
cel ebrated u p and down t he Rocki es. Col or ado began i n
1 959 wi th the centenni al of i ts gol d r ush. Al l t hese cel e
brati ons wi l l serve as remi nders of the prodi gi ous growth
of t hi s regi on. Progress has not been steady. At t he hal f
century poi nt many mi ni ng booms had al ready burst. Towns
were a ba ndoned as the ores gave out. But the second hal f
centu ry has seen a pronou nced change. New dams and t un
nel s have made cheap power and i r ri gati on water avai l a
bl e. The a i r pl ane has su ppl emented roads and ra i l roads
to bri ng the Rocki es wi t hi n a few hours of both coasts.
New heavy i ndustry has sta bi l i zed the economy, and ol d
sta ndbys l i ke cattl e and sheep r ai si ng, l u mber and farm
i ng have become more prod ucti ve. New and bi gger ci ti es
boast of school s, u ni versi ti es, pa rks, zoos and museums.
As you pass t hrough ci ti es l i sted on the next th ree pages
watch for worthwhi l e t hi ngs to see and do.
l 5
State of Colorado
The U. S. Air Force Academy, in the foothi l l s j ust north of Col orado Spri ngs
C OLORADO
Denver: mi l e high capi tal of, and l arg
est ci ty i n, Col o. Establ i shed in 1860
by prospectors and mi ners i n eastern
shadow of Rocki es. Growi ng commer
ci al , agri cul t ural and vacati on center.
Si te of U. S. Mi nt. Ai r Force base and
scool . Uni v. of Denver, col l eges, mu
seu ms, zoo, and many muni ci pal l y
owned mountai n parks.
Col orado Spri ngs: Resort ci ty. Tol l
r oad and cog t r ai n to 1 4, 1 1 0ft. sum
mi t of Pi kes Peak. Has broad streets.
fine homes and parks; art center. Col o.
Col l ege. Wi l l Rogers Shri ne, Garden of
t he Gods; Zoo; USAF Academy; home
of N.A. Ai r Defense Command.
Puebl o: Steel pl ant, man ufacturi ng
center. i rri gated val l ey area. State
fai r and rodeo.
Grand Juncti on: Nearby mi neral de
posi ts and i rri gated farml ands. Gate
way to Col o. Nat. Mon. Visit observa
tory i n Gr<nd Mesa Nat. Forest, whi ch
a l so has ski sl opes and tows.
Boulder: Uni v. of Col o. and Museum;
Nat . Bureau of Standards l ab. Wi nter
sports, Chautauqua summer program;
l
annual rodeo. Fi ne mountai n parks
and Fl agstaff sceni c hi ghway.
Greeley: Agri cul tural marketi ng center
establ i shed by f amous edi tor of N.Y.
Tribune, Horace Greel ey. Col orado
State Col l ege, Meeker Memor i al Mu
seum. USDA Experi mental Stati on.
Fort Col l i ns: Agri cul t ur al center and
resi denti al ci ty, home of Col o. State
Uni v. ; Pi oneer Museum. Fol l ow Route
14 west to Mountai n Park and fi sh
hatcheri es.
MO NTANA
Hel ena: Capi tal o f Montana. Past and
present l i nked wi th gol d , si l ver and
l ead mi ni ng. Mus eum, a rt gal l ery,
cathedral .
Butte: Extensi ve underground copper
and zi nc mi nes. Agri cul tural and stock
cent er . School of Mi nes has fi ne
museum.
Great Fal l s: I ndust r i al and fi nanci al
cent er -l argest ci ty i n Montana. Art
gal l ery, annual state f ai r and rodeo.
Gi ant Spr i ngs and Lewi s and Cl ark
Nati onal Forest are nearby.
Bozeman: In ri ch agri cul tural and l i ve.
stock l and of Gal l ati n Val l ey. Montana
State Col l ege started here i n 1893.
Nearby i s Gal l ati n Nat. Forest and the
Gal l at i n Gateway of Yel l owstone Nat.
Park.
Livingston: Rai l road center, ti mber i n
dustri es. Sceni c dri ve from here goes
to Gardi ner, entrance to Yel l owstone
Nat . Park.
Bi l l i ngs: Rai l center, oi l and sugar re
fi neri es. Hi stori cal museum, sceni c
dri ves. Headquarters for nearby Custer
Nat. Forest. Annual rodeo.
Anaconda: Copper smel ter. Nearby
campgrounds, f i shi ng, l a kes and
strea ms, di nosaur beds. Abu ndant
wi l dl i fe i n Pi ntl ar Wi l derness Area.
Mi ssoul a: Tr ai ni ng school for Forest
Service Smokej umpers. Livestock auc
ti ons, Montana State Uni versi ty. Fi sh,
game and gui des nearby.
Kal i spel l : Agri cul t u ral mar ket center
s u rr ounded by recreati on areas i n
e l udi ng H u ngry Horse Dam, Gl aci er
Nat. Park, Fl athead Lake and Fl athead
Nat. Forest.
WYO MI N G
Casper: Cent er o f sheep, cattl e and
oi l regi on. Repl i ca of Ft. Caspar. Near
by are Casper Mou ntai n Park, Hel l ' s
Hal f Acr e and I ndependence Rock.
Cheyenne: Home of worl d fa mout
Fronti er Days i n J u l y; mai nt ai ns Ol d
West fl avor t hr oughout year. State' s
l a rgest ci ty and capi tal . Commerci al ,
ranchi ng and r ai l center sur r ounded
by ranch country.
Larami e: Qui et western town between
mountai n ranges. Ranchi ng and sports
men' s center. Site of Uni versi ty of
Wyomi ng; fossi l museum.
I DA H O
I daho Fal l s: I daho' s second l argest
ci ty, has waterfal l s and pi cni c a reas.
Nearby l ands i rri gated by Snake Ri ver
prod uce grai n and potatoes. Atomi c
Energy Commi ssi on' s nati onal reactor
testing station j ust west of ci ty on Lost
Ri ver Pl ai ns.
Pocatel l o: On Oregon Trai l i n broad
val l ey of Snake Ri ver at western edge
of Rocki es. Tradi ng, rai l road and col
l ege center. Near giant Ameri can Fal l s
'Reservoi r ( i r r
i
gati on and power ) and
hi stori c si t e of Ol d For t Hal l .
UTAH
Sal t Lake Ci ty: Capi tal o f Uta h . Near
desert, Great Salt La ke and moun
tai ns. Worl d headquarters of Mormon
Chur ch; f amous for Mor mon Ta ber
nacl e, choi r, and templ e. Largest ci ty
between Denver and West Coast. Agri
cul t ur al , i ndust r i al , mi ni ng, especi al l y
copper, and cul tural center. Museums,
art col l ecti ons, col l eges and uni versi ty.
qgden: I mportant rai l center and shi p
pi ng poi nt for l i vestock. Utah' s second
l a rgest ci ty. Li es between mou ntai ns
and Great Sal t La ke. Si te of U. S. For
est Service experi mental stati on. East
t hrough Ogden Canyon i s Snow Basi n
wi nter sports area.
Provo: A cul t ural and steel center
near r i ch agri cul t ural l a nd. Site of
Mormon Bri gham Young Uni v. Nearby
and to the north towers Mt. Ti mpa
nogos ( 1 2, 008 ft. ) .
Logan: Si t e of Ut ah State Uni v. Lo
cated on edge of hi stori c and ferti l e
Cache Val l ey. Logan Ca nyon l eads
northeast to Bear Lake.
l 7
AL BE RTA
Cal gary: Zool ogi cal and nat ur al hi s
tory park has model s of di nosaurs.
Si te of fi sh hatchery, bi rd sanctuary,
packi ng pl ants and f l our mi l l s. Gate
way to Ba nff and Jasper Nat. Pks.
Lethbri dge: Sugar beet ref i neri es,
vegetabl e canni ng and freezi ng pl ants.
Vi si t l arge earth-fi l l ed dam on St.
Mary' s Ri ver and Waterton-Gi aci er I n
ternati onal Peace Park.
B RI TI S H COL U MB I A
Revelstoke: Fi rst settl ed a s a rai l road
center, now has farmi ng, l umber and
mi ni ng as chi ef i ndustri es. Mt. Revel
stoke Nat. Park headq u a rters are
here. Located at j uncti on of Col umbi a
and l l l eci l l ewaet ri vers.
Nel son: On west branch of Kootenay
Lake; has compl ete t our i st faci li ti es.
Near by a re ghost tQwns, ol d settl e
ments and pi cni cki ng and sports areas.
Ki mberl ey: Si te of the f amous Sul l i van
Mi ne, the worl d' s l argest producer of
l ead, zi nc and si l ver. Tours.
Trai l : I n a narrow val l ey on the banks
of t he Col umbi a Ri ver. Publ i c park,
beaches, and outdoor theater. Tour
the .famous Comi nco smel ter (produc
i ng si l ver, l ead and zi nc) and its chemi
cal fert i l i zer pl ant.
Spi res of the Mormon Templ e are a l andmark i n Sal t lake City
Union Pacifc Railroad
Bob and Ira Spring
A fami l y camps at 1 2, 000 ft. near Conti nental Divide i n Col orado
TOURI NG THE ROCKI ES i s more f un i f you do some ad
vance pl anni ng. Send for road ma ps, gui de books and
travel fol ders. Maj or oi l compani es offer free tou r ai d.
Remember t hi s i s mountai nous cou ntry-try to keep each
day' s travel wel l u nder 300 mi l es. Make reserva
f
i ons for
hotel s and resorts. Arri ve earl y to get ca mpsi tes d u ri ng the
busy summer season. Start your day earl y and stop earl y.
Thi s gi ves you more t i me for si de tri ps, recreat i on, fi sh
i ng or l ocal si ghtseei ng.
Best t i me for travel in t he Rocki es is l ate J u ne to early
September. Hi gher el evati ons may be snowbound i nto
earl y J u l y. Check ti res and brakes before starti ng. Traffi c,
ga me and conservati on l aws vary, as do ca mpsi te costs,
entrance and admi ssi on fees. Check i n advance. Use your
ca r ' s ash tray and a l i tter bag. Keep campsi tes cl ean. Try
one of tte f ol l owi ng suggested tours or pl an your own
after checki ng the l ast secti on of t hi s book ( pp. 1 1 6-1 56).
l
m

Chttkcurrent hlchwymaps fOr new

Interstate nd Defense Hllhwys
TWO TOURS th rough t he Rocki es, each pl an ned for one
week, wi l l gi ve you a cha nce to see t he northern or
sout her n Rocki es-or bot h. Both t r i ps sta rt from Yel l ow
stone Pa r k but you can pi ck t hem u p at any pl ace en
route. The f i rst tou r, to the nort h, covers 1 , 700 mi l es i n a
week, but try to add a few extra days at Yel l owstone at the
begi nni ng
'
or the end, as you r schedul e permi ts . .
20
1st day: From Gar di ner vi a U. S. 89 and 10 to Three Forks, t hen north on Route
287 to Hel ena (capi tal and museums) to spend the ni ght.
2nd day: Conti nue north on Route 287 to Browni ng; then ci rcl e south and west
on U. S. 2 to West Gl aci er.
3rd day: Dri ve back east through Gl aci er N. P. to St. Mary; swi ng north on U. S.
89 and Canada 2 to Cal gary, or use Routes 6 and 3 from Babb to vi si t Waterton
Park en route.
4th day: Move from t he pl ai ns back i nto t he mountai ns vi a Route 1 to Banff.
See Lake Loui se and head west vi a lA or lB to Route 95. Take the 1 60- mi l e tri p
north to the Col u mbi a I ce Fi el d i f you have an extra day. Spend the ni ght
at Radi um Hot Spri ngs on Rout 95.
5th day: Head south on Route 95 to Cranbrook; then on 93 and cross the
border. On to Whi te Fi sh or Kal i spel l for the ni ght.
6th day: Conti nue on 93 to Mi ssoul a and then on U. S. 1 0 to Anaconda. Vi si t the
copper smel ters.
7th day: Return on U. S. lOS and 1 0 to Bozeman and south on U. S. 191 to West
Yel l owstone. Here the park and road system connects to Gardi ner and to roads
east and south.
South tri p i s a bi t shorter but has a greater east- west
swi ng. Denver can be vi si ted or by- passed dependi ng on
you r feel i ng a bout bi g ci ti es. The museums and parks are
excel l ent.
1st day: From Yel l owstone N. P. t ake U. S. 89 t hrough Grand Teton N. P. ; t hen vi a
Montpel i er and Logan Canyon to Ogden, Utah.
2nd day: Dri ve south through Sal t Lake Ci ty on U. S. 91 . Take cutoff t o Ti mpano
gos Cave N. Mon. Conti nue on to Heber, and swi ng east on U. S. 40 to Vernal .
3rd day: Conti nue east on U. S. 40, vi si ti ng Di nosaur N. M. Stay on 40, turni ng
short of Granby onto U. S. 34 and Grand Lake.
4th day: Start earl y through Rocky Mountai n N. P. over Trai l Ri dge Road to Estes
Park. Take Routes 66 and 7 to Boul der ( U. of Col o. ); toll t urnpi ke to Den
ver (capi tal , parks and museums) or take 1 1 9 as a cutoff. Push west on U. S. 6
to Dowds and south on U. S. 24 to Leadvi l l e.
5th day: Cont i nue south and east on U. S. 24 vi a Buena Vi sta and Fl ori ssant to
Col orado Spri ngs. A si de road takes you u p Pi kes Peak. See t he Garden of the
Gods and Ai r Force Academy, then on to Denver vi a the freeway.
6th day: Vi a U. S. 87 or 287 to Fort Col l i ns, then on U. S. 287 to Larami e and
Rawl i ns.
7th day: Cont i nue on U. S. 287 to Lander, then turn east and north vi a 789 and
'
20 to Cody and on to east entrance of Yel l owstone Nat. Park.
2 l
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(Verijlocoll onocueckJoreeci(cootee)
Jonuar Nat. Western Livestock Show, Horse Show and Rodeo, Denver.
Aril Red Rock Park, Denver-and elsewhere-Easter Sunday sunrise ser-
vices in natural amphitheaters.
Moy Cherry Bl ossom Festi val, Canon Ci ty, Colo. ; Sports Car Races, Memori al
Day, La J u nt a, Col o. ; Vi gi lante Parade and Mont. I nsti tute of Ar t s Festi val ,
Hel ena, Mont. ; Gol d Spi ke Festi val, Ogden, Utah; Apple Blossom Festi val ,
Fayette, I daho (fi rst week); Fi shi ng Derby ( May-Nov. ), Sandpoi nt, I daho; Log
Drive Festi val, Pri est Ri ver, I daho.
June Rodeos, Bi ll i ngs and Mi les Ci ty, Montana; I ndi an Sun Dances at Man
lana reservati ons: State Mi neral and Gem Show, Rock Spri ngs, Wyo. ; Pack
Burro Race across Mosqui to Pass, Leadvi lle, Colo. ; Central Ci ty Festival, Cen
tral Ci ty, Colo. (through Aug. ); Horse Show and Rodeo, conti nues fi rst week
of J u l y, Greeley, Colo.
Jul Summer season of cul tural events a nd entertain ment at Aspen, Cen
tral City, Denver, etc. Make local i nqui ry. Widespread July 4th rodeos,
celebrations, festivities and speeches. Summer Chautauqua, Boulder,
Colo. (through Aug.); Pow Wow Days, Rodeo (last week), Boul der; Rodeo
and Pioneer celebration (2nd week), Canon City, Colo.; Cattlemen' s Days
Rodeo (3rd week), Gunnison, Colo. ; Pioneer Day Rodeo (late July), I daho
Falls; Snake River Stampede, Nampa, Ida .; Frontier Days celebration,
Cheyenne, Wyo. ; Calgary Exhibition and Stampede (week followi ng July 4);
Pioneer Days, rodeos, parades, pageants (late July), Ogden, Utah; U. of
Utah Music Festival (earl y July) a nd Days of '47 cel ebrations, Salt LaKe
City; I ndian sun dances and ceremonies, B rowni ng and Fort Belk nap,
Montana; Rodeos, Livi ngston, Red Lodge, Mont.; Wolf Poi nt Stampede
(mid-July), Wolf Point, Mont.
August Yacht Cl ub Regatta, Grand Lake, Colo. ; Ki ds' Rodeo, La Junta, Colo. ;
State F a i r and Rodeo (l ate Aug. or early Sept . ) , Pueblo, Col o. ; Pi kes Peak or
Bust Rodeo, Colo. Spri ngs; Al l Ameri can I ndi an Days cel ebrati on ( 1 st week),
Sher i dan, Wyo. ; Gi ft of the Waters I ndi an Pageant ( Hot Spri ngs State Park),
Ther mopol i s, Wyo. ; Cent ral Wyo. Fai r and Ni ght Rodeo ( mi d Aug), Casper,
Wyo. : Mi dland Empi re Fai r and Rodeo ( mi d Aug. ) , Bi ll i ngs, Mont . ; Northern
Mont. State Fai r and Rodeo ( 1 st week), Great Fal ls, Mont. ; Nat. Fresh Water
Trout Derby, Festival of Nati ons, Li vi ngston, Mont . ; War Bonnet Roundup
( mi dAug. ), I daho Fall s, I da.
September Aspencade (gui ded t our of the hi gh country-mi d Sept . ) , Steam
boat Spri ngs, Colo. ; Utah State Fai r, Salt Lake Ci ty, Utah; Peach Day (rodeo,
wrestli ng, boxi ng), Brigham, Utah; N. W. Montana Fai r and Rodeo, Kali spell,
Mont . ; State Fai r and Rodeo, Dougl as, Wyo. ; Rodeo (Labor Day weekend),
Thermopol i s, Wyo. ; Nati onal Steer Ropi ng Fi nals, Larami e, Wyo. ; Rodeo and
Roundup (Labor Day weekend), Lewi ston, I daho.
November Li vestock Show (mi d Nov. ), Ogden, Utah.
22
The Rocki es were the homel ands of nu merous nomadi c
tri bes, mai nl y h u nters of buffa l o, deer and el k. They i n
el uded t he Shoshoni , Ute and Pi ute, who a l so gathered
edi bl e roots and seeds. From a bout 1600 eastern tri bes,
pushed out of thei r l ands by other I ndi ans and, l ater,
by wh i te settl ers, trekked to the Hi gh Pl ai ns and Rocki es
seeki ng new homes. Those who came prospered, for after
1700 most of t he I ndi ans acqu i red horses and bega n to
enjoy a more abundant l i fe. They coul d move faster, hunt
i ng buffa l o, and covered l onger di sta nces when t r adi ng
wi t h nei gh bori ng t r i bes. Thei r basket- l i ke shel ters gave
way to ski n covered t i pi s whi ch coul d be q ui ckl y taken
down.and moved . Tri bes warred over hunti ng grounds and
ra i ded each other ' s camps for sheer gl ory and reckl ess
adventure. Ear l y contacts wi th Europeans were benefi ci al
to t he t r i bes, gi vi ng t hem trade goods and other new
materi al s. Thi s soon gave way to bl oody conf l i cts and wars.
There are no wri tten records of t he ori gi na l l ands and
23

Bands of hunters remained within
their tribal boundaries, except dur
ing raids and warfare. Bands that
were isolated from the rest of the
tribe might eventually use only their
band name. This has led to confu
sion about tribal names and tribal
boundaries.
Old forts 0
o Early settlements
Monuments and battlefields
Miles
Missions
Trails
Indian reserations
Original tribrlands
\
\ /
`

-HI STORICAL MAP

OF THE ROCKI ES
.
.
v
`

`
;/
,
,
` ear l y mi grati ons of these peopl e before t he comi ng of
Europeans. By studyi ng tri bal ki nsh i p, rel i gi ons, i an
guages, myt hs and l egends, anthropol ogi sts have pi eced
a good part of the story together. We t hus know that the
Crow, Bl ackfoot, Shoshoni , Ute and Pi ute occupi ed thei r
l ands for a much l onger ti me than t he rel ati ve new-

`
comers, the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Si oux
`
a nd Assi ni boi n. The Kutenai , newcomers
a l so, were ori gi nal l y buffal o h unters who
were pushed northward.
THE SHOSHONI , UTE, PI UTE AND BANNOCK l i ved i n ad
j oi n i ng terri tori es and spoke Uta- Azteca n l anguages that
had a common
.
ori gi n. The total popu l ati on of these tri bes
was esti mated at 1 5, 000, but t he I ndi ans l i ved i n bands
of a few fa mi l i es each. These bands wandered over t he bar
ren l ands of the basi ns a nd pl atea us, l ed by a chi ef who
was a n a bl e h u nter or an ol der man. Whi l e the men l ooked
for game, the women and chi l dren gathered berri es, nuts,
and seeds, whi ch they ground i nto meal . Thi s was cooked
i n t he ha ndsome waterti ght baskets t he women ski l l f ul l y
wove. A stew was boi l ed by droppi ng heated stones i nto
i t. These tri bes l i ved in wi cki ups-homes bui l t of pol es
and reeds, l i ke huge woven baskets. For war mth they
pl astered t he wi cki u ps wi th mud mi xed wi t h grass. The
women ta nned deer and antel ope ski ns for cl othes and
wove pl ant fi bers to make ski rts. They al so wove stri ps of
rabbi t f ur i nto warm robes and bl ankets.
Thi s si mpl e, i sol ated l i fe changed after 1 700. The Sho
shoni were among the fi rst to l earn to breed horses i n
t hei r shel tered val l eys. They traded horses to the eager
Pl ai ns h u nters for buffal o robes, t i pi covers, and tanned
buckski ns. Shoshoni traders l i ngered on the Pl ai ns to hunt
a nd bega n to feud wi th the Bl ackfoot, t he Cheyenne and
Si oux over buffal o terri tory.
I n 1 805, a Shoshoni woman, Sacaj awea , and her h us
band gui ded the Lewi s and Cl ar k Expedi ti on across the
Rocki es, and i ntroduced the expl orers to her peopl e. Thus
peacef ul rel ati ons wi th the wh i tes began. After 1 869, the
Shoshoni and Bannock entered reservati ons at Ft. Hal l ,
Lemhi and Wi nd Ri ver. Thei r chi ef , Washaki e, sai d at the
t i me that he was yi el di ng to the "s uperi or tool s and terri
bl e wea pons of the whi tes. "
2
Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology
Earl y photograph of Shoshone camp i n Wyomi ng; the tent in the foreground is
that of Chi ef Washaki e
The Ute ra i ded Spani sh and Pueblo I ndi an settl ements
to t he sout h and occasi onal l y crossed t he mou ntai ns
to t he Col orado Pl ai ns t o h u nt buffa l o. After t hey got
horses, t he warl i ke Ute i ncreased t hei r rai ds. However,
t hey l ater reti red peacef ul l y to reservati ons. A "war"
f l ared up i n 1879 beca use the Ute, al ready l i vi ng on short
gover nment rat i ons, were forced i nto fa r mi ng-an occu
pati on t hey consi dered unworthy of hu nters and warri ors.
The u pr i si ng was q u i ckl y su ppressed . I roni cal l y, recent
di scovery of oi l and urani um on t hei r reservati ons has put
the modern Ute among the weal t hi est I ndi ans.
The Pi ute, whi ch may mean "true Ute, " l i ved mai nl y as
pl ant and seed gat herers, whi l e t he Bannock-a detached
branch of the Northern Pi ute-became buffal o hunters. I n
1860 t h e Pi ute cl ashed wi th gol d prospectors. Later they
were pl aced on reservati ons.
27
THE BLACKFOOT, one of the l a rgest (est i mated popul a
tion 10, 000) and most aggressi ve grou ps of northern buf
fal o h unters, roamed over a vast terri tory i n Montana and
Canada. Ori gi nal l y from the eastern woodl ands, the Bl ack
foot were so named beca use of thei r moccasi ns, bl ackened
by grass f i res started to stampede the buffal o herds.
The Bl ackfoot were al l i es of the Bl ood I ndi ans, Pi egans,
Atsi na and Sarsi . Together they fought the Cree, Assi ni
boi n , Shoshoni , Cr ow and Si oux. By 1 750 the Bl ackfoot
had horses; by 1 770, guns. Then they and thei r al l i es
r ai ded south for more horses a nd, i nto the Rocki es, for
caches of f urs, stored by the French a nd I ndi an trappers.
Ri ch and powerf ul , the Bl ackfoot hel d rel i gi ous ceremoni es
honori ng the Great Mani tou and Sun Dances to assure
good buffal o h u nti ng. They traded sacred bu ndl es and
songs wi th thei r al l i es to acqu i re greater h u nti ng powers.
They feasted and gambl ed and, at campfi res, tol d tal es of
personal bravery and stori es f rom thei r ri ch past.
The s ma l l pox epi demi cs of 1836, 1 845, and 1 857
brought d i saster to the Bl ackfoot. Thei r popul ati on was
red uced by two t hi rds. Epi demi cs hi t t he nei gh bori ng
tri bes and deci mated them too. Soon after, the buffal o
began to di sappear and by 1 880, these fri ghtened, de
moral i zed peopl e faced starvati on. Both the Uni ted States
and Canadi an governments provi ded rati ons and cl othi ng,
and pl aced the Bl ackfoot on three s mal l reservati ons i n
the Uni ted States and two i n Al berta , Canada.
THE FLATHEAD, numberi ng about 3, 000, were rel ated to
the I ndi ans of the Northwest Coast, al though the Bi tter
root Va l l ey of Montana was thei r ori gi nal home. They
never practi ced fl atteni ng of i nfants' heads, but were so
named i n error by the French. The Fl athead fought the
28
louis Frohman-The New York Public librar
A s ummer camp of the Blackfoot gathered far bufalo hunti ng
Bl ackfoot for buffal o l ands, but l ost, and i n the end were
pressed northward. I n 1 855 they were pl aced on reserves
near Fl athead Lake, Montana, and i n the Bi tterroot Val ley.
Many had a l ready been converted to Cathol i ci sm by
Father de Smet. I n 1 872 part of the Bi tterroot Val l ey Re
serve was pu rchased from the Fl athead and opened to
whi te settl ers.
THE KUTENAI , numberi ng onl y 1 , 000, were buffal o hunt
ers i n the ear l y days. They were pu shed northward f rom
the Pl ai ns by the Si ksi ka and Cree, who were a l l i es of the
Bl ackfoot. The hu nti ng Kutenai cont i n ued to l i ve i n ti pi s.
Those who beca me fi shermen a l ong I daho and Canadi an
l a kes bui l t l odges of rushes and pol es. They speared and
t r apped f i sh from bark canoes, made i n a n a nci ent styl e.
The Kutenai worshi ped the s u n and bel i eved thei r dead
went there to l i ve. Otherwi se, thei r bel i efs were l i ke those
of the Pl ai ns I ndi an h u nters. I n 1 855 and 1 867, the
Kutenai were put on reservat i ons i n Montana and I daho.
2
PLAINS INDIAN TRIBES, who l i ved al ong the east front of
t he Rocki es, h u nted i n t he mounta i n va l l eys. They were
mai nl y buffal o hunters, though some of them farmed.
As tri bes from the ri ch prai ri es were pushed i nto the
Hi gh Pl ai ns, each spread over a terri tory wh i ch t hey l ater
cl ai med and defended as t hei r homel a nd. For al l these
newcomers to the Rocki es, the buffa l o beca me the mai n
stay of l i fe, su ppl yi ng food , cl oth i ng, a nd shel ter. The
horse made hunti ng and movi ng easi er, and for over a
centu ry the Pl ai ns tri bes prospered.
In t he 1 870's and 1 880's as the buffa l o di sappeared,
t he tri bes were defeated and forced to reservati ons. The
Pl ai ns tri bes l i vi ng cl osest to the Rocki es were:
THE CROW, who cal l t hemsel ves Ab
sa rake ( meani ng Sparrowhawk. Crow
or Bi r d Peopl e). were d i vi ded i nto
western or Mountai n Crow and east
er. n or Ri ver Crow. Thei r total popul a
li on was about 4, 000. Crow men were
excepti onal horsemen and ski l l ed
craftsmen.
THE ATSI NA, who numbered about
3, 000, are now at Ft. Bel knap Res. i n
Mont ana. They a r e al so cal l ed Gras
Venires ( bi g bel l i es), al t hough no
st outer than thei r nei gh bors. Thei r
name i n I ndi an si gn l a nguage was
shown by ci r cl i ng the hands i n front
of the stomach, si gni fyi ng "bi g bel l y. "
THE ARAPAHO al so numbered about
3,000. They had been cor n- growers
i n Mi nnesota before comi ng to the
Hi gh Pl ai ns. Al though the Arapaho al
ways fought t he Shoshoni , they now
l i ve on the same reservati on at Wi nd
Ri ver, Wyomi ng.
30
THE ASSI NI BOI N, who once numbered
some 1 0, 000, separated from thei r
rel ati ves, t he Si oux, and l ater fought
wi th them. In Chippewa l anguage, As
siniboin means "one who cooks wi th
stones. " The Assi ni boi n are now at
Ft. Bel knap and Ft. Peck Res. i n
Montana.
SI OUX i s a contracti on of Nadoues
sioux. It means "enemi es" in Chi p
pewa , who fought the Si oux when they
l i ved farther east. The Si oux, some
25, 000 strong, i nvaded and spread
west to the Rocki es. They became
known as Dakota, Nakata and Lakota,
meani ng "al l i es. "
THE CHEYENNE were ori gi nal l y Mi nne
sota farmers, but qui ckl y adopted the
ways of t he Pl ai ns I ndi ans. Number
i ng some 3, 000, they seem to have
covered more terri tory whi l e h u nti ng,
warri ng and rai di ng than much l arger
tri bes.
THE SUN DANCE was an anci ent
Pl ai ns ceremony to honor the buffalo
and to i nsure good health and good
hunti ng. The ceremony lasted for ei ght
days. Most was taken
.
up i n secret
ri tes, in fasti ng, prayers and other
The MorgreHa S. Dietrick Collection
preparati ons. On the l ast day the pub
l i c was i nvi ted to watch the parti ci
pants pi erce t hei r flesh and endure
pai n to prove thei r courage and enli st
the pi ty of the l i fe- gi vi ng sun, the god
of "good medi ci ne. "
CLOTHING, ORNAMENTS AND DECORATIONS blossomed
out when trade goods, such as knives, cloth, beads, and
guns, became available in the 1860's to the 1880's. Robes,
parfleches, moccasins ard buckskin shirts were decorated
with dyed porcupine quills and glass beads. Men painted
designs on tipis and shields. They carved beautiful pipe
bowls of red catlinite and made long pipe stems of ash.
Each tribe developed typical designs, and individual
craftsmen became famous. See examples on pp. 32-33
and in local museums (pp. 148-150).
3 !
EARLY EXPLORERS AND TRADERS The fi rst whi te men
to see the southern Rocki es were Franci sco Coronado and
hi s men, who i n 1 540 ma rched north from Mexi co i n
sea rch of gol d. None of these Spa ni ards entered the regi on
covered by thi s book except for two parti es that came i nto
southern and western Col orado and i nto Utah i n 1 775-6
and these scarcel y entered the Rocki es.
Dur i ng the 17th centu ry a f l our i shi ng f u r t rade had
devel oped throughout eastern North Ameri ca to meet the
Eu ropean mar ket for beaver , marten , muskrat, bea r and
buffal o. Beaver was i n speci al demand for men' s hi gh felt
hats, and the su ppl y of these ani mal s was ra pi dl y ex
ha usted. By the earl y 1700' s trappers and traders, known
a s voyageurs a nd coureurs de bois, pu shed westward
al ong the r i vers and throu gh' the Great La kes. These
French, Engl i sh and Scotch adventu rers travel ed si ngl y or
i n smal l parti es. They l i ved wi th the I ndi ans and some
ma rri ed I ndi an women. The kni ves and beads, guns and
traps they brought were traded for f urs, and I ndi ans were
encou raged to trap and hunt.
Thi s 1 728 map makes t he frst menti on of t he Rocki es (far left)
Public Archives of Canada-from Trappers and Mountain Men. American Heritage Junior Library.
C. W. Jeferys-Coll. Paul J. W. Glasgow, courtesy Imperial Oil, ltd.-from Trappers and Mountain
Men. American Heritage Junior library
verendrye' s two sons travel i ng westward towards the Rocki es
One such 0u)ugcur from uebec was Pi erre Verendrye
who, wi th hi s fou r sons, had a tradi ng post north of Lake
Superi or. Here as he traded, Verendrye pi cked u p stori es
of westwa rd- fl owi ng ri vers and of " mou nta i ns that shi ne
ni ght and day. " Later an I ndi an made a crude chart of the
route to the west and put the Rocky Mou ntai ns on a map
for the fi rst t i me. Verendrye pushed westwa rd, bui l di ng a
seri es of t radi ng posts. He moved on to the Ma ndan i n
1 738 and probabl y got as f ar west as the Bl ack Hi l l s
i n 1742-43. Du ri ng the next 50 yea rs i t i s est i mated that
some 5, 000 uu)ugcur8 worked west of the Mi ssi ssi ppi .
I n 1763 a French trader, Pi erre Lacl ede, and hi s 1 4-year
old stepson wor ked thei r way up the Mi ssi ssi ppi to below
the mouth of the Mi ssour i . Here Laclede pi cked the si te for
a tradi ng post, whi ch he named St. Loui s.
35
Trappers and Mountain Men. American Heritage Junior library from Travels in the Interior of North
America. Maxi mi l i an, Prinz zu Wied-Neuwid Yale University library
A contemporary artist pi ctures a Gros Ventre I ndi an attack on a keel boat at the
mouth of Montana' s Bi ghorn River i n 1 833
THE UNITED STATES took over most of the Roc ki es as
pa rt of t he vast 827, 000 sq u a re mi l es acq u i red as the
Lou i si ana Purchase from France i n 1 803. Wi th $2, 500
voted by Congress, and wi th Presi dent Jefferson ' s bl ess
i ng, Meri wether Lewi s and Wi l l i am Cl ar k started to expl ore
the 1 5 mi l l i on dol l ar purchase. They wi ntered i n Ma ndan
I ndi an vi l l ages i n North Da kota and, wi th the hel p of a
Shoshoni woman ( p. 26), crossed the Rocki es i n 1 805, re
t ur ni ng the next year. About the sa me ti me, Zebul on Pi ke
headed west to di scover the mountai n that bears hi s name.
The opti mi st i c reports of Lewi s and Cl ar k sped Ameri
can t r appers on thei r t ra i l . Wi th i n a yea r they were work
i ng the u pper Mi ssouri and Pl atte ri vers. One, John Col ter,
d i scovered the Yel l owstone geysers. Soon competi ng com
pani es were pushi ng thei r way i nto the Rocki es. St. Loui s
became t he capi tal of t he Ameri can f ur trade by 1820. From
here keel boats went up the Mi ssour i a nd i ts br anches
ca rryi ng trade goods and bri ngi ng back f ur s.
Mea nwhi l e, i n Canada the Hu d son' s Bay Company
merged wi th the North West Company i n 1 82 1 and com
2
bi ned thei r resou rces to push thei r f ur trade i nto the
Roc ki es where Fl athead and Kutenai suppl i ed the pel ts.
Amer i can compani es were havi ng thei r trou bl es wi th the
Bl ackfoot and the Ari kar a. They hi red agents, a mong
others Mi ke Fi nk, Jededi ah Smi th and J i m Br i dger, who re
cr ui ted trappers an< worked wi th them t hrough the moun
ta i n s f r om Mont ana to Col or ado. Each yea r these moun
tai n men met near the Green Ri ver i n southern Wyomi ng
to repl eni sh s u ppl i es, to trade and to make merry. The
l ast great rendezvous was hel d i n 1 837. Changi ng styl es
and overtrappi ng had brought the f ur t rade to a hal t.
Another Ameri can, John Fremont, was a su rveyor on a
Mi ssour i Ri ver expedi ti on i n 1 838-4 1 . He was j oi ned by
Ki t Carson i n expl ori ng the Rocki es. They moved west,
and after a peri od i n Cal i for ni a, Fremont ret ur ned to survey
Rocky Mount ai n passes for a transconti nental rai l road.
I nformati on from thi s su rvey prepared the way for the
cross- country rai l l i nk compl eted some ten years l ater.
last great trade rendezvous al ong t he Green River i n Wyomi ng' s Wi nd Ri ver
Mountai ns i n 1 837
Collection Everet D. Graf-from Trappers and Mountain Men. American Heritage Juni or library
I. N. Phelps Stokes Collection, Prints Division, New York Public Library
Salt lake City as it appeared in 1 867
MINING AND SETTLEMENT went ha nd i n hand as the
Rocki es were opened up by traders and settl ers.
At the ti me of the Lou i si ana Purchase, the terri tory the
U . S. acq u i red had an est i mated popul at i on of 50, 000 to
80, 000, mai nl y French. I t a l so i ncl uded a few descend
ants of the Spani sh settl ers who had come i n 1763.
Ear l y sett l ements were tradi ng center s, s uch as New
Orl eans and St. Loui s.
Gol d l u red Ameri cans westwa rd i n 1849. By 1880 over
200, 000 had crossed the Mi ssi ssi ppi Ri ver . Of these,
1 00, 000 entered Col orado i n the 1 859 gol d r ush. Settl e
ments rose wi th each new mi ni ng fi el d, but many became
ghost towns as the ore gave out. Mi ni ng in the Rockies
was not as easy as i t was in Cal i forni a. Not unt i l 1890, when
Guggenhei m i nstal l ed heavy machi nery, di d l arge scal e
operati ons begi n. Soon Col orado became the l eader i n the
producti on of gol d and si l ver (Cri ppl e Creek) and al so pro
d u ced copper, l ead and zi nc, ti n , mol ybden u m and ura
n i u m. Col orado has al ready prod uced a tota l of over si x
bi l l i on dol l ars i n metal s and other mi neral s.
Utah was settled i n 1 847 by Mormons fl eei ng from per
secut i on. Mi ners, headed for the Cal i forni a g
o
l d fi el ds,
38
trekked through Sal t La ke Ci ty. Many stayed on to farm
and rai se cattl e. Some al so found gol d i n Utah; l ater , cop
per , si l ver , petrol eu m and coal were di scovered . Utah' s
ur ani um deposi ts represent 35% of the nati on' s total .
I n Montana, gol d was found i n the ea rl y 1 860' s i n the
Mi so Ri ver, i n Al der Gul ch , Vi rgi ni a Ci ty, around Bannock,
a nd i n Last Chance Gul ch. Hel ena beca me the capi tal .
Today Monta na sti l l mi nes copper, si l ver, l ead, zi nc, al u
mi num, t u ngsten, u rani um, pet rol eum and coal .
I daho gol d was found nea r Orof i ne i n 1 860; si l ver, i n the
Coeur d' Al ene area i n 1 884. The gol d r ush brought set
ti ers. I daho became a terri tory in 1 863 and a state i n
1 890. I daho sti l l mi nes copper, anti mony, magneti te, zi nc
a nd phosphates.
Wyomi ng, too, has great mi nera l resou rces -coal ,
petrol eu m, bentoni te, i ron, copper , u ran i u m, a nd phos
phate. The f i rst two are sti l l of i mporta nce. But the f i rst
settl ers i n Wyomi ng came from f ar ml ands and they turned
mai nl y to rai si ng sheep and cattl e and to dai ryi ng.
Hel ena, i n t he newl y organi zed Montana Territory, from an 1 865 pri nt
Prints Divfsion, New York Publ ic library
Southern Pacific Railroad-from Railroads in the Days of Steam. American Heritage Junior library
The j oi ni ng of the rai l s i n 1 869 at Promontory, Utah, compl eted the first trans
conti nental rai l road
RAILROADS AND SETTLEMENT A networ. k of rai l roads
to u ni te the conti nent and encou rage wester n settl ement
wa s proposed to Congress before the Ci vi l War by Asa
Whi tney, a New Yor k mercha nt. However , the costs were
hi gh and probl ems unprecedented , I n 1 864, the North
er n Paci fi c Company was authori zed by Congress to con
str uct a rai l way from Lake Superi or to Puget Sound, by a
northern route. The Uni on Paci f i c Rai l road Company was
authori zed to bui l d a rai l road f rom Omaha , Nebraska,
through Wyomi ng, Utah and Nevada to Cal i forni a, j oi ni ng
the Central Paci fi c headi ng east from San Franci sco.
Congress donated to each project a 400- foot ri ght-of
way, a l l the stone, t i mber and earth needed, pl us l and
grants of 1 2, 800 acres for every mi l e of track constructed.
40
I n addi ti on the compani es
were gi ven a 30- year l oan,
based on esti mated costs
per mi l e. Chi nese and I ri sh
l a borers were i mported. Ma- ,
chi nery was brought around
Cape Hor n and over l and.
Br i dges were bu i l t and tun
nel s bored . Herds of buffal o
were sl aughtered to feed the
work crews.
I n tri u mph over great hard
shi ps, the Uni on Paci fi c met
the Cent r al Paci f i c i n 1 869,
53 mi l es out of Ogden , Utah.
By thi s ti me, the Chi cago and
Northwester n had reached
The Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka-
m a h a a n d t h e K a n sa s Pa-
rrom Roi/,oods in the Days of Stm. Amedcon
Heritage Junior library
ci f i c had penet rated as far
By the 1 870' s rai l roads were adver-
west as Denver, to j oi n the
ti si ng for both settl ers and vi si tors
Uni on Paci f i c at Cheyenne at
a l ater date. Now western farmers, cattl emen and mi n
ers had outl ets for thei r prod ucts-both eastwa rd and
westwa rd .
The rai l roads, str uck by the 1 873 depressi on , sent
agents to the East and to Eu rope to attract settl ers and to
sel l thei r huge l and hol di ngs. They offered settl ers cheap
tra nsportati on and f i nanci al hel p. They succeeded i n get
t i ng many peopl e to buy l and. The regi on' s popu l ati on grew
f rom u nder 200, 000 i n 1 870 to al most a mi l l i on and a hal f
i n 1 890. Thi s , and the fenci ng of the open r ange, settled
the West.
4 l
1 540- 1
1 743
1 776
1 793
1 803
1 805-06
1 806-07
1 807
1 808-09
1 81 1
1 820
1 824 .
1 825
1 830
1 834
1 841
1 842
1 846
1 847
1 848
1 858
1 860
1861
1 863
1 867
1 867-69
1 869
1 871
1 872
1 874
1 876
1 883
1 887
1 889
1 890
1891
1 896
1 91 0
1 938
1 958
1 959
42
H I S T O R I C A L T I M E T A B L E
Coronado expl ores the southern Rocki es i n New Mexi co
The Verendryes vi si t the Wyomi ng Rocki es
Escal ante penetrates north of Utah Rocki es
Alexander MacKenzi e wi nters i n the Canadi an Rocki es
Loui si ana Purchase i ncl udes eastern sl ope of Rocki es
Lewi s and Cl ark cross and recross northern Rocki es
Pi ke expl ores the southern Col orado Rocki es
John Col ter di scovers the Yel l owstone basi n
Ameri can and Mi ssouri fur compani es establ i shed
Astori a- Hunt Expedi ti on crosses central Rocki es
Long Expedi ti on to Col orado; fi rst ascent of Pi kes Peak
Great Sal t Lake di scovered by Ji m Bri dger and Peter Ogden
Fi rst annual fur rendezvous, on Wyomi ng' s Green Ri ver
Rocky Mountai n Fur Company organi zed
Fort Hal l becomes fi rst major U. S. fort i n I daho Rocki es
Cal i forni a Trai l through South Pass opened
Fremont' s fi rst expedi ti on. Establ i shment of Oregon Trai l
Northwestern Rocki es acqui red f r om Great Bri tai n by U. S.
Mormon settlers reach Great Sal t Lake; establ i sh State of Deseret
Southwestern Rocki es acqui red from Mexi co
Gol d rush to Col orado Rocki es begi ns
Pony Express i naugurated across Rocki es to San Franci sco
Gol d di scovered in I daho' s Snake Ri ver Val l ey. Cheyenne-Arapaho
I ndi an wars commence i n Col orado
Montana gol d rush
Sal t Lake Mormon Tabernacl e compl eted. Western Si oux War
U. S. Geol ogi cal Surveys in West commence
Fi rst transconti nental rai l l i nks meet at Promontory, Utah
Provi nce of Bri ti sh Col umbi a enters Confederati on
Yel l owstone created as fi rst nati onal park
Bl ack Hi l l s gol d rush starts
Battl e of the Li ttl e Bi g Horn (Custer's Last Stand)
Col orado admitted to the Uni on as 38th state
Northern I daho' s gold rush starts
End of the open cattle range
Montana becomes the 41 st state
I daho (43rd state) and Wyomi ng (44th state) admi tted to Uni on
Cri ppl e Creek, Col orado, gol d rush starts
Utah becomes 45th state i n Uni on
Casper, Wyo. , oi l boom, l eadi ng l ater to Teapot Dome scandal
Bi g Thompson proj ect, di verti ng water to Eastern Sl ope, begi ns
U. S. Ai r Force Academy opens on Col orado foothi l l s
Yel l owstone earthquake
State of Colorado
The Front Range i ncl udes uprai sed and ti l ted sedi ments
Evi dences of normal geol ogi c cycl es go back over a bi l l i on
years. Seas i nvaded the l and; l ayers of sedi ments formed;
the l and rose, formi ng mou ntai ns; vol canoes er u pted.
And wi th sl ow i nsi stence s u n, wi nd, rai n , ri vers, and i ce
l evel ed the l and agai n. Li fe sl owl y devel oped. Some 60
mi l l i on years ago a great seri es of sharp upl i fts fol ded,
sq ueezed and el evated the rocks to form the Rocki es and
the Andes. Later there was regi onal upl i ft. Vol cani c acti on
and deep movements of mol ten rock brought vei ns of ri ch
ores . Gl aci ers have cut val l eys, sha rpened pea ks, and
created magni f i cent scenery.
For more about the rocks of the Rockies, read:
Dyson, J. l. , GEOLOGI C STORY OF GLACI ER NAT. PARK, Gl aci er Nat. Hi st.
Assn. , Bul l . #3. 1 949
FenQeman, N. M. , PHYSI OGRAPHY OF WESTERN U. S. , McGraw- Hi l l , N. Y. , 1 931
Ross and Rezak, ROCKS AND FOSSI LS OF GLACI ER NAT. PARK, Geo. Sur. Prof .
Paper #294- K, Govt. Pri nti ng Ofc. , Wash. , D. C. , 1959
Wegemann, C. H. , A GUI DE TO THE GEOLOGY OF ROCKY MT. NAT. PARK, Govt.
Pri nti ng Ofc. , Wa
s
h. , D. C. , 1 944
43
THE HI STORY OF THE EARTH
Geological Begi nni ng
Maj or Events
of This Time
Time of I nterval
Divisions (m| ||| es tsrs)
Cenozoic Era
Quaternary Peri od
Recent . 015
Pl ei stocene 1
Cl i mate col d. Mountai n
and conti nental gl aci ati on.
later, sl aci al l akes I n
mountai n bases. Scat
vol cani c acti on I n Yel low
stone and other areas.
Characteristic
Life of Period
Men entered the area from
Asi a via Al aska and the
Nort hwest. Cl i mate col d.
Wi th retreat of i ce, rem
nant s of a rcti c l i fe r emai n
i sol ated on mou ntai n tops.
Tert i ery P
Pl i OCene
M
Ol l e
Eoeene
Pal eocene
Uplift m Rocky W |n Yam
I3 WW 0 @|
gg cruste| d| stum8 w|d0|y 0M0
__ vo|canlc erupt|on. Maq f| ts
_ |n|andk0s, swaam taw:|e =
fl ood pl lls. Local sedl camer a. horses,
l
f other
63
rtery deposi ts. Cl i mate lflll na anla.
Mesozoic Era
Cretaceous
J urassi c
Tri assi c
Pal eozoic Era
Permi an
Pennsyl vani an
Mi ssi ssi ppi an
Devoni an
Si l ur i an
Ordovi ci an
Cambri an
44
135
181
230
280
31 0
345
405
425
500
60
mi l d.
Wi despread deserts gi ve
way to l owl ands whi ch are
i nvaded by the sea. Fl uctu
ati ng sea coasts wi th
swamps and smal l basi ns.
Ri ch sedi mentary deposi ts.
Conti nual mari ne i nvasi on
and deposi ti on of sedi
ments wi th peri ods of
emergence. Abundant ma
ri ne l i fe. Swamps and coal
formati on. Era ends i n
shar p upl i ft, subsi dence,
erosi on, and much ari di ty.
Di nosa ur s and other rep
t i l es domi nate. Bi r ds de
vel op and mammal s ap
pear . Cycads, tree ferns.
coni fers abound. Ammo
nites (p. 59) reach cl i max.
Mar i ne i nvertebrates and
pl ants are common. Fi rst
mar i ne vertebrates de
vel op. Mosses and ferns
appear; al so gi ant a mphi b
i ans and fi rst repti l es.
IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
Where Seen i n
Rocky Mountai ns
Craters of t he Moon, Yel l owstone,
Gl aci er Nati onal Park, Tetons, Rocky
Mt. N at i onal Par k, Wi nd Ri ver
Mountai ns.
Green Ri ver and Ui nta Basi ns. Absa
roka Mountai ns, Devi l ' s Tower, Mi d
di e Park, Fl ori ssant, Cri ppl e Creek,
Rocky Mt. Nati onal Park, and Bl ack
Canyon of the Gunni son
Bl ack Canyon of the Gunni son, Col o
rado Nat i onal Mon. , Di nosa u r Nat.
Mon. , Wyomi ng Ra nge.
Tetons, Gros Ventre Mt. , Li ttl e Rocky
Mt s. , Li tt l e Bel t Mt s. , Garden of the
Gods, Bi g Horn Mt s. , Banff, Lake
Loui se, Wi nd Ri ver Mts . Larami e
Range, Aspen, Di nosau r Nat. Mon. ,
Wyomi ng Range, Wasatch Range.
Bl ack Canyon of the Gunni son, Col o
rado Nat. Mon. , Ui nta Mts. , Gl aci er
Park, Tetons, Rocky Mt. Nat. Park,
Pi kes Peak, Royal Gorge.

45
MOUNTAIN BUILDING i n the Rocki es is a tremendous,
compl ex process di fferi ng from pl ace to pl ace. Nowhere
is it as si mpl e as the pi ctu res show. When the ol dest rocks
were formed, a bout 2 bi l l i on yea rs ago, the area had
probabl y a l ready gone through cycl es of mou nt ai n bui l d
i ng and destr ucti on. Thi ck l ayers of sedi ments formed i n
the l ocal seas. Later mol ten grani te fl owed i nto these sedi
ments a nd the regi on wa s upl i fted . The sedi ments were
a l tered as a range of anci ent mountai ns formed ( 1 ). These
were sl owl y worn down unti l the l and was agai n nearl y
f l at (2). Seas encroached and new sedi ments were depos
1 Anci ent mount ai ns of gr ani te and 2 Mountai ns worn fl at; seas encroach;
al tered sedi ments formed more than more sedi ments a re deposi ted. About
600 mi l l i on years ago. 350- 550 mi l l i on years ago.
The Tetons are a classi c exampl e of
mountai n bui l di ng i n the Rockies
i ted in the shal l ow basi ns. Then fol l owed a l ong peri od of
. f l uct uat i on. Often the l and was submerged and mar i ne
sedi ments were deposi ted. Someti mes it was el evated to
form l ocal mountai ns (3) whi ch were aga i n worn down by
r ai n and r unni ng water.
Dur i ng the Age of Repti l es ( Mesozoi c Era) extensi ve
shal l ow seas covered western North Ameri ca . Where l and
was upl i fted it was l ow and swampy. Coal formed, and
d i nosa ur s wal l owed i n swa mps (4) . Later the cl i mate
cha nged and beca me dri er. Di nosa u rs beca me ext i nct. A
peri od of mou ntai n bui l di ng began al l through the West.
3 Upl ift creates l ocal mountai n ranges 4 Seas cover wi de area; l ocal upl ift
whi ch are soon worn down. About 320 wi th swa mps, coal and l owl and sedi ,
mi l l i on years ago. ments. 1 00-200 mi l l i on years ago.
5 Great upl i ft, f ol di ng and f aul ti ng
mark begi nni ng of present Rocki es.
About 60 mi l l i on years ago.
6 Erosi on, f urt her upl i ft, and many
vol ca noes mark f urt her growth of
Rocki es. 20-50 mi l l i on years ago.
The modern Rocki es started wi th upl i fts squeezi ng and
fol di ng the rocks (5). Fol ds overturned and spl i t; cracks or
f au l ts permi tted f urther movements. Thi s took mi l l i ons of
yea r s. Erosi on cut away the mounta i ns. Later there was
regi onal upl i ft wi th wi despread vol cani c acti on (6). Erosi on
cont i nued; ri vers cut deeper gorges. Then, as the cl i mate
cha nged, gl aci ers gouged the mounta i ns (7) . Mu ch of
North Ameri ca was covered wi th i ce. As i t mel ted, great
i nl and l akes formed and eventual l y drai ned. Onl y remnants
of gl aci ers are seen in the Rockies (8) but earthquakes, as
i n Yel l owstone in 1 959, remi nd us that mountai n bui l di ng
i s not yet at an end.
7 More erosi on; gl aci ati on on moun
t ai ns and northern pl ai ns. Several i ce
advances, 20-50, 000 years ago.
8 I ce melts; gl aci ers retreat unti l only
remnants and debri s remai n. Cl i mate
warmi ng to present day.
Bob and Ire S_ring
A tongue of the Col umbi a l cefel d, MI. Athabaska, Jasper Nati onal Park, Al berta
GLACI ERS form when s ummers a re not wa r m enough to
mel t the wi nter ' s accumul ati on of snow. The l ast great
peri od of gl aci ati on began about a mi l l i on years ago. Snow
pi l ed u p and cha nged to i ce, and as i ce became a mi l e or
more thi ck it began to "fl ow. " Cont i nental gl aci ers moved
south over eastern and central North Amer i ca, N. Europe
and Asi a. I n the hi gh Rocki es, smal l er va l l ey gl aci ers
f or med on mounta i n sl opes a nd moved downhi l l , carvi ng
a nd deepeni ng val l eys on the way. The i ce pi cked u p rock
debri s whi ch i t dropped to form morai nes. Three maj or
advances and retreats of the i ce sheets have been detected
i n the Rocki es. About 20, 000 years ago sl i ghtl y hi gher
temperatu res sta rted the l ast retreat. As i ce mel ted , gl a
ci al l akes were formed. Deep U- sha ped val l eys were
exposed, as were morai nes and the cup- shaped ci rques
that mar k the or i gi n of gl aci ers. Today s mal l va l l ey gl aci ers
a re sti l l seen , and evi dence of ea rl i er gl aci ati on i s every
where. About a dozen promi nent gl aci ers can be seen i n
the Rocki es.
4
VALLEY GLACI ERS are ri vers of i ce,
movi ng onl y a few feet a year. When
i ce pi l es up faster than i t mel ts, i t
fl ows sl owl y downhi l l carryi ng rock
debr i s wi t h it. When ice mel ts faster
than i t accumul ates, the gl aci er retreats.
A typi cal val l ey gl aci er i s shown on
p. 49.
CI RQUES mark the heads of gl aci ers.
Here snow col l ects and changes to i ce.
Freezi ng and thawi ng break up the
rock wal l s, enl argi ng the ci rque. When
gl aci ers mel t the ci rque remai ns, often
encl osi ng a ti ny l ake of i cy-bl ue water.
I ceberg Lake f i l l s a ci r que (below) i n
Gl aci er N. P.
Bob and Ira Spring
National Fi l m Board, Canada
MORAI NES are gl aci al trash pi l es of
rock, sand and gravel ( gl aci al ti l l )
d u mped al ong t he si des, bottom and
end of a gl aci er as i t mel ts. A retreat
ing gl aci er may l eave a seri es of ter
mi nal mor ai nes whi ch occasi onal ly
hol d smal l l a kes. Above is a morai ne
i n t he Col u mbi a l cefi el d, J asper N. P.
U SHAPED
V
ALLEYS cut by gl aci ers
contrast wi th V- shaped val l eys of swift
ri vers. Val l ey wal l s may
s
how gl aci al
pol i shi ng and groovi ng, evi dence of
gl aci al erosi on. Gl aci al val l eys, bur
dened wi th ti l l , may contai n smal l
streams. Thi s gl aci al val l ey r uns east
from Gr i nnel l Gl aci er in Gl aci er N. P.
Bob and Ira Spring
Fran Hal l -National Audubon Society
Hot spri ngs with sul fur deposits ( l eft) and Castle Geyser ( ri ght), in Yel l owstone
Nati onal Park
VOLCANIC ACTION in the Rocki es has gone on for 50 mi l
l i on years. Ol d vol canoes, l ava f l ows and mount ai ns of
i gneous rocks ( P- 52) are di rect evi dence. Secondary effects
a re seen as rai n water works down to depths where the
rocks are sti l l heated. Thi s water may retu rn to the surface
through steam vents or fumarol es, in hot s pri ngs, mud
vol canoes and geysers. Al l these can be seen i n Yel l ow
stone Nat i onal Par k. Hot spr i ngs occur wi del y f rom Col o
rado north i nto the Canadi an Rocki es.
Cl iff Geyser al ong t he banks of I ron Creek, a tri butary of the Fi rehol e River
Bob and Ira Spring
IGNEOUS ROCKS form f ar be
l ow the s u rface ( i nt r usi ve), or
on the s u rf ace (ext r usi ve). I n
t r usi ve rocks cool sl owl y; thei r
mi nera l s devel op as crystal s.
Granite i s i nterl ocki ng crystal s
of q uartz, fel dspar and mi ca or
a nother dar k mi nera l . Pegma
tite i s a coa rse grani te. Gabbro
i s i nt r usi ve rock r i ch i n dark
mi neral s. Most ext r usi ve rocks
a re vol ca ni c. Basalt, a dark
l ava , may be dense or f u l l of
gas bu bbl es (scori a) . Obsidian
or vol ca ni c gl ass i s l ava whi ch
has cool ed ra p
i
dl y. Some l avas
a re ri cher i n q uartz and fel d
spa r. Rhyolite i s chemi ca l l y l i ke
gra ni te. Pumice is a l i ght, frothy
rhyol i te. I gneou s r ocks grade
i nto one another so recogni ti on
may be di ffi cu l t.
SEDI MENTARY ROCKS form f rom
f r agments of ol der rock worn
down by water, wi nd or i ce, or by
chemi cal acti on. These, the most
c ommon rocks i n the Rocki es,
form i n l ayers-the younger ones
a bove the ol der. Conglomerate i s
pebbl es or l a rger fragments ce
mented together ; Breccia is a
congl omerate of angu l ar f rag
ments. Sancstone i s a rock of
sand grai ns cemented by si l i ca,
l i me or i ron oxi de. Arkose, a sand
stone wi th grai ns of fel dspar, typi
cal of rapi d erosi on, i s common i n
the Rocki es. Mudtone and shale
a re ha rdened muds and cl ays.
Shal e spl i ts i nto t hi n l ayers. Lime
stone comes from shel l s or coral ,
or i s chemi cal l y deposi ted i n the
sea . Gypsum i s deposi ted as l and
l ocked seas eva porate sl owl y.
congl omerate
METAMORPHI C ROCKS are rocks of a ny ki nd whi ch have
been al tered i n a maj or way by heat, pressure, or chemi
cal act i on. Such al terat i on may ta ke pl ace d u ri ng moun
t ai n bui l di ng. The process may be s i mpl e, as when sand
stones are compressed and ha rdened i nto quartzite, or
when l i mestones become marble. Both of these rocks
occ u r i n the Rocki es. Shal es a nd mudstones become slat,
a nd, if the process conti nues, phyllite forms wi th fi ne
s pecks of mi ca. Fu rther met amor phi sm produces schist,
i n whi ch the mi ca is much more promi nent. Someti mes
meta morphi sm so al ters rock that the ori gi nal materi al
cannot be recogni zed. Gneiss i s a coarse- textu red , partl y
recrysta l l i zed rock of va r i ous ori gi ns. Hi ghl y metamor
phosed rocks may be si mi l ar to grani te.
54
white marbl e A.

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Cu Copper
Au Gold
Fe I ron
Pb lead
Mn Manganese
Hg Mercury
Mo Molybdenum
Ag Silver
Ta Tantalum
Ti Titanium
w Tungsten
u Uranium
Zn Zinc
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MINERAL DEPOSITS made the Rocky Mou nta i ns famous.
Expl orers were enti ced by them. I ndi ans were antagoni zed,
prospectors rewarded, i ndustri es esta bl i shed , and settl e
ments begu n beca use of them. Gol d and si l ver were the
or i gi nal attracti ons though these a re no l onger of prime
i mportance. The regi on has ri ch deposi ts of copper, u ra
ni um and mol ybdenum, and commerci al deposi ts of l ead,
zi nc, tungsten, and i ron. Coal deposi ts and natural gas
a re adeq uate; oi l reserves ( i ncl udi ng oi l sha l e) a re pl enti
f u l . Non-metal l i c deposi ts i ncl ude marbl e and other bui l d
i ng stones, cl ays, fel dspar , phosphates, f l uori te, mi ca,
and gypsum. A ri ch variety of gem and ornamental stones
attracts amateur col l ectors.
55
N
'
ORES a re deposi ts from whi ch some prod uct such as
metal s ca n be profi ta bl y extracted . Some yi el d a si ngle
metal ; more often an ore compl ex yi el d several .
GOLD and SI LVER are mai nl y i nvi si bl e.
Smal l but i mportant a mounts are
fou nd today. Onl y i n the earl y days,
CHALCOCITE, a dark, heavy ore of cop
per and sul fur, occurs wi del y wi th ri ch
deposi ts near Butte, Montana.
GALENA i s the maj or ore of l ead, a
compound of l ead and su l f ur often
contai ni ng si l ver. A heavy si l very ore;
often has cubi c cl eavage.
when gol d was panned i n streams, di d
mi ners fi nd vi si bl e gol d. Even then,
nuggets were rare.
MALACHI TE and AZURI TE, two copper
ores, occur together. Formed by acti on
of ai r and water on chal coci te.
SPHALERI TE or zi nc bl ende i s the zi nc
or e, a compound of zi nc and s ul fur.
I t s col or vari es from yel l ow to brown;
often resi nous.
Usual l y the metal is i n chemi cal combi nati on and must
be ref i ned. Ores a re general l y associ ated wi th i gneous
rocks. They occur i n vei ns or pockets.
CARNOTI TE i s a compl ex ore of ura
ni um and vanadi um. Usual l y found as
yel l ow strea ks or gr ai ns i n sedi men
tary rocks.
PYRI TE, or fool ' s gol d , i s a bri ght
shi ny compound of i ron and sul fur.
Not an ore of i r on, it i s often associ
ated wi th other ores.
FELDSPARS a re a group of si l i cate
mi neral s found i n most i gneous rocks.
Ri ch Col o. deposi ts a re mi ned for
cera mi c fl ux and pottery gl azes.
DENI TE, a compound mo
l ybdenum and sul fur, i s a soft, metal
l i c, f l aky ore of t he metal u sed i n
tool - steel al l oys.
GYPSUM, cal ci um fl uori de, purpl e or
green, occu rs i n vei ns. Mi ned com
merci al l y i n Col o. , i t i s u sed as a fl ux
i n steel maki ng.
.
FLUORI TE, formed by eva por at i on of
anci ent seas, is used in maki ng pl as
ter and cement. One form, al abaster,
i s carved and sol d as curi os.
GEMS, semi - preci ous and or namental stones, a re found.
Some, l i ke topaz, coru nd u m and beryl , occ u r i n i gneous
vei ns or i n pegmati te i ntrusi ons. Amazoni te, a green fel d
spar from Pi kes Pea k, i s an i nteresti ng l oca l gem. Most
common and best known a re qu a rtz gems. Crystal l i ne
qua rtz i ncl udes rock crystal , smoky qua rtz, ci tri ne and
a methyst Noncrystal l i ne quartz i ncl udes chal cedony, j as
per , ca rnel i ans and several ki nds of agates. Moss agate
has i ncl usi ons of dendri tes-a manganese mi neral .
58
FOSSI LS unequal ed el sewhere i n the worl d have been
found i n the Rocki es and adj acent Pl ai ns. Cambri an shal es
of the Ca nadi an Rocki es have yi el ded remar kabl e i nverte
brate fossi l s. I n the Mesozoi c deposi ts of Col orado and
Wyomi ng a re bones of many gi ant di nosa u rs . The basi c
resea rch on these ani mal s was done from fossi l s of thi s
regi on. Fossi l s of earl y horses, pi gs, camel s and el ephants
have been dug u p al so. See reconstructed s kel etons and
restorati ons i n museums (p. 1 48). Make i n q u i ri es a bout
smal l - scal e col l ecti ng i n l ocal fossi l beds (p. 1 52).
ASTRASPI S, a pri mi ti ve, j awl ess fi sh
of Ordovi ci an age (p. 44) from Canon
Ci ty, Col o. i s one of the ol dest known
fossi
l
verebrates.
AMMONI TES, a l arge group of shel l
f i sh wi th cha
-
mbered shel l s, became
exti nct i n the Cretaceous. Some were
compl ex; 2-3 ft. in di amet
e
r .
. I NOCERAMUS, rel ati ve of the oysters,
was an abundant ani mal i n shal low
seas when di nosa u rs were at thei r
hei ght. Length 1 - 1 0 i n.
`:
DINOSAURS a re a fa med group of exti nct repti l es whi ch
reached thei r peak d u ri ng the Mesozoi c Era . Some were
a s s mal l as chi ckens, others the l a rgest l and a ni mal s
known. These l argest di nosa u rs were swa mp- dwel l i ng
pl ant eaters. Rel ati ves of the di nosa u rs i ncl uded fl yi ng
, mar i ne l i zards and crocodi l e- l i ke repti l
BRONTOSAURUS, 7 0 ft. l ong, l i ved i n
marshes of Wyo. and Utah i n J urassi c.
Ate
.
water pl ants. Esti mated wei ght
35 tons.
STEGOSAURUS, a heavi l y armored,
smal l - br ai ned, pl ant- eati ng di nosaur
a bout 20 ft. l ong. Fossi l s from the
J u rassi c of Wyomi ng and Utah.
DI PLODOCUS, l onger but l i ghter,
needed a bout 700 l bs. of pl ant food
dai l y. Lengt h, 85 ft. ; hei ght, 16 ft.
Common at Di nosaur Nat. Mon.
TYRANNOSAURUS, l argest fl esh-eater,
stood 20 ft. hi gh. Length, 40 ft. Great
j aws wi th many shar p teet h. Creta
ceous; Montana.
ALPI NE PHLOX (2-4 i n. ) forms a fl at
cushi on ami d al pi ne rocks. I s covered
wi t h pal e bl ue or whi t e fi ve- petal ed
fl owers i n mi dsummer.
SKY PILOT ( 2-4 i n. ) bl ooms al l sum
mer wi th sky- bl ue, funnel - shaped fl ow
ers. Leaves, wi th s k u nky odor, are
l ong, narrow; wi th oval l eafl ets.
The formi dabl e mountai n backbone of North Ameri ca i s a
va ri ed regi on, r angi ng from the dry pra i ri es to the east,
u p the mount ai ns, wi th thei r l u sh meadows and forests,
to the fri gi d peaks, then down to the even more ar i d i nter
mounta i n regi on to the west. I n these vari ed envi ronments
grow between 6, 000 and 7, 000 speci es of wi l d pl ants.
Omi tt i ng the pl ai ns a nd the ar i d pl atea us red uces the
n u mber to a bout 4, 500 mountai n speci es-ampl e proof
that thi s area i s r i ch i n pl ant l i fe.
Local condi ti ons of el evati on, sl ope, wi nd, rai nfal l , and
soi l affect pl ant envi ronments. The pattern of pl ant com
muni ti es i s compl ex. For more i nformat i on, read:
Crai ghead, Crai ghead, a nd Davi s, FI ELD GUI DE TO ROCKY MOUNTAI N WI LD
FLOWERS, Houghton Mi ffl i n Co. , Boston, 1 963. 209 f ul l -col or photos.
Nel son, R. A. , PLANTS OF ROCKY MT. NATI ONAL PARK, Washi ngton, D. C. ,
Government Pri nti ng Offi ce, 1 953. Excel l ent gui de to central Rocki es.
Standl ey, P. C. , PLANTS OF GLACI ER NATI ONAL PARK, Washi ngton, D. C. ,
Government Pri nti ng Offi ce, 1 926. Si mi l ar to Nel son wi th emphasi s on
northern Rocki es.
Weber, Wi l l i am A. , HANDBOOK OF PLANTS OF THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE,
Uni versi ty of Col orado Press, 1 96 1 . Keys and habi tat notes on regi on from
Col orado Spri ngs to Wyomi ng l i ne.
l
ALPI NE SUNFLOWER (4-6 i n. ) has
l arge, bri ght yellow fl owers and stems
wi th deeply di vi ded, hai ry leaves. The
flower head turns with the sun.
MOSS CAMPI ON ( 'h-3 i n. ) , common
i n t he hi gh Rock; es, f or ms flat
" mossy" cushi ons. Small , pi nk flow
ers wi th notched petals bloom in J uly
and August.
KI NG' S CROWN (2-8 i n. ) favors hi gh,
wet, rocky places: Termi nal cl usters of
dar k red fl owers open i n Jul y. The
leaves ar e t hi ck, s mooth and fleshy.
ALPI NE AVENS (2- 1 0 i n. ) i s the com
monest flower above t i mberl i ne. I ts
yellow, fi ve-petaled flowers bl oom i n
mi dsummer. Deeply di vi ded-leaves are
red in aut umn.
ALPI NE FORGET- ME- NOT ( 1 -2 i n. )
bl ooms mi dsu mmer at or above ti m
berl i ne. Smal l bl ue or whi te fl owers
with yel l ow "eye"
smal l "cousi n" of Montana' s state
fl ower, has nar row fl eshy l eaves i n a
cl uster at ground l evel , and smal l pi nk
or whi te fl owers.
ARCTI C GENTI AN (3-6 i n. ) i s com
mon at and above t i mberl i ne; bl ooms
l ate (Aug. and Sept. ). Fl ow
,
ers are
greeni sh-streaked and spotted wi th
purpl e. Leaves opposi te.
l arge, yel l ow fl owers wi th si x recurved
petal s, bl ooms on al pi ne sl opes ri ght
after the recedi ng snow l i ne.
3
PYROLA (6- 1 2 i n. ) bears noddi ng,
fi ve-petal ed, pi nk fl owers on stem
from a rosette of s hi ny, evergreen
Common i n moi st coni ferous
Several si mi l ar speci es.
WHI TE MARSH MARI GOLD (3-8 i n. )
t hr i ves i n moi st subal pi ne ar eas. The
oval l eaves are smooth and shi ny.
Frui ts are a cl uster of narrow pods.
PURPLE FRI NGE ( 2- 1 2 i n. ) grows i n
s mal l cl umps on open, d ry hi l l si des.
Fl owers from J une to Aug. Si l ky hai rs
on deepl y di vi ded l eaves make pl an1
si l very.
TWI NFLOWER (3-6 i n. ) carri es i ts
pai red, pi nk, noddi ng bl ossoms on up
ri ght stal ks. The creepi ng pl ant wi th
pposi te l eaves covers the ground i n
ool , shady woods.
PARRY PRI MROSE ( 6-24 i n. ) grows
al ong mountai n streamsi des. I ts l arge,
fi ve- petal ed, pi nk- pu r pl e fl owers are
skunk- scented. I t bl ooms i n J ul y and
August.
SUBALPI NE DAISY ( 1 -2 ft. ) i s the
common meadow dai sy fl oweri ng i n
J u l y and Aug. Note i ts narrow, pi nk
ray- fl owers, ar ound a yel l ow di sc.
Leaves are deepl y cut.
RED ELEPHANT ( 1 - 2 ft. ) prefers
marshy ground. Reddi sh- purpl e flow
ers, with a comi cal resembl ance to
el ephants' heads, bloom i n a termi na
spi ke.
pi nk buds and noddi ng bl ue bl os
soms, are fou nd al ong s ubal pi ne
brooks. Bl ooms J u n e to Aug. Several
si mi l ar speci es.
COLORADO COLUMBI NE ( 1 -2 ft. ),
"s state fl ower of Col orado, prefers
spen groves a nd hi gh meadows.
MONUMENT PLANT ( 1 -4 ft. ) i s a
stout pl ant of open pi ne woods and
cl eari ngs. Upper hal f of i ts l eafy stem
i s t hi ckl y covered with greeni sh-whi te
fl owers.
!EARGRASS (2-5 ft. ) grows on hi l l
si des to and a bove t i mber l i ne i n
Montana and I daho. Ti ny fl owers
bl oom upward gradual l y from base of
termi nal cl uster.
Look for l arge, bl ue-and-whi te, sourred
bl ossoms on sl ender stal ks.
GLOBEFLOWER ( 1 -2 ft. ) prefers hi gh,
subal pi ne meadows. Crea m to white
flowers produce a group of smal l pods.
Leaves are al ternate, d i vi ded i nto 5-7
smooth "f i ngers. "
WESTERN GOLDEN RAG WORT ( 1 -3
ft. ), one of many si mi l ar composi tes.
Found al ong roadsi des up to t i mber
l i ne. This speci es i s bushy with many
Y LLOW MONKEYFLOWER (6-24 i n. )
i s abundant on br ook si des. Fl owers
have a swol l en " pal ate" whi ch cl oses
the t hroat and causes a faci al
resembl ance.
ROSY PAI NTBRUSH (6- 1 5 i n. ) has
pi nk to purpl e fl ower bracts. Hybri di za
ti on wi th whi te- and yel l ow- fl owered
speci es produces a great vari ety of
col ors.
SUBALPI NE LARKSPUR (2-4 ft. )
grows i n dense cl umps i n wet mead
ows cl ose to t i mber l i ne. Termi nal
spi kes of deep bl ue (rarel y, pi nk)
FI REWEED ( 2-5 ft . ) grows wi del y i n
the open, parti cul arl y on burned- over
forests; hence its name. Wi nds carry
t he downy seeds for great di stances.
A great honey pl ant.
MONKSHOOD or Ac
o
ni te (to 6 ft. ) has
cowl - shaped, deep bl ue (rarel y, whi te)
fl owers. Grows i n subal pi ne meadows
and aspen groves. Poi sonous to graz
i ng stock.
F WERS OF THE FOOTHI LLS AND MOUNTAI N VALLEYS
ft . ) , is a handsome perenni al wi th
t rumpet- shaped, red to cream flowers
i n a l oose cl uster. Abundant in can
yons and sagebrush.
are common on hi l l si des but cl ose be
and a re t herefore often
PEA ( 6- 1 8 i n. ) bl an kets
val l ey floors with bri ght-yel l ow fl owers
i n J u ne and J ul y. Leaves have t hree
l eafl ets, l i ke cl over.
W
SULPHUR FLOWER (5- 1 5 i n. ) , abun
dant i n dry subal pi ne foot hi l l s, has
cl usters of yel l ow fl owers and whorl ed
l eaves ri si ng from a rosette.
GAI LLARDI A ( 1 -2 ft. ) bl ooms al l sum
mer i n foothi l l s, woods, and meadows.
I ts yel l ow fl ower heads have reddi sh
centers. Al so cal l ed "Fi re- wheel s. "
BALSAM ROOT (8- 1 8 i n. ) grows from
a t hi ck, edi bl e, t u r pent i ne- scented
taproot. Leaves are si l ky and whi te on
both si des. Common on hi l l si des;
bl ooms earl y spri ng.
WESTERN WALLFLOWER ( 1 - 2
-
ft. },
common on open pi ne sl opes, has
fou r- petal ed, yel l ow- to- orange and
brown fl owers. Al pi ne types may be
pure yel l ow or vi ol et.
shr ub (source of rubber) wi th narrow
l eaves and wool l y stems i n sagebrush
zone. Smal l yel l ow heads i n l ate
SHOOTI NGSTARS (6- 1 0 i n. ) are
woodl and and wet- meadow pl ant.
The fl owers, wi th fi ve i nverted petal s,
grow i n droopi ng cl ust er s. Leaves at
base of tal l , naked f l ower stal k.
MANY- FLOWERED EVENI NGSTAR (6-
12 i n. ) opens i ts showy yel l ow fl owers
i n l ate afternoon. Has sal mon-col ored
buds and thi ck, deepl y notched l eaves.
MOUNTAI N LUPI NE ( 1 -2 ft. ) i s al so
cal l ed Si l very Lupi ne because of i ts
wh i te hai ry fol i age. Bl ue to purpl e
spi kes of fl owers bl oom i n earl y
su mmer.
MI NER' S CANDLE (8- 1 8 i n. ) has cl us
ters of smal l whi te fl owers al ong i ts
thi ck, erect stem. Leaves hai ry, al most
pri ckl y. Bl ooms J u ne and J u l y.
ROCKY MOUNTAI N LOCOWEED {10-
1 8 i n. ) bears whi te or l avender flow
ers i n el ongated cl usters from spri ng
t hrough summer. I t i s someti mes poi -
I NDI AN PAI NTBRUSH ( 1 -3 ft. ) has
bri l l i ant red bracts sur r oundi ng the
bl ossoms. Pa rti al l y parasi ti c, i t often
grows attached to roots of sagebrush
and other pl ants.
among rocks wel l i nto fal l , often above
ti mberl i ne.
HEARTLEAF ARNI CA (8-24 i n. ) i s
common i n evergreen woods. Large,
yel l ow fl owers bl oom al l s u mmer.
Note t he pai rs of l arge heart- shaped
l eaves.
CALYPSO (3-6 i n . ) , or Fai ry Sl i pper,
i s a l ovel y orchi d bl oomi ng i n earl y
s ummer i n moi st woods. Del i cate,
sl i pper- l i ke bl ossom nods above a
si ngl e
l
eaf .
MARI POSA LI LY (6- 1 8 i n. ) bears
t ul i p- l i ke fl owers, whi te or pur pl i sh,
on sl ender ste ms . Bl ooms i n open
meadows and margi ns of woods i n
earl y summer.
WESTERN CLEMATI S i s a vi ne com
man i n t he foot hi l l s. Note cl usters of
whi te fl owers, conspi cuous feathery
frui ts, and leaves of 5-7 l eafl ets.
7l
NOW-ON-THE- MOUNTAI N ( 1 -3 ft. ) i s
rel ated to Poi nsett i a. Not
e
t he whi te
margi ns of the upper l eaves. Its mi l ky
sap is poi sonous and may i rri tate ski n.
SCARLET GLOBEMALLOW (4- 1 0 i n. )
forms cl umps on di sturbed soi l , es
peci al l y al ong roadsi des. Fl owers re
sembl e smal l hol l yhocks or hi bi scus.
ROCKY MOUNTAI N FRI NGED GEN
TI AN ( 1 2 - 1 6 i n. ) i s f ound i n wet
meadows or swamps. Its stri ki ng, deep
bl ue fl owers have ragged l obes.
PENSTEMON ( 1 -3 ft. ) bears
bl ooms i n mi dsu mmer,
tsoreti m<s turni ng whol e f i el ds bl ue. -
ROCKY MOUNTAI N BEE
l
LAN
T
forms dense stands 4-8 feet hi gh
al ong roadsi des and i n dry pl aces. I ts
fl owers' ri ch nectar attracts bees and
other i nsects.
CONI FERS OF UPPER FOREST AND TI MBERLI NE
ALPI NE LARCH, or Ta mar ack ( t o 60
ft . ) , has cl usters of many deci d uous
needl es growi ng from short shoots.
Cones, 2 i n. l ong, have poi nted bracts
between scal es. Often a stunted ti m
berl i ne tree. New twi gs are covered
with white wool . Fol i age bl ue-green.
ENGELMANN SPRUCE (60- 1 20 ft. )
forms pure stands but i s al so " found
wi th lodgepol e Pi ne and Subal pi ne
Fi r. Ranges from 3, 000 ft. i n north to
1 2, 000 i n sout h. Compact and hand
some, and of great commerci al val ue.
Young trees may have a i l very ti nge.
SUBALPI NE FI R grows 50- 1 00 ft. but
may be a prostrate s hr ub at t i mber
l i ne. Needl es are fl at, deep bl ue-green,
bl unt and upcurved. Cones are dark
and, as wi th al l fi rs, erect. Cone scal es
fal l separatel y, l eavi ng the "candl e"
standi ng on the tree.
LI MBER PI NE (25-60 ft. ) , named for
fl exi bl e young br anches; grows i n
rocky, exposed pl aces. Needl es, 3 i n. ,
ar e crowded i n bundl es of 5 at ends
of twi gs. Cone scal es are t hi ckened
but not spi ne- ti pped. Whi teheart Pi ne
repl aces i t i n northern Rocki es.
BROAD-LEAVED TREES AND SHRUBS OF THE
WI LLOWS of many speci es, nearl y al l
shr ubs, grow i n profusi on al ong
strea ms and on sl opes near t i mber
l i ne. I l l u strated i s Creepi ng Wi l l ow, a
shr ub that stands onl y 2 i n. hi gh and
grows a bove t i mberl i ne i n Montana
and Wyomi ng. Al l wi l lows have catki ns
or "pussi es. "
MOUNTAI N DRYAS i s a l ow, creepi ng
s hr ub wi th s mal l , toothed l eaves,
wool l y beneat h, and whi t i sh, ei ght
petal ed fl owers. Forms dar k green
mats above ti mberl i ne. A typi cal al pi ne
pl ant found i n hi gh mount ai ns of
North Ameri ca, Asi a and Europe.
WATER BI RCH ( 1 0- 25 ft. ) i s a
spreadi ng shr ub or smal l tree wi th
reddi sh- brown, non- peel i ng bark and
twi gs covered wi th resi nous l umps. I t
i s al ways f ound cl ose to streams.
Leaves t ur n a beaut i f ul yel l ow i n
aut umn. Bog Bi r ch i s a ti mberl i ne
shrub.
TWI NBERRI ES (3-6 ft. ) are true
honeysuckl es. Smal l , yel l ow, t u bul ar
fl owers ar e borne i n pai rs on a sl en
der stem. Bracts at thei r base l ater
turn red and encl ose two purpl i sh
bl ack berri es. Deer and el k browse on
t hem i n wi nter.
UPPER FORESTS AND TI MBERLI NE
MOUNTAI N ASH (3- 1 2 ft. ) i s a shrub,
someti mes a smal l tree. Large cl us
ters of whi te fl owers and br i l l i ant
orange-red berri es i n fal l . Found mai nl y
i n subal pi ne zone i n moi st si tes;
pl anted ornamental l y at l ower ranges.
Servi ceberry i s i n same (Rose) fami l y.
CI NQUEFOI LS (V,-3 ft. ) occur i n many
speci es. Thei r bri ght yel l ow, buttercup
l i ke fl owers wi th fi ve- notched petal s
bl oom from earl y spr i ng to l ate sum
mer from foot hi l l s to above ti mberl i ne.
I l l ustrated i s Shrubby Ci nquefoi l , onl y
woody speci es of the Rocki es.
ROCKY MOUNTAI N MAPLE i s some
ti mes a tree 25 feet hi gh but more
often a shr ub of wi de al t i t ude range.
The l eaf has several for ms, from typ
i cal mapl e shape to t h ree compl etel y
separate l obes. The l eaves t ur n pal e
yel l ow i n ,aut umn.
DWARF MOUNTAI N LAUREL (4- 1 2
i n . ) , an evergreen s hr ub found al ong
streams; has cl usters of pi nk, parasol
l i ke fl owers. Leaves are opposi te,
green above, whi te bel ow, and edges
often rol l ed under. Stamens "tri gger"
pol l en spray when di sturbed.
CONI FERS OF THE LOWER MOUNTAI NS
WESTERN YELLOW PI NE, or Ponder
osa (80- 1 80 ft. ) , forms open forests.
Tr unk ri ses strai ght and i s sometimes
branchl ess most of i ts l ength. Needl es
are i n bunches of 2-3; bark of ol der
trees breaks i nto l arge i rregul ar pl ates.
Very i mportant as a l umber tree.
WESTERN WHI TE PI NE (90- 1 20 ft. )
i s a tal l , sl ender coni fer wi th crown of
sh ort, d roopi ng br anches beari ng
needl es i n bundl es of 5; has el ongated
cones. Someti mes one branch extends
1 0- 1 5 ft. f arther out t han others.
Wood very i mportant commerci al l y.
LODGEPOLE PI NE (60-1 00 ft. ) grows
i n dense stands after forest fi res.
I ndi ans u sed sl ender pol es for ti pi s;
l u mber has many uses. Needl es,
about 2 i n. l ong, are i n bunches of
2-3; cones are smal l ; remai n on tree
many years: open after fi res.
BRI STLECONE PI NE (30-40 ft. ) hol ds
l ongevi ty recor d, 4, 600 year s, for
trees. Bar k is whi t i sh when young;
red- brown l ater. Cones are smal l :
curved needl es i n bunches of 5, have
dots of white resi n. Trunk often twi sted;
a shr ub at hi gh el evati ons.
GRAND FIR ( 90- 1 20 ft. ) , a val uabl e
tree of the northern Rocky Mountai ns,
grows i n cl ose stands wi th branches
onl y on u pper t hi r d. The crown of
ol der trees is somewhat rou nded.
Bark of young trees i s thi n and whit
i sh; of ol der trees, reddi s h- brown in
col or.
DWARF J UNI PER, most wi del y di s
tri buted coni fer of N. Hemi sphere, is
a sprawl i ng shr ub found both on bar
ren sl opes and i n thi ck ti mber. The
bark i s reddi sh and scal y; needl es are
s hort, whi te above. The s hort, scal e
l eaves are awl - shaped.
DOUGLAS FI R of t he Rocky Mts. i s
not the gi ant of the West Coast but a
smal l er vari ety, glauca, 80- 1 20 ft.
hi gh. Reddi sh- brown bark is deepl y
f ur rowed. Cones have t hree- ti pped
bracts protr udi ng between scal es. I t
i s the most i mportant l u mber tree of
the U. S.
ROCKY MOUNTAI N JUNI PER, about
1 5 ft. , i s a smal l bushy tree, reduced
to a l ow shr ub on exposed si tes.
Found on dry mount ai n sl opes and
canyon bottoms. Trunk often branched;
bark, thi n and stri ngy. Twi gs are cov
ered with tiny scal e- l i ke l eaves.
BLUE SPRUCE (80-1 00 ft. ), the state
tree of Col o. , favors canyon stream
si des; i s wi del y used as an ornamen
tal . Needl es are short, very s harp
ti pped, often very whi te. Bark i s dark,
rusty, thi n and scal y, be
c
omi ng thi ck
and furrowed on ol der trunks.
WESTERN LARCH ( 1 00- 1 80 ft. ) i s
typi cal l y a tal l , narrow tree, even when
growi ng in open. Branches short and
tough; cones smal l , thi ckl y scattered.
Fol i age pal e green , becomi ng yel low
i n ear l y f al l and d roppi ng from tree.
Not found i n the southern Rocki es.
WESTERN' HEMLOCK ( 1 20- 1 60 ft. )
has reddi sh, f l aky bar k, smal l cones.
The fl at, short, gl ossy needl es of i rreg
ul ar l engt h gi ve a l acy appearance
to the twi gs. Tr unk tapers to sl ender,
weak poi nt, typi cal l y dr oopi ng. Si mi
l ar to heml ock found i n East.
WHI TE CEDAR (120-200 ft. ), an i m
pressi ve, oft en t
a
l l tree, i s i mportant
for i ts d u ra bl e, aromat i c, but weak
l u mber. Li mbs poi nt u pward at acute
angl es; branch l ets carry fl at, fern- l i ke
sprays. Typi cal l y a Paci fi c Coast tree.
Found i n Gl aci er Nat . Park.
BROAD-LEAVED TREES OF MOUNTAI N VALLEYS AND FOOTHI LLS
COTTONWOODS are conspi cuous in
aut umn when t hei r fol i age t ur ns bri l
l i ant orange-yel l ow. Narrowleaf Cotton
wood (35-50 ft. ), i l l ustrated here, has
narrow l eaves resembl i ng those of
wi l l ows. Common i n Rocky Mountai n
a
r
d Yel l owstone Nati onal Parks.
THI NLEAF ALDER (6-20 ft. ) forms
dense t hi ckets i n satu rated soi l , and
i s useful i n retardi ng erosi on on banks
and headwaters of strea ms. Easi l y
recogni zed by the two types of catki ns,
the seed- bear i ng ones resembl i ng
smal l
BALSAM POPLAR (50-80 n. )i s found
co mmonl y i n moi st bottoml ands i n
mi xed groves wi th al der , bi rch and
spruce. Wi del y di stri buted i n northern
U. S. and Canada. Easi l y co
-
nfu sed i n
the West wi th Bl ack Cottonwood. Buds
are sti cky and aromati c.
GAM BEL OAK ( 1 0- 1 5 ft. ) , a shrub or
smal l tree of dry h i l l si des and: canyon
wal l s. I t i s the onl y abun
d
ant deci du
ous oak i n Rock
i
es. Bar k i s gr ay and
rough; l eaves are typi cal l y oak- shaped,
dark green above, pal e bel ow. A wi de-
PAPER BI RCH ( 30-70 ft. ) I ndi ans
made canoes f r om i ts creamy white
bark. The surface peel s off paper-thi n.
Of ten f ound near streams and l akes
i n mi xed stands with aspen, popl ar
and t amar ack. A tree of the northern
and Canadi an Rocki es.
QUAKI NG ASPEN (40-60 ft. ) i s wi de
spread i n t he Rocki e. I t qui ckl y cov
ers new bur ns and provi d's shel ter
under whi ch coni fers devel op. Leaves
with f l attened peti ol es trembl e in the
sl i ghtest breeze. A favori te beaver
food. Rel ated to cottonwoods (p. 79).
PEACHLEAF WI LLOW ( 50-70 ft. ) is
the only "tree" wi l l ow nati ve to the
Rocki es and is easi l y i denti fi ed by its
tapered l eaves, d roopi ng br anches
and crooked trun k or t runks. Twigs
are sl ender , pl i abl e; bar k of t r unk is
fu rrowed and somet i mes reddi sh.
BLACK HAWTHORN ( 6-25 ft. ), a
shr ub or smal l tree, often forms dense
thi ckets on . mountai nsi des or bottom
l ands. Bra nches wi t h stout, purpl i sh
red thorns. S. howy, fi ve- petal ed white
fl owers. It has bl ack f r ui t s, l i ke ti ny
appl es, hangi ng i n cl usters.
SHRUBS OF MOUNTAI N VALLEYS AND FOOTHI LLS
NI NEBARK ( 5- 1 0 ft. ) i s a spreadi ng
shrub wi th paper- l i ke bark that peel s
of f i n l ayers. I t bears whi t e fl owers i n
earl y summer and produces 2-3 i nch
fl at seed pods. The toot hed, hai ry
l eaves have 3 to 5 l obes. Someti mes
used i n cul ti vati on.
SQUAWBUSH, or Skunkbush (2-7 ft. ),
i s a cl ose rel ati ve of poi son i vy but i s
harml ess, though i l l - smel l i ng. Leaves
wi th 3 l eafl ets and t i ny yel l ow- green
fl owers a ppear early i n spr
i
ng_ I ndi ans
make baskets from sl ender shoots and
a dri nk from sti cky red berri es.
CHOKECHERRY (6-30 ft. ) forms dense
thi ckets that sprout from root suckers
and make a br i l l i ant show of red fol i
age i n fal l . Pea- si zed, bl ack or dar k
r ed cherri es are prof use and are a
sta pl e food of bears_ Al so used to
make j el l y by mount ai n housewi ves.
BUFFALO BERRY (2-8 ft. ) prefers
moi st , shaded sl opes. Br anches are
brown and scal y; l eaves are dark
green above and covered on under
si de wi th star - l i ke scal es_ A rel ati ve,
Russi an- ol i ve, i s a favori te d ryl and
shade tree.
SQUAW or WAX CURRANT ( 1 -4 ft. ),
a shr ub of dry sl opes and r i dges, has
al ternate pal mate l eaves, pi nk fl owers,
red frui t. Gooseberri es (usual l y thorny)
and other currants are also abundant.
RED-OSI ER DOGWOOD (4-8 ft. ) bears
f l at - t opped c l u sters of smal l whi te
bl ossoms whi ch mature i nto whi ti sh
frui ts. Often forms t hi ckets; dark red
branches conspi cuous i n wi nter. Vari
eti es wi th yel l ow bark are cul ti vated.
MOUNTAI N LOVER ( V>-4 ft. ), a low
evergreen shrub of moi st open woods.
The l eaves are l eathery and sl i ghtl y
toot hed, wi th very short stems; grow
opposi te on sprawl i ng branches.
BI TTERBRUSH, or Antel ope Brush
(2-8 ft. ) , i s a browse pl ant of deer
and antel ope. A tough, widely branched
shrub wi th pal e yel low bl ossoms.
Leaves are three-pronged, green above
and whi te underneat h.
SNOWBERRY ( 2-5 ft. ), named for i ts
l arge whi t e berri es, i s eaten by deer
and bi r ds. The fl owers ar e pi nk and
hai ry i nsi de. Leaves are vari abl e, thi n
and oval , and may be sl i ghtl y hai ry.
SAGEBRUSH, i n many vari eti es, grows
from 1 - 1 2 ft. in southern and central
Rocki es. Fol i age si l very gray; three
pronged l eaves are very aromati c.
These common shrubs prefer deep,
al kal i -free soi l s.
SERVI CEBERRY (2-6 f t . ) forms dense
t hi ckets. I ts fl owers, whi te wi th 5
l ong, narrow peta l s, bl oom in l ate
spri ng. I ts purpl i sh- bl ack berri es were
an i mportant food of Bl ackfoot I ndi ans.
THI M BLEBERRY ( 3-8 ft. ) has a fl at
tend r aspberry- l i ke f r ui t eaten by
bi rds and other wi l dl i fe. I ts del i cate
whi te fl owers measure two i nches
across. Thi s common shr ub i s not
thorny.
REDBERRI ED ELDER ( 1 -3 ft. ) A OREGON HOLLYGRAPE ( 'h-1 ft. ) has
spr awl i ng s h r u b wi th weak, pi thy
stems and opposite, compound l eaves.
I t bears l arge cl usters of smal l , white
fl owers. Has scarl et berries in fal l .
WHORTLEBERRI ES are shr ubs wi th
smal l pi nk or whi t e noddi ng fl owers.
Al l have toot hed l eaves. The dwarf
f or m ( Broom Huckl eberry) has red
berri es; the berri es of a tal l er species
( 1 -3 ft. ) are bl ack.
hol l y l i ke l eaves that turn deep red i n
fal l . The f l ower s are yel l ow, i n dense
cl u sters. Ber r i es are bl ue and make
fi ne jel l y. Prefers rocky gul ches.
BEARBERRY ( 'h- 1 ft. ) i s a prostrate
evergreen shr ub whi ch often carpets
t he forest and pi oneers on rocky sl opes
a nd new bur ns. Leaves are browsed
by deer; red berri es are a preferred
food of grouse.
Li c
h
ens growi ng on a rock
Herbert S. Zim
NON- FLOWERI NG PLANTS range from mi nute bacteri a to
great coni fers. Usual l y we thi nk of the term as a ppl yi ng to
ferns and thei r ki n-mosses, l i verworts, l i chens, fungi and
a l gae. Al l occur i n the Rocki es, and whi le most are nei ther
l a rge nor conspi cuous, they a re very common. About 25
ferns and a dozen fern al l i es can easi l y be found. Wi th
d i l i gence the i nterested a mateur can i denti fy scores of
mushrooms, l i chens and mosses. I l l ustrated a re j ust a
few of the most commonl y seen ferns, mosses and l i chens
of the Rocki es.
BRITTLE FERN ( !/-I ft. ) t akes i ts
name from i ts t hi n, fragi l e stem.
Grows from creepi ng bl ack rootstock
in veri moi st, shady areas. Very com
mon i n Rocky Mou ntai n Nati onal
Park; l ess so i n Gl aci er.
WESTERN BRACKEN ( 1 - 5 ft. ) i s a
stout, coarse fern wi th tough l eathery
fronds, often 6 ft. l ong. Some western
I ndi ans used young shoots as food.
Grows i n sandy or aci d soi l s i n al l
temperate regi ons.
spore-beor|agshoot ster|| esh
Parsl ey Fern (6- 1 2
i n . ) , has two ki nds of fronds-leafy
and spore- beari ng. Grows on rocks
a n d cl i Hs, u sual l y i n t i ght cl u mps.
Found from the Rocki es to the Paci fi c.
LI CHENS are pri mi ti ve pl ant s com
posed of a food- produci ng al ga and a
su pporti ng f ungus. They pi oneer i n
soi l formati on. Some ar e deer food;
some sources of tanni n and dyes.
de|
SPI KE MOSS, or Li ttl e Cl ub Moss, i s a
sl ender branchi ng moss- l i ke pl ant re
l ated to ferns. Spores borne in axi l s of
smal l l eaves. Found on dry barren
ground near rocks.
HAI RYCAP MOSS, a wi ry-stemmed
moss of dry, sunny soi l or rocks, grows
3-5 i n. hi gh . The four- angl ed capsul e
sheds spores when ri pe. Leaf margi ns
fol d back to the center.
detai l o l eaf
Hai rycap Mos s
i n. ) al pi ne rodent restri cted to north
ern Rocki es. Gray wi th bl ack-and- white
face. Compar e with more common
Yel l ow- bel l i ed Marmot, p. 91 .
N| ML L| |L U| 1HL RUUK| L5
A centu ry ago weal thy Eu ropea n sportsmen ca me to the
Rocki es to hunt the fa med gri zzl y anc other bea rs, deer,
el k, moose, mountai n l i ons and mountai n sheep. Such bi g
ga me sti l l roa m the parks and mountai ns. Under a wi se
a nd stri ct conservati on pol i cy thei r nu mbers a re i ncreas
i ng, and bi g game hunti ng i s sti l l i mportant. However, the
average vi si tor i s more l i kel y to get hi s thri l l from the
bi rds and smal l er mammal s tha n from a n occasi onal
gl i mpse of a l a rge beast. Here a re the most common spe
ci es of the Rocki es. Remember, al l wi l dl i fe i s protected i n
Nat i onal Pa rks and i n Nati onal Monu ments. Try hu nti ng
wi th a ca mera . If you prefer a gun or fi shi ng rod , check
state and l ocal l aws and regul ati ons.
For more i nformation about mammal s, read:
Burt & Grossenhei der, A FI ELD GUI DE TO THE MAMMALS, Houghton Mi ffl i n,
Boston, 1952
Pal mer, Ral ph S. , THE MAMMAL GUI DE, Doubl eday, N. Y. , 1 954
Rodeck, H. G. , GUI DE TO THE MAMMALS OF COLORADO, Uni v. of Col orado
Museum, Boul der, Col o. , 1 952
Zi m and Hoffmei ster, MAMMALS, Gol den Press, N. Y. , 1955
87
MOUNTAI N SHEEP, or Bi ghorns (4-
5 'h ft. ), a re el usi ve. Grayi sh- brown
with creamy- whi te rump and massi ve,
backward- curvi ng horns, they prefer
grassy mount ai n areas. Femal es give
bi rt h to one l amb born i n spri ng.
PI KA, or Cony (8 i n. ), l i ves i n ti mber
l i ne rock sl i des. Pi kas-are gray- brown,
rabbi t- l i ke, wi th smal l , round ears and
no apparent tai l s. They gather, dry,
a nd store grass for wi nter food.
MAMMALS OF
ALPI NE HEI GHTS
MOUNTAI N GOAT ( 5'h ft. ) l ooks l i ke
an al l - whi te goat, but i s more cl osel y
rel ated to ant el ope. Li ves among al
pi ne cl i ffs. Col or bl ends wel l wi th
snow-covered rocks. Mal e and femal e
l ook al i ke.
NORTHERN POCKET GOPHER ( 1 0 i n. ),
a grayi sh- brown rodent of mt. mead
ows, l i ves underground and b urrows
for fl eshy roots. Pi l es of di rt mark the
tunnel entrances. Does not hi bernate.
MAMMALS OF FORESTS
AND HI GH SLOPES
BLACK BEAR (300 l b. ) is bl ack or
ci nnamon wi th a brown face. Lacks
shoul der h u mp of gri zzl y. Most com
man and wi del y di stri buted bear, i t is
seen near camps and roads. Eats al
most everythi ng.
MARTEN ( 25 i n. ) , a forest carni vore,
has l ong, sl ender body, short l egs,
b rown, bushy t ai l and soft, dense,
f ur . Wt. 2-4 l b. Does not h i bernate.
Feeds on rodents, bi rds and eggs.
GRIZZLY BEAR, wei ghi ng up to 1 , 000
lb. and al most 7 ft. l ong, i s the l argest
mount ai n car ni vore. I ts yel l owi sh,
whi te- ti pped hai r s gi ve i t a gri zzl ed
a ppearance. Feeds on game, frui ts,
and berri" es.
MI NK (25 i n. ) h u nts f i sh, frogs, cray.
f i sh, bi r ds, and s mal l ma mmal s . An
active carni vore si mi l ar to the weasel ;
al ways l i ves near water. Note i t s whi te
chi n patch. 4-1 0 young.
RED FOX ( 35-40 i n. ) has
three col or phases-bl ack,
r ed, and cr oss. Us ual l y red
di sh- yel l ow wi th bl ack "stock
ings" and whi te- ti pped bushy
tai l . Li ves i n hol l ow l ogs and
bu rrows; eats rodents, occa
si onal l y frui t.
0
LONG-TAI LED WEASEL ( 1 5-20 i n. ,
3-8 oz. ), i s a wi despread h unter of
rodents and smal l bi rds; changes from
to whi te in wi nter and is then
RI VER OTTER (4-5 ft. ) , hunted for i ts
beaut i f ul t hi ck f ur , i s an excel l ent
web-footed swi mmer. Eats fi sh, frogs,
smal l mammal s. Ri ch brown above,
si l very bel ow. Makes i ts den i n bur
rows or thi ckets.
and steal t hy, the bobcat
h unts by day as well as at ni ght.
I t preys on smal l rodents and
bi rds, rarel y on l arger ani mal s.
The bobcat prefers rocky thi ckets
.nd dens in caves or hol l ow trees.
I ts col or ranges from brown to
gray, spotted wi th bl ack.
GOLDEN MANTLED GROUND SQUI R
R EL ( 1 0 i n. ) is s i mi l ar to Eastern
Chi pmunk but l acks head stri pes. Has
coppery head, whi te body stri pes bor
dered with bl ack. A common camp
vi si tor i n t he Rocki es.
RI CHARDSON' S GROUND SQUI RREL
( 1 1 i n. ) i s smoky- gray wi th a l i ght
bordered tai l . Often cal l ed Pi cket Pi n
from habi t of si tti ng u p strai ght. May
-
hi bernate from 8 to 9 months in the
north or i n dry areas.
YELLOW- BELLI ED MARMOT (23 i n. ) i s
a yel l owi sh, heavy- bodi ed rodent that
l i ves i n bur rows or under rocks. Feeds
on pl a nts on rocky hi l l si des i n the
southern Rocki es.
MOUNTAI N LI ON, or Puma (80-200
l b. , 6-8 ft. ), i s a l a rge, l ong tai l ed,
tawny cat t hat preys on deer and
other l arge mammal s. Ranges wi del y
but i s sel dom seen. Two spotted young
are born each year.
l
2
il so cal l ed Pack or Trade Rat, steal s
smal l objects; may l eave others i n ex
cha nge. Bui l ds l arge sti ck nests i n
rocky crevi ces, mi ne t unnel s and
under cabi ns.
PI NE SQUI RREL, or Chi ckaree ( l 3 i n. ),
us ual l y nests hi gh i n spruce or fi r.
Yel l owi sh- red i n s ummer; grayer i n
wi nter. Feeds on seeds, nut s and
fungi . I t i s noi sy and an agi l e cl i mber.
BEAVER (3 ft. ) has fur so val uabl e
that i t l ed to expl orati on of thi s regi on.
Bu i l ds houses and dams of mud and
sti cks. Swi ms wi th webbed hi nd feet
MULE DEER (6 ft. , 1 50-300 l b. ) i n
open forests. I t i s reddi sh
brown i n summer, grayer i n wi nter.
Has a mul e- l i ke tai l and l arge ears.
Hu nted by coyote, bear , puma and
man. Femal e smal l er; l acks antl ers.
DEER MOUSE (7 i n. ) is a bi g-eared,
whi te-bel l i ed rodent found nearl y every
where. Nocturnal in habi t, i t feeds on
anythi ng edi bl e; a l so stores seeds and
frui ts for wi nter. I t i s often seen
around camps.
SNOWSHOE HARE ( 1 8 i n. , 2-4 l b. ) is
a short- eared, common mountai n rab
bi t. Large "snowshoe" hi nd feet pe.
mi t it to r un over soft snow. Cotton
tai l s are al so pl enti ful i n the Rocki es.
PORCUPI NE (25-30 i n. , 1 0-28 l b. )
i s a short - l egged , cl umsy rodent cov
ered with barbed qui l l s whi ch are loose
but cannot be t hrown. It is a slow, cau
ti ous cl i mber; feeds on bark and
especi al l y of popl ar.
grazes on many pl ant s. Spends wi n
ters i n val l eys, summer i n mountai ns.
Antl ers ar e shed i n March. Femal e i s
smal l er ; does not have antl ers. One
cal f i s born i n the spri ng.
MAMMALS OF VALLEYS AND FOOTHI LLS
STRI PED SKUNK (24 i n. , 4-8 l b. ) l i ves
in bu rrows, rocky crevi ces, or u nder
l ogs and bui l di ngs. Eats i nsects, mi ce,
f r ui t and carri on. Spotted Skunk of
southern Rocki es i s smal l er.
BADGER ( 25 i n. , 1 0-20 l b. ) i s heavy
bodi ed and short - l egged. A powerful
di gger, i t h u nts rodents i n t hei r bur
rows; al so eats bi rds, eggs, repti l es
and i nsects. May mound di rt at bur
row entrances.
WHI TE-TAI LED JACK RABBI T (24 i n. )
ranges from prai ri es to ti mberl i ne.
Prefers open country; rel i es on speed
for protect i on. Leaps 1 5-20 ft. Is
browni sh i n summer, whi ti sh in wi nter.
1 3- LI NED GROUND SQUI RREL ( 1 0
i n. ) eat s seeds, pl ant s, i nsects, grubs
and wor ms. Shy and qui ck, i t h i ber
nates i n wi nter. Has beaded, browni sh
stri pes on si des and back.
LEAST CHI PMUNK (7 i n. ) is the smal l
est chi pmunk i n Rocki es. When al armed
i t r uns with t ai l upri ght. Li ves i n bur
rows under st u mp s or rocks; stores
seeds, nuts, and frui ts for wi nter.
WHITE-TAI LED PRAI RI E DOG ( 1 3 i n. )
i s a rodent of mount ai n gr assl ands;
l i ves i n "towns " or col oni es. Stands
guard on mounds, utteri ng a hi gh
pi tched bark when al armed.
TUFT-EARED SQUI RREL ( 20 i n. ) i s a
pi ne forest dwel l er. I ts ears are tufted
except in late s u mmer. I t vari es i n
col or ; i s oft en gray above and whi te
bel ow but may be al l bl ack.
COYOTE ( 3v, ft. ) is a smal l er rel ati ve
of the wol f; hol ds i ts tai l down when
r unni ng. I t eats rodents and other
smal l ani mal s, grasshoppers and frui t.
I ts often- heard yappi ng i s di sti ncti ve.
MOOSE (700-1 300 l b. ), the l argest of
the deer f ami l y, l i ves in swampy val
l eys and al ong streams. Eats aquati c
pl ant s, shr ubs and bark. Mal es have
l arge, broad, fl attened antl ers.
PRONGHORN ( 5 ft. , 90- 1 30 l b. ), our
fastest mammal , i s a uni que Ameri can
speci es and i s not an a ntel ope. Tan,
wi th white under and on r ump. I t eats
s hrubs and grass on open ranges;
sheds horn covers yearl y.
oI SON, or Buffal o ( 1 2 ft. ) , once roamed
the Pl ai ns i n mi l l i ons. Sl aughtered for
meat and h i des, onl y r i gi d conserva
ti on preserved the speci es. Shoul der
hei ght i s 6 ft. ; wei ght u p to 1 ton.
TRUMPETER SWAN (65 i n. ) breeds on
a few Rocky Mountai n l akes. It was
once near exti nct i on, but now has a
popul ati on of about 1 , 500 bi rds.
WHITE PELI CAN (55-70 i n. ) has bl ack
pri mari es and a yel l ow t hroat pouch.
Soars gracef ul l y; does not di ve for
food. Nests on i nl and l akes.
b| RDS U| 1HL RUCK| LS
Wi th a range of el evati on exceedi ng 1 0, 000 feet , there i s
a correspondi ng va ri ati on i n bi rd popul at i on. Al ong the
f ront ranges of the Rocki es, eastern speci es are common.
Here i s part of the central fl yway al ong whi ch many water
fowl speci es mi grate north from Mexi co and Central
Amer i ca. Movi ng up the foot hi l l s t hrough the forests and
a l pi ne meadows bri ngs ma rked cha nges i n bi rd l i fe. The
seasons produce more cha nges. I n wi nter, al pi ne and
northern speci es move southward and down the moun
ta i ns. The l ocal envi ronment al so exerts a n i nf l uence.
Some bi rds prefer l akes and streams; others, open woods;
and a few speci es prefer the col d of mountai n hei ghts.
For more about birds of the Rockies, read:
Ni edrach and Rockwel l , BI RDS OF DENVER AND MOUNTAI N PARKS, Col o. Mus.
Nat. Hi st . , Denver, Col o. , 1 939
Packard, F. M. , BI RDS OF ROCKY MT. NAT. PARK, Rocky Mt. Nature Assn. , Estes
Park, Col o. , 1 950
Peterson, R. T. , FI ELD GUI DE TO WESTERN BI RDS, Houghton, Boston, 1 961
Pettingi l l , 0. S. , A GUI DE TO BI RD FI NDI NG WEST OF THE MI SSI SSI PPI , Oxford
Uni v. Press, N. Y. , 1 953
Robbi ns, Br uun, Zim and Si nger, BI RDS OF NORTH AMERI CA, Golden Press,
New York, 1 966.
Zi m and Gabri el son, BI RDS, Gol den Press, New York, 1 956
7
BI RDS OF ALPI NE HEIGHTS
WHI TE- TAI LED PTARMI GAN ( 1 2-1 3
i n. ) i s a smal l grouse t hat remai ns
a bove t i mber l i ne except i n wi nter.
Su mmer pl u mage browni sh; wh ite i n
wi nter. Bui l ds nest on the ground be
si de boul ders.
HORNED LARK (7-8 i n. ) has a con
spi cuous yel l ow- and- bl ack face pat
t er n. I n f l i ght, l i ght breast contrasts
wi th i ts bl ack t ai l . " Horns" are rai sed
onl y duri ng courtshi p. Lays 3-4 eggs
in a ground nest.
wi nter pl umage
BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FI NCH (6 i n. )
l i ves above t i mber l i ne i n southern
Rocki es; wi nters i n val l eys. Eats i nsects
and seeds. Gray- crowned Rosy Finch is
common i n the northern Rocki es.
WATER PI PI T ( 6-7 i n. ) nests above
ti mberl i ne; h u nts for i nsects around
mel ti ng snowbanks. Bobs tai l con
8
stantl y. In mati ng season, mal e si.ngs
whi l e soari ng.
BI RDS OF FORESTS AND HI GH SLOPES
BLUE GROUSE ( 1 8- 2 1 i n. ) i s dark
bl ui sh- gray above, sl ate- gray bel ow.
Femal e i s smal l er and more browni sh.
Courti ng mal e utters hol low "hooti ng"
sound. One race l acks whi te across
end of tai l .
WESTERN FLYCATCHER ( 8-9 i n. ) i s
ol i ve- brown wi t h l i ght- yel l ow u nder
parts, whi te wi ng bars and eye ri ng.
Catches i nsects on the wi ng i n forests
and cl eari ngs. Bui l ds moss nest in
rocks or trees.
WI LLI AMSON' S SAPSUCKER (91 h i n. )
hunts commonl y i n pi ne woods for
tree i nsects. The stri ped femal e di ffers
so shar pl y from the mal e, i t was for
merl y consi dered a separate speci es.
Nests i n hol es of trees.
GRAY JAY ( 1 1 - 1 3 i n. ) has whi te crown
and dark- gray col l ar. Lives i n high for
ests and is sel dom seen fl yi ng in the
open. Gray J ays, commonl y seen
around ca mps, are cal l ed " Camp
Robbers" or "Whi skey- Jacks. "

TOWNSEND' S SOLI TAI RE (9 i n. ) , a

sol i t ary t hr ush wi th a warbl ing song,
i s sl ate- gray wi th whi te eye ri ng, l i ght
wi ng bars and whi te outer tai l feathers.
Breeds throughout the Rocki es.
MOUNTAI N CHI CKADEE ( 511 i n. )
hunts i nsects i n bark of trees. I t has a
bl ack cap and throat and whi te eye
st ri pe. The Bl ack Capped Chi ckadee
l acks whi te over the eye.
l 00
CLARK' S NUTCRACKER ( 1 2 - 1 3 i n. )
i s common i n h i gh meadows i n sum
mer. I t has a gr ay body wi th whi te
patches on wi ng and t ai l , and a l oud,
harsh cal l . I t wi l l enter camps for food.
( 7 i n. ) is a brown
backed bi rd wi th reddi sh t ai l , sl ender
bi l l and s potted breast. Feeds on i n
sects. Has . a cl ear, fl ute- l i ke song.
Note sl ow, frequent rai si ng of the tai l .
KI LLDEER (9- 1 1 i n. ) i s an i nl and
pl over of mountai n meadows and l ake
shores. Common i n the West, espe
ci al l y i n summer. Note whi te- bordered,
reddi sh tai l and two bl ack breast bands.
RUBY- CROWNED KI NGLET (4 i n. ) i s
a ti ny, ol i ve-gray bi rd wi th i nconspi cu
ous red crown, pal e wi ng bars and
whi te eye- r i ng. Feeds on i nsects.
Bui l ds hangi ng nest of bar k or moss.
CASSI N' S FINCH (6 i n. ) often nests i n
pi ne trees. Feeds on i nsects and seeds.
Note mal e' s red crown, breast and
r ump. Tai l i s deepl y notched. Femal e
i s ol i ve- gray, and streaked.
SPOTTED SANDPI PER (7-8 i n. ) tee
ters as i t wal ks al ong l ake shores. I t is
the onl y spotted sandpi per of the
regi on. Note the whi te eye l i ne and
whi te shoul der mar k.
AUDUBON' S WARBLER ( 5 i n. ) i s a
bi rd of the pi ne and fi r forests. Be
haves much l i ke fl ycatchers, catchi ng
i nsects on the wi ng. Bui l ds feather
l i ned, bul ky nest of bark and needl es.
PI NE GROSBEAK ( 9 i n. ) i s l argest
Rocky Mt. fi nch. Mal e i s rosy- red with
bl ack wings and tai l . Femal e i s brown
i sh- gray, has two whi te wi ng bars.
These seed-eaters nest i n coni fers.
l 0l
RED CROSSBI LL (6 i n. ) bobs as it
fl i es, utteri ng repeated " beeps. "
Feeds on seeds from evergreen cones.
The Whi te- wi nged Crossbi l l of the
N. Rocki es has two whi te wi ng bars.
GRAY- HEADED J UNCO (6 i n. ) wi th
rust y back, gray si des, pal e bi l l and
whi te outer tai l feathers; feeds and
nests on ground. Both the Whi te
wi nged and Oregon J u nco al so occur
i n the Rocki es.
l 02
GREEN-TAI LED TOWHEE (7 i n. ) feeds
and nests cl ose to t he grou nd. Note
the s mal l bi l l , l ong wi ngs and t ai l ,
gr een back and r usty r ed cr own. Lays
4 eggs, whi te with brown speckl es.
LI NCOLN' S SPARROW(5V, i n. ) prefers
dense t hi ckets. Note the breast,
fi nel y streaked with bl ack, crossed by
browni sh- yel l ow band. Song Sparrow
has heavi er strea ks whi ch meet in
central dar k spot.
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (6V, i n. )
prefers br ushy meadows. Mottl ed
brown back, pearl y- gray breast and
conspi cuous whi te-stri ped bl ack head.
Song con si sts of several whi stl es fol
l owed by a tri l l .
BI RDS OF VALLEYS AND FOOTHI LLS
PINE SI SKI N (5 i n. ) i n coni ferous
forests but i s general l y seen fl yi ng
ove
r
head i n fl ocks. Note heavy, brown
strea ks, forked t ai l , yel l ow wi ng bars,
and uni que, buzzi ng, ascendi ng cry.
l i ves near water a n d di ves for s mal l
fi s h . Tunnel s i nto banks t o bui l d i ts
nest. Has a
.
bi g head wi th a ragged
crest, and a l oud, ratt l i ng cal l . Femal e
has chestnut breast.
BLACK- BI LLED MAGPI ( 1 9 i n. ) has
a l ong, taperi ng, i r i descent tai l , white
u nder part s a nd whi t e V on its bl ack
back. Often gathers i n fl ocks on trees
or shr ubs near the water.
BROAD-TAI LED HUMMI NGBI RD (4
i n. ) cl osel y resembl es the E. Ruby
t hroated. Bui l ds mi nute nest of moss,
l i chens, pl ant down and cobwebs.
Wi ngs make a
RED- SHAFTED FLI CKER ( 1 3 i n. ) is a
whi te- r u mped, brown backed wood
peeker, commonl y seen on the ground
probi ng for ants. Note u ndu l ati ng
fl i ght. Femal es l ack red " mu stache"
marks of mal e.
l 03
WHI TE- THROATED SWI FT (7 i n. ) is
onl y swi ft wi t h whi t e t h roat and
breast. I t feeds on the wi ng, and fl i es
ra pi dl y. Found i n foothi l l s near pre
ci pi t ous rock wal l s.
STELLER' S JAY ( 13 i n. ) has a tal l ,
bl ack crest, deep- bl ue wi ngs and tai l .
Eat s seeds, i nsrts and f r ui t , and i s
conspi cuous at forest campsi tes. Has
a vari ety of l oud cal l s.
VI OLET-GREEN SWALLOW ( 5'1 i n. ) is
metal l i c vi ol et and green a bove wi th
two whi te patches at base of tai l .
Fl i es hi gh over cl i ffs. Tr ee Swal l ow i s
I bl ue above; whi te bel ow.
LEWIS WOODPECKER ( 1 1 i n. ) i s the
onl y woodpecker wi th a rose- col ored
bel l y. Feeds l i ke a fl ycatcher; fl i es l i ke
a crow. Food i ncl udes i nsects, berri es,
frui t and acorns.
DI PPER ( 7-8 i n. ) , a short, dark
gray bi rd, bobs as i t wal ks. Bui l ds
a bul ky nest of moss on rocks
al ong swi ft streams near rapi ds
and fal l s. Di ves i nto water and
wal ks on t he bottom hunti ng for
i nsect l arvae.
CANON WREN ( 511 i n. ) i s reddi sh
brown wi th conspi cuous whi te throat.
I nha bi ts canyons and cl i ffs. Bui l ds
bul ky nest i n rocky crevi ces. Song i s
cl ear, rapi dl y descendi ng whi stl es.
PYGMY NUTHATCH (4 i n. ) i s often
seen creepi ng head f i rst down pi ne
trunks, feedi ng on i nsect s. Note i ts
short tai l . Usual l y travel s i n f l ocks,
wi th a j erky bob- tai l ed fl i ght.
ROCK WREN (5-6 i n. ) i s a gray- brown
wren of rocky sl opes wi t h f i nel y
streaked breast and conspi cuous
whi te- ti pped tai l . Forages for i nsects.
Lays 7-8 eggs i n crevi ce nest.
l 05
BLUEBI RDS are common. The Moun
tai n Bl uebi rd (7 i n. ) i s bri ght bl ue wi th
a whi te bel l y; femal e i s browni sh.
Western Bl uebi rd ( 6'1 i n. ) has rusty
red back and breast; femal e is pal er.
BREWER' S BLACKBI RD (9 i n. ) com
monl y wal ks wi th its wi ngs sl i ghtl y
drooped. Feeds al most enti rel y on
ground. Nests i n col oni es i n grassy
meadows. I ts note is a rough "check. "
I n t he f i el d, note t he pu rpl e i r i des
cence on the head and the whi te eye.
Al so common on the Hi gh Pl ai ns and
eastward .
MACGI LLI VRAY' S WARBLER (5 i n. ) ,
recogni zed by i ts gray hood and white
eye- r i ng, prefers moi st hi l l si de t hi ck
ets; i s often found near water. I t l ays
3-5 eggs i n a nest of dri ed grass.
WESTERN TANAGER (7 i n. ) i s bri l
l i ant yel l ow wi th bl ack wi ngs and a red
face. Femal e is ol i ve- green a bove.
yel l ow bel ow. Bu i l ds a twi g- and- grass
nest i n pi ne, spruce or fi r, fai rl y cl ose
to the ground.
BLACK- HEADED GROSBEAK (7 i n. )
nests i n open, deci d uous woodl ands;
feeds on i nsects and seeds. Note
bl ack head, heavy beak, rusty breast
and whi te wi ng patches.
EVENI NG GROSBEAK (8 i n. ) i s a l arge,
du l l -yel l ow fi
n
ch wi th a whi t i sh, coni
cal bi l l and whi te wi ng patches. Easy
to recogni ze. Eats a vari ety of seeds
and frui ts. Lays 3 to 4 eggs i n a nest
of roots and sti cks.
LAZULI BUNTI NG ( 5V, i n. ) i s a bri ght
bl ue fi nch wi t h a ci nnamon breast
band and whi te wi ng bars. Femal e i s
dul l brown. Prefers dry brushy sl opes
and hi l l si des. Nests i n bushes.
RUFOUS- SI DED TOWHEE (8 i n. ) i s a
shy bi rd t hat nests and feeds in
t hi ckets or a mong dead l eaves. Note
the bl ack head, reddi sh si des, whi te
wi ng mar ki ngs and whi t e- t i pped tai l
feathers. The western form of thi s
common bi rd ( i l l u strated) has many
white spots on wi ngs and back. Fe
mal e smal l er and browner. A summer
resi dent i n most of the Rocki es.
!07
RUUKY MUUN1| N || 5HL5
Famed for trout i n i ts swi ft, cold strea ms, the Rockies
also h ave scores of other f i shes, some preferri ng the
la rger la kes and ri vers. Sti ll other speci es, i n cl udi ng Mi s
si ssi ppi Basi n f or ms, occ u r i n foothi ll r i ver s a n d ponds.
Typi ca l fi shes of the Rocki es are i ll ustrated here. See also
FI S HES, Zi m and Shoema ker , Golden Press, N. Y. , 1956.
Remember that a state li cense i s req ui red even for fi shi ng
i n Nati onal Parks, Monu ments a nd Forests.
TROUT ar e t he regi on' s nu mber one
fresh- water game f i sh. Best known is
t he Rai nbow or Steel head, wi th a
cl ear , reddi sh band al ong its si des.
Rai nbows feed on i nsects, smal l water
ani mal s, and f i shes. Av. wt. 2 - 5 l b.
Record 37 l b. The Cutthroat i s si lvery
gray, deepl y spotted with bl ack. Note
the red streaks on lower jaw. Wt. 1 -3
l b. ; record 41 l b. The Eastern Brook
Trout has been i ntroduced. It is dark
ol i ve, wi th " mar bl ed" bl ack and red
spots al ong its si des. European Brown
Trout, al so i ntroduced and fai rl y com
men, is dar k above, si l very bel ow,
wi th numerous l arge bl ack spots. A
ra pi d grower; wei ghs 1 - 5 l b. ; record
39 pounds.
MONTANA GRAYLI NG is si mi l ar to
trout, but rel ated to whi tefi sh. It i s an
SQUAWFI SH, t he l argest nati ve mi n
now, i s sai d to reach a wei ght exceed
i ng 30 l bs . , t hough 2-5 l bs. i s aver-
ROCKY MOUNTAI N WHI TEFI SH i s
NORTHERN SUCKER has a l ong snout
and fi ne scal es. Mal es have wi de, red
di sh streaks i n spawni ng season.
l a rge dorsal f i n. Prefers col d streams.
Thi s popul ar game fi sh gr ows to 1 5 i n.
or more.
age. An excel l ent sport fi sh on l i ght
t ackl e wi th bai t or l ures but ar e too
bony to be good eati ng.
si l very bel ow; head r ounded, over
hangi ng snout; f i ns wi th bl ack ti ps.
Wei ght 1 -3 pounds.
Sucker s are tasty fi sh, caught i n cl ear
strea ms and commerci al l y i n l akes.
Lengt h, 1 5 - 1 8 i n.
l 0
ROUKY MOUN1| N RLF1| LLb
The gener al envi ron ment of the Rocki es does not meet
the req u i rements of repti l es too wel l . These i nteresti ng
vertebrates occur , but not i n great nu mber or i n wi de va
r i ety. Those concerned a bout snakes wi l l be gl ad to know
WESTERN SKI NKS a re shy, swi ft, SHORT- HORNED LIZARD ( 3-5 i n. ) is
f i ne- scal ed l i zar ds wi th a t ai l l onger
than thei r body. Two speci es, one with
l i ght stri pes; the other with dark.
Lengt h, 8-9 i n.
FENCE LI ZARDS wi t h coarse, spi ny
scal es ar e dul l , gray- brown wi th dark
and l i ght bl otches. Several speci es
occur i n the Rocki es, l i vi ng i n dry,
wooded areas or i n rocky areas. Length,
5-7 i n.
a f l attened, s hort- tai l ed l i zard wi t h a
spi ny head crest. Prefers d ry, rough
terrai n. Easi l y caught, but not a good
pet. Wrongl y cal l ed " Horned-toad. "
PAI NTED TURTLE, common i n the
East, al so occurs i n northern Rocki es.
Thi s western s ubspeci es has l ess
col or on t he si des and a l arge, regul ar,
du sky patch on t he l ower shel l . I!/-
10 i n.
the regi on s u pports j ust one average- si zed speci es of
rattl er-the onl y poi sonous rept i l e i n our a rea . I n al l , the
regi on has a bout 1 4 speci es of snakes, seven of l i zards
a nd fou r ki nds of turtl es. For f u rther i nformati on read
PVPMl Bl AN5 AN0 EPTl LE5 DF WE5TERN NDRTM PVERl 0A,
Stebbi ns, McGraw- Hi l l , N. Y. , 1 954.
RACER The west er n f or ms of the
common racer are thi n, acti ve snakes
that feed on smal l ani mal s. They are
ol i ve, bl ui sh or browni sh a bove, and
yel l owi sh bel ow.
GOPHER SNAKE, a smal l er western
form of the Bul l Snake, has dark
bl otches on the back j oi ni ng those on
t he si des. They feed mai nl y on rats
and other rodents, and hi ss vi ol entl y
when mol ested.
WESTERN GARTER SNAKE occurs i n
several forms. The Gray Garter Snake
( i l l ustrated) prefers dry pl aces. Green
i s h gray to brown wi th a broken yel
l ow stri pe and bl ack bl otches on si des.
WESTERN RATILESNAKE, a medi um
si zed, thi ck- bodi ed speci es (3-4 ft. ), i s
gray, greeni sh or brown wi th l arge i r
regul ar bl ack spots. It has a tri angul ar
head. Feeds mai nl y on rodents.
Poi sonous.
RUUKT MUUNTA| N AMPH| | AN5
WESTERN TOAD ( 3-5 i n. ) i s warty;
gray, brown or greeni sh. Bel l y and
chest speckl ed wi t h bl ack. Acti ve at
ni ght at al l but hi ghest el evati ons.
Mal es have chi rpi ng, bi rd- l i ke cal l .
SPADEFOOT TOADS, 1 11-2 y i n. , (three
speci es) are more common in l ower
al ti tude grassl ands and open areas.
Note r ounded, sharp- edged bl ack
bump or "spade" on feet, and ver
ti cal pupi l of eye.
LEOPARD FROG (3-4 i n. ) , the wi dest
rangi ng North Ameri can amphi bi an,
i s i n al l waters of the area, i n both
mou ntai ns and l owl ands. Greeni sh,
browni sh or gray wi th oval or round
bl ack spots.
SWAMP CHORUS FRO0 is a s mal l er
( I / i n. ) frog of moi st grassl ands and
streamsi de brush. Gray-green to ol i ve
brown, wi th five i rregul ar dark stri pes.
I ts cal l i s a short chi
r
p.
TI GER SALAMANDERS ar e bl acki sh
wi th va r i abl e l i ght col ored mar ki ngs.
They l i ve i n burrows i n moi st ground
or under l ogs and stones and i n water
duri ng the breedi ng season. Active at
ni ght.
RUUKY MUUN1| N | N5LU15
Wi th the great vari ati on i n al ti tude, temperatu re, moi s
tu re, a nd char acter of the l a nd, i t i s no wonder that the
Rocki es a re r i ch i n i n sect s. Southern s peci es enter thi s
a rea from Mexi co a nd the Southwest; eastern and Pl ai ns
speci es push u p i nto the foothi l l s; and northern forms
come south at hi gh a l ti tudes. Col orado boasts of more
speci es of butterfl i es than such cl i mate- favored states as
Ca l i for ni a and Fl ori da . . Watch for those i l l u strated and
many others. For si zes, approxi mate
gi ven i n i nches.
COLORADO ARCTI C ( 1 . 6 i n. ) prefers
hi gh al t i t udes, usual l y f l yi ng above
t he t i mber l i ne. The l arva feeds on
sedges. The adul t i s a dul l , browni sh
gray; femal es are possi bl y more
ta nni sh.
MAGDALENA ALPI NE ( 1 . 9 i n. ) i s an
unusual , vel vety- bl ack butterfl y of the
al pi ne zone. Occasi onal l y l arge broods
appear , but t he l i f e hi story of thi s
col l ector ' s i tem i s u nknown.
OCHRE RI NGLET, ( 1 . 2-1 . 8 i n. ) abun
dant and easy to recogni ze by i ts yel
l owi sh brown col or; often has a dark
spot on each forewi ng and s mal l er
spots al ong t he edges of the back.
New Mexi co northward.
COLORADO HAI RSTREAK ( 1 . 5 i n. ) i s
t he . l argest member of a gr oup of
smal l but beauti ful butterfl i es. Found
at l ower al t i t udes i n scr ub and open
woods. The l arva feeds on scru b oak.
EDWARDS' FRI TI LLARY ( 2. 5 i n. ) has
heavy bl ack borders wi th ol i ve- brown
u ndersi des. Frequent s open forests
and grassl ands. Femal es often feed on
roadsi de t hi stl es. Range: S. Canada
to Col orado and Nebraska.
ALEXANDRA' S SULPHUR ( 1 . 9-2. 3
i n. ) i s common above 6, 000 feet.
Undersi des of hi nd wi ng are pale
grayi sh- green. Femal e pal e yel l ow or
whi te; l acks conspi cuous bl ack bor
ders. Larvae eat l egumes.
COLORADO ANGLEWI NG (2. 0 i n. ) i s
found al ong wooded mountai n streams
and val l eys from I daho and Wyomi ng
south to New Mexi co. Wi ng borders
ragged; u ndersi des wi th varyi ng pat
terns of gray.
COLORADO MARBLE ( 1 . 7-2. 0 i n. ) i s
common from the l owl and meadows
to t i mberl i ne forests. The pal e- green
l arvae feed on pl ant s of the mustard
fa mi l y. Found in the Rocky Mts. north
to Bri ti sh Col umbi a.
WEI DEMEYER' S ADMI RAL ( 2. 1 -2. 6
i n. ) i nhabi ts moi st meadows, val l eys,
foot hi l l s and mou nt ai nsi des. La rvae
feed on cottonwood; h i bernate in
rol l ed- up l eaves. Found from N. Mex.
north to Montana.
MOURNI NG CLOAK, ( 2. 8-3. 2 i n. ) a
wi despread North Ameri can speci es,
has pur pl e- brown wi ngs wi th bl ue
spotted yel l ow borders above, dark
undersi des. Cater pi l l ars feed on soft.
l eaved trees.
PARNASSI AN (2. 3 i n. ) i s seen near
stonecrop i n forest openi ngs, fi el ds
and open grassl ands. Hi gh and l ow
al ti t ude f or ms vary i n si ze. Wea k II i
ers. Ra nge: nor t her n N. Mex. to
southern Canada.
WESTERN TI GER SWALLOWTAI L
(3. 3-4. 3 i n. ) , commonest of several
l arge swal l owtai l s. Larvae feed on wi l
l ow, cottonwood and aspen. Common
from Pl ai ns westward, New Mexi co to
Al aska.
l l 5
WH U
It wou l d take a l i feti me to see and l ea rn to know the
Rocki es, but even a short vacat i on ma kes a begi nni ng.
Here are some pl aces to go and the ki nds of thi ngs to see,
enj oy a nd understand in the Rocky Mountai ns.
Tour through Nati onal Parks a n d Monuments whi ch preserve t h e bes.t of our
country' s natural and hi stori cal heri tage.
Ta ke short si de t r i ps or campi ng tri ps to state and provi nci al parks and
Nati onal Forests.
See bi rds, game, and other wi l dl i fe i n t hei r natural habi tats; observe al pi ne
pl ants, rocks and geol ogi c format i ons; wat ch bubbl i ng mud pots and
erupti ng geysers.
Boat on mountai n- ri nged l akes or take gui ded trips down swi ft, whi te- water
ri vers, through col orful canyons.
Vi si t h i stori c si tes, I ndi an reservati ons, battl efi el ds, ghost towns, museums
and exhi bi ts.
Wal k t he natu re tra i l s at l ei sure; hi ke the val l eys, woods or the mountai ns
on marked trai l s. Take pack t r i ps by horseback, or t r y the chal l enge of
mount ai n cl i mbs.
Rest and rel ax at campgrounds shaded by tal l pi nes, i n resort hotel s, at
i nformal dude ranches, or at wel l - equi pped cabi ns.
Try wi nter sports at ski centers or j u_st enj oy the magni fi cent vi ews from l i fts,
tows and el evated tramways.
Fi sh the unspoi l ed l akes and streams; hunt for game wi th gun or camera.
Sampl e rodeos, roundups, fronti er days, fai rs, and I ndi an ceremoni al s.
NATI ONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS (4 Par ks and 6
Monuments) under the Nati onal Park Servi ce preserve
over four mi l l i on acres of some of the most i nteresti ng
parts of the Rocky Mountai n regi on. Set asi de by Con
gress or by presi dent i al procl amati on beca use of thei r
uni que val ue, these areas have ampl e faci l i ti es for vi si tors.
Campi ng i s us ual l y per mi tted . Rangers and r anger- natu
r al i sts offer l ect ures and gui ded tri ps d u ri ng the summer
season. Larger Parks have museums. Check season dates
and ma ke reservat i ons for l odgi ng at pea k t ravel t i mes.
Moderate entrance fees are cha rged by most Parks.
I l
-Main roads
.%0k eurrenl hllhWI) nIPS for new
nttrstalt lnd Deltnst HIJhWI)S
l
NAT| UNAL PARh5
kND MUNUMLNT5
/
-
Mi les
"
-

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-

Tom McHugh-National Audubon Society
Rare Trumpeter Swans nest al ong secluded l akes i n Yellowstone
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, ol dest ( 1 872) and best
known Nat i ona l Par k, is a l so the l a rgest ( 2. 2 mi l l i on
acres). It f i l l s the northwest corner of Wyomi ng, r unni ng
over i nto Mont ana and I daho. Ear l y report s by h u nters
and t r a ppers of the nat ur al wonders of the Yel l owstone
a rea seemed so fa ntasti c that they were l a bel ed f i cti on.
Vol cani c acti vi ty has created breathta ki ng scenery and i s
sti l l evi denced i n the l argest col l ecti on of geyser basi ns i n
the worl d (300 geysers, l arge and smal l ) . Ol d Fai thf ul , the
most f amous, eru pts regul arl y, l oft i ng some 1 0, 000 gal
I ons of water 1 40 feet i nto the ai r , at i nterval s of a bout
65 mi nutes.
Grand Loop Road, a 142 mi l e sceni c hi ghway, connects
wi t h the f i ve ma i n entra nce road s a n d pas ses cl ose to
most of the maj or attracti ons in the Pa r k. West, south and
l l 8
east entra nces a re open May 1 to
November 1. The north entrance at
Gar di ner, Montana, i s open a l l year
a nd snowpl ows u s u a l l y keep the
r oute open through Ma mmoth Hot
Spr i ngs, Tower J uncti on and North
east Gate to Cooke. Hotel s and i nns
cl ose i n mi d- September . Many camp
gr
O
UndS a re avai l abl e i n S Ummer.
U. S. Nat;anal Park SeNko
Dude ranches su rround the Park.
Ol d Faithful erupti ng
The Loop Road l eads to hundreds
of hot spr i ngs, bubbl i ng mud pots, si nter cones, and ter
races, often bri ghtl y col ored by l i vi ng al gae. At Mammoth
Hot Spr i ngs there are a museu m and tra i l s through the
spr i ng a rea . Al so see Yel l owstone Fa l l s , the many-hued
Yel l owstone canyon, rel i cs of a petri fi ed f orest, and a
mountai n of vol cani c gl ass (obsi di an) .
Mor e tha n 200 speci es of bi r ds, i ncl u d i ng the rare
Tr umpeter Swan and Whi te Pel i can, are found i n the Park.
You may see moose, el k, bi son, bi ghorn or mountai n
sheep, mu l e deer, a ntel ope, bl ack and gri zzl y bears,
beavers, and coyotes. Lodgepol e Pi ne and broad- l eaved
t rees domi nate the l ower el evati ons; a l pi ne wi l dfl owers
bl ossom i n mi d- s ummer near r emnant snowbanks. Hear
ranger - nat ural i st tal ks at museu ms and geyser basi ns.
Boi l i ng mu d pot
U.S. Notionai . Park Service
Do not feed the Bears
U.S. National Park Service

Uni on Pacifc Railroad

Longs Peok rises to 1 4, 256 ft. behi nd Bear Lake, Rocky MI. Nati onal Park
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK i ncl udes more than
60 gl aci al cut pea ks extendi ng above 1 0, 000 feet. Fi ve
l i ngeri ng gl aci ers, U shaped val l eys, and many tarns or
gl aci al l a kes a re remi nders of the recent i ce ages. Pi nk
moss ca mpi ons and yel l ow snow butterc u ps bl oom i n
al pi ne meadows. Bl ue col umbi ne and many other fl owers
a re common at l ower el evati ons. Mou nta i n meadows,
a l pi ne t undra , and sl opes of pi ne, f i r, as pen , and spruce
provi de food and shel ter for bi rds and sma l l mammal s.
Here, too, are herds of el k, col oni es of beaver , and bands
of bi ghorn sheep.
Tra i l Ri dge Road (open s u mmers onl y) , hi ghest paved
through hi ghway i n the Uni ted States, wi th a bout ten mi les
a bove ti mberl i ne, per mi ts gl i mpses of several di st i nct
communi ti es of pl ant and ani mal l i fe. P the western end
i s Gr and Lake, l a rgest hi gh gl aci al l a ke i n Col orado. Vi si t
the museum and vi si tors center ( Morai ne Park) the al pi ne
museum ( Fal l Ri ver Pass) and several sel f gu i di ng, nature
trai l s.
l 20
Al though evi dence of gl aci al acti on i s wi despread
throughout the Park, and snowbanks may persi st al l sum
mer, the gl aci ers, magni fi cent from a di sta nce, can be
reached onl y by foot tra i l s or by horseback t r i ps. Experi
enced hi kers may want to scal e Longs Pea k ( 1 4, 256 ft. ),
McHenry Peak, or Mt. Ri chtofen ( i n the Never Summer
Mounta i ns) . A gui de is recommended . Get advi ce from a
Par k ra nger. The Park i s open al l yea r , though some roads
are cl osed i n wi nter. The summer program i ncl udes tal ks,
wal ks, movi es, and motor ca ravans. Lodges, i nns, and
hotel s operate near the Par k al ong al l nearby roads. Wi n
ter sports are popu l ar at Hi dden Val l ey on Trai l Ri dge but
wi nter accommodati ons are rore l i mi ted . Good camp
gr ounds are nu merous. The Par k' s eastern entrances are
Fal l Ri ver, near the val ley vi l l age of Estes Park, and at
nearby Thompson Ri ver; Gr and La ke is the western en
trance. Estes Park, wi th many stores, servi ces, and touri st
attracti ons, has an aer i al tra mway to the s ummi t of Pros
pect Mounta i n.
Dream lake l i es near the foot of Hal l et Peak, Rocky ' Mt. Nati onal Park
Uni on Paci fc Railroad
WATERTON- GLACIER INTERNATIONAL PEACE PARK on
the Mont a na- Canada border i ncl udes Gl aci er Nati onal
Pa r k i n the U. S. , and adj oi n i ng Waterton La kes Nati onal
Park i n Al berta . About 60 smal l gl aci ers sti l l cl i ng to the
col orf ul l y scu l ptu red, sedi mentary rock of hi gh val l eys and
feed over 200 forest-edged l akes-some many mi l es i n
l ength. Fi nel y ground and suspended sedi ment from the
gl aci ers creates the vari ed col ors i n the l akes a nd the
mi l ky appearance of streams.
Snow may bl ock hi gh mounta i n passes f rom earl y fal l to
l ate spr i ng, but hotel s are open and tou ri st servi ces avai l a
bl e f rom J u ne 15 to September 10. Goi ng- To- The- Sun Hi gh
way l i n ks La ke McDonal d and St. Mary La ke a nd offers a
specta c u l a r 50- mi l e crossi ng of the Cont i nent al Di vi de.
Another r oad l eads from Gl aci er Nat i onal Pa r k i nto the
Waterton La kes Par k. Mai n sceni c feat ure of the smal l er,
Canadi an porti on of the Park i s the l ong r i bbon of Water
ton La ke whi ch f i l l s a rounded gl aci al ca rved va l l ey. The
l ake i s s u rrou nded by coni fer- cl ad sl opes of snow- capped
but gl aci erl ess peaks.
Gri nnel l Gl aci er ( l eft) and Mountai n Goat ( ri ght), Gl aci er Nati onal Park
U.S. Noti onal Park Service
Sob and Ira Spring
A famous hotel overl ooks Waterton lake
I n and around both Gl aci er and Waterton Parks, hotel s,
ca bi ns and campgrounds are avai l abl e i n summer. Hi ki ng
a nd horseback t ra i l s r adi ate f rom the popu l ar centers of
Many Gl aci er and Two Medi ci ne. There are over 1 , 000
mi l es of trai l s in Gl aci er Nati onal Par k al one and many o
the Canadi an si de, too. Ranger- natural i sts provi de gui ded
t r i ps and eveni ng programs du ri ng summer months.
Fr om spr i ng to l ate summer, gl aci er l i l i es, bea rgrass,
a nd bl ue genti ans dot the mounta i n meadows. Whi te
Rocky Mountai n goats ca n be si ghted on d i stant cl i ffs.
Bi son, el k , deer and bea rs ( bl ack and gr i zzl y) al so roam
t he Pa r k. Thi s a rea was once t he h u nt i ng ground of the
Bl ackfoot I ndi ans . See t he Mu seum of the Pl ai ns I ndi an
at Browni ng, 12 mi l es east of t he East Gl aci er.
l 23
U. S. National Park Service
Vi sitors enj oy wi l d fowers near Jenny Lake; Tetons i n background
GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK (season J u ne 15 to
September 1 5) i n northwestern Wyomi ng i s domi nated by
j aged , gl aci al cut pea ks r i si ng abr uptl y al most 7, 000 ft.
above the pl ai ns . Lack i ng foothi l l s , the Tet ons cont rast
sha rpl y wi th the sage and grassl and meadows of J ackson
Hol e, hi stori c f u r trapper cou ntry to the east. Jenny Lake
and other s mal l er gl aci al l a kes f l ank the Teton front.
Mounta i n c l i mbers throng to the Tetons. Novi ces who
want to scal e the Grand Teton ( 1 3. 766 ft. ) can trai n at the
Par k approved School of Mount ai neeri ng at Jenny Lake.
Less a mbi t i ous vi si tors ca n enj oy the t rees and f l owers,
the uni que geol ogy and gl i mpses of bi son, moose, and
el k. Vi si tor centers are l ocated at Col ter Bay, Jenny Lake,
and Moose. Publ i c campgrounds and other accommodati ons
are avai l abl e. P herd of more than 1 0, 000 el k wi nters at
Jackson Hol e Wi l dl i fe Range.
! 24
The Ca nadi an Rocki es, averagi ng onl y a bout 70 mi les
acr oss, extend northwest for h u ndreds of mi l es i nto
Al aska . Western Ca nadi an Nat i onal Par ks a re concen
trated i n southern Al berta and Bri ti sh Col umbi a. Many f i ne
provi nci al parks, si mi l ar to U. S. state parks, a re al so found
i n t hi s regi on. Al l parks of the Canadi an Rocki es, because
of thei r proxi mi ty a nd si mi l ar cl i mates, have s i mi l ar fl ora,
fa una , and Al p- l i ke scenery-mountai ns carved by gl aciers
a nd spotted wi th i cefi el ds, or wi th snow- capped peaks.
Chal et s, hotel s, cabi ns, and publ i c c a mpgrounds pro
vi de accommodat i ons for vi si t or s. Resi dent par k off i cers
a re on d uty to assi st . Mounta i n cl i mbi ng, h i k i ng, boati ng,
a nd fi s hi ng are popul ar . I n season, try ski i ng, skati ng, and
other wi nter s ports. Ma ke i n q u i ri es for wi nter tri ps and
a ccommodat i ons as pa rt of the area i s cl osed . See p. 138
for provi nci al parks.
Noti onal and provi nci al Canadi an parks
Josef Muench
lake loui se lies below a smal l gl aci er in Banf Nati dnal Park
BANFF NATIONAL PARK, the f i r st ( 1 885) uni t i n Canada' s
Nati onal Park system, i ncl udes snow- streaked , pu rpl e- gray
pea ks , heavi l y wooded sl opes, casca di ng waterfal l s,
verdant val l eys, and trout- stocked l akes. At the south of
the Park ( and best seen from the Cal gary road, Rt. 1 A), i s
spearheaded Mt. Assi ni boi ne, the " Matterhorn of Ameri ca"
( 1 1 , 870 ft. ) . North of Banff (ma i n entrance and Park
headquarters), the Trans- Canada Hi ghway l eads to Bri ti sh
Col umbi a over Ki cki ng Horse Pass or on to La ke Loui se
i n the La kes of the Cl ouds di st r i ct , most popu ' a r wi l der
ness s pot i n Canada. The s u rface of thi s deep (over 200
feet), cl ear, opal escent- green l ake, wal l ed off from ruffl i ng
breezes, provi des a perpet ual ref l ecti on of Mt . Vi ctori a.
Gl aci ers and i ce fi el ds i ncreasi ngl y dot the chi sel ed peaks
towa rd the north, termi nati ng on the Ba nff- J asper border
i n the 1 00- square-mi le Col umbi a l cefi el d .
l 2
JASPER NATI ONAL PARK, north of Ba nff, i ncl udes more
of the extensi ve Col umbi a l cefi el d, out of whi ch j uts
Snow Dome, the hyd rogra phi c center of the North Amer
i can conti nent. The Athabaska Ri ver, bound for the Arcti c
Ocea n, ri ses here and water a l so f l ows i nto streams that
empty i nto the Atl ant i c and Paci f i c. Athabaska Gl aci er i s
accessi bl e to vi si tors by foot or by snowmobi l e. Many
more gl aci ers and Mount Col umbi a ( 1 2, 294 feet), hi ghest
poi nt i n Al bert a, a re i n thi s Par k area . La rgest of the
many l a kes i s Mal i gne, nestl ed i n a n Al p- l i ke setti ng_
Other poi nts of i nterest i ncl u de Mt. Edi th Cavel l wi th
nea rby Angel Gl aci er, shaped l i ke an angel wi th outspread
wi ngs, and Mi ette Hot Spr i ngs pooL J as per Par k harbors
s u ch wi l d ani mal s as the wol veri ne, wol f , otter , gr i zzl y,
bi ghorn sheep and Rocky Mountai n goats. J asper, a year
ro u nd resort center on J a s per La ke, can be reached by
road f rom Banff , by rai l and road f rom Edmonton on the
east, and from Bri ti sh Col umbi a over Yel l owhead Pass.
Drai nage fr om Col umbi a l cefi el d fows i n three di rections
UNI TED STATES
YOHO NATI ONAL PARK, over Ki cki ng Horse Pass f rom
Ba nff, i s r ugged , gl aci ated, mou nta i n cou ntry where the
Yoho Ri ver , fed by the Wa pta l cefi el d , f l ows through
sceni c Yoho Val l ey. Worth seei ng a l so a re fossi l deposi ts,
1 , 650- foot Takakkaw Fal l s , many gl aci al l akes and al pi ne
wi l dfl owers i n summer. Kootenay Nat. Park adj oi ns to the
sout h. Hi ghl i ghts here are Mar bl e Canyon and Radi um
Hot Spri ngs.
GLACI ER AND MT. REVELSTOKE NATI ONAL PARKS l ie
i n the Sel ki r k Mountai ns west of the mai n Rocki es. Both
contai n a mi xt ure of Rocky Mountai n and Paci f i c North
west fl ora , especi al l y evi dent i n the forest t rees. Wi l dl ife
i s a bundant ami d gl aci ated mou nta i n scenery. Gl aci er, a
c l i mber ' s paradi se, and Revel stoke, a center for wi nter
sports, can be reached by rai l and hi ghway.
Snowmobi l e, Col umbi a l cefel d, Jasper Nati onal Park
Notional Porls Branch, Dept. of Northern Afairs and Notional Resources, Ottawa
U. S. National Pork Serice
Portly cl eared bones in the famous Di nosaur Quarry
DI NOSAUR NATI ONAL MONUMENT ( northwestern Col o
r ado a nd northeaster n Utah) i ncl udes a wor l d- f a mous
di nosa u r q ua r ry and some of the most i mpressi ve wi l der
ness canyon country i n the West Most accessi bl e, and
open a l l year , i s the quarry north of Jensen, Utah, around
whi ch has been bui l t a moder n vi si tor s' center . Here
exhi bi ts and r anger- nat ura l i sts i nter pret the story of the
di nosau rs. Vi si tors may be a bl e to watch workers cl ear i ng
di nosa u r bones i n the t i l ted Morri son sandstone beds i n
the north wal l of the museum. More than twenty excel l ent
skel etons have a l ready been removed.
Si de r oads l ead to the u pti l ted , i nter i or count ry, di s
sected by the Green a nd Ya mpa r i vers i nto deep, red-to
whi te wal l ed canyons and tree- dotted par kl ands, such as
Echo Pa r k, i n the shadow of massi ve, sandstone Steam
boat Rock. Gui ded boat tri ps on these ri vers a re avai l abl e.
Fa r a bove, semi - ari d j uni per and pi non forests edge the
ri mrock. Anci ent I ndi an si tes can be seen i n Castl e Park
and other areas.
l 2
U. S. Notional Park Service
U.S. Notional Park Service
BLACK CANYON of the
Gunni son, a Nat i onal Monu
ment i n western Col orado,
i s one of the deepest, nar
rowest chasms i n the worl d.
The r i ver has sl owl y cut
through an u pl i fted bl ock of
har d crysta l l i ne roc k. Take
the road a l ong the southern
ri m for a seri es of vi ews.
COLORADO NATI ONAL
MONUMENT, 4 mi l es f rom
Gr and J u ncti on, preserves
a gem of wi nd and water
eros i on. Fl uted col u mns of
red sandstone a nd cl i ffs a
thousand feet hi gh vi e wi th
odd- sha ped rock forma
t i ons. Dri ve i n No Thorough
fa re Canyon. Use the camp
ground. Open a l l yea r.
TIMPANOGOS CAVE i s a
Nat i onal Monu ment on the
sl opes of the Wasatch Range
nea r Sal t Lake Ci t y. Stal ac
ti tes, stal agmi tes and many
br anched hel i ct i tes can be
seen i n the i l l u mi nated but
c h i l l y caver ns . P sceni c
tr a i l zi g- zags over 1 , 000
feet up to the cave entrance.
Josef Muench
BI G HOLE BATTLEFI ELD, a Nati onal Monu ment, i s the
si te southwest of Anaconda, Monta na, where one of the
l ast battl es agai nst the I ndi ans was fought i n 1 877. Here
U . S. troops engaged a l arge force of poorl y- armed Nez
Perce I ndi ans u nder Chi ef J oseph, who was l eadi ng hi s
ba nd to safety i n Ca nada. I n the battl e, 89 I ndi ans were
ki l l ed, over 30 of whom were women and chi l dren.
CUSTER BATTLEFIELD, southeast of Bi l l i ngs, Mont. , i s a
Nati onal Mon u ment that ma rks the si te of the famous
Battl e of the Li ttl e Bi g Horn ( bel ow) . Here General Custer,
who had been warned of the l arge I ndi an forces, was
ki l l ed and hi s troops were wi ped out by the Si oux and
Cheyenne u nder Si tti ng Bul l and Crazy Horse.
Arti st' s i nterpretation of Custer' s Lost Stand
Courtesy John S. du Mont
l 3 l
Highway Commission, South Dakota
Heads of four presidents are carved on Mount Rushmore
THL bLUK H| LL5
Geol ogi cal l y l i ke the Rocki es, but a hundred mi l es east
i n South Dakota, is a great i sol ated rock i sl and-the Bl ack
Hi l l s. Ri si ng several thousand feet a bove the surroundi ng
pr ai ri e, the central grani te core makes u p most of the
Bl ack Hi l l s skyl i ne. Thi s mi ni atu re versi on of the Rocki es
has i ts own di sti ncti ve attracti ons.
Some of t he most i mposi ng gr a ni te monol i ths and
spi res of the Bl ack Hi l l s a re i ncl uded i n Custer State Park
a nd adj oi ni ng Norbeck Wi l dl i fe Preserve. I n the center of
thi s a rea i s del i ghtf u l Syl van La ke. Custer State Park has
a museu m, a zoo and many recreati onal faci l i ti es. I n addi
ti on to one of Ameri ca ' s l argest herd of bi son, one can al so
see wi l d t ur keys, bi ghorn sheep, and mount ai n goats
( i ntroduced). Needl es Hi ghway provi des sceni c panora
mas. So does t unnel - spotted I ron Mountai n Road to Mount
Rushmore (above), si te of Gutzon Borgl u m' s 60- foot-hi gh
portrayal s of Washi ngton, Jefferson, Li ncol n, a nd Theodore
Roosevel t, carved on the face of the mountai n.
l 32
South of Custer i s Wi nd Cave Nat i ona l Pa r k, open al l
yea r . Bi son, antel ope, deer and el k roa m the a rea. To the
west i s another s mal l but del i ghtf u l caver n, Jewel Cave
Nati onal Mon. East of the Bl ack Hi l l s l i es the Badl ands Nat.
Mon . , noted for i ts oddl y eroded sedi ments and fossi l s of
many mammal s. Northwest some si xty mi l es i s Devi l ' s
Tower Nat . Mon. , a breathtaki ng, fl at- topped vol cani c pl ug,
1 , 280 ft. hi gh, formed some 20 mi l l i on years ago and now
exposed by erosi on. P museum expl a i ns the story of thi s
u n i q ue mounta i n. See the fa med mi nlng towns of Lead
and Deadwood. Homesta ke Mi ne, acti ve si nce 1 878, i s
open to vi si tors. Deadwood retai ns many of i ts ol d bui l d
i ngs and the graves of Wi l d Bi l l Hi ckock and Cal ami ty Jane.
Granite spi res al ong Needl es Hi ghway, Bl ack Hi i l s, South Dakota
Highway Commission, South Dakota
Herbert S. Zim
lumberi ng i n Gal l ati n National Forest, Montana
NATIONAL FORESTS under the U. S. Forest Servi ce cover
much of t he Rocki es, where, i n fi ve states, t hey have an
a rea twi ce that of New Yor k. These Forests are mul ti
pur pose publ i c l ands used for l umberi ng, mi ni ng, grazi ng
and watershed protect i on. They are eq ual l y i mportant for
recreati on and offer many si tes for campi ng and pi cni ck
i ng. Hu nt i ng, f i shi ng, horseback r i di ng, boati ng and chi l ly
swi mmi ng are al so avai l a bl e i n these Forests. I nformati on
avai l abl e from l ocal headquarters. See p. 1 4.
NATIONAL FORESTS AND HEADQUARTERS
Col orado: Arapaho, Gol den; Gunnison, Gunni son; Pike, Col orado Spri ngs;
Roosevelt, Fort Col l i ns; Routt, Stea mboat Spri ngs; San Isabel, Puebl o;
Uncompahgre, Del ta; White River, Gl enwood Spri ngs
I daho: Challis, Chal l i s; Clearwater, Orofi no; Coeur d'Alene, Coeur d' Al ene;
Kaniksu, Sandpoi nt; St. Joe, St. Mari es; Targhee, St. Anthony
Montana: Beaverhead, Di l l on; Bitterroot, Hami l ton; Deerlodge, Butte; Flathead,
Kal i spel l ; Gallatin, Bozeman; Helena, Hel ena; Kootenai, Li bby; Lewis and
Clark, Great Fal l s; Lola, Mi ssoul a
Utah: Ashley, Vernal ; Cache, Logan; Uinta, Provo; Wasatch, Sal t Lake Ci ty.
Wyomi ng: Bighorn, Sheri dan; Bridger, Kemmerer; Medicine Bow, Larami e;
Shoshone, Cody; Teton, Jackson
l 34
WILDERNESS AREAS have been set asi de to preserve wi l d
and pr i mi ti ve regi ons of Nat i onal Forests. Of the 29 Wi l
derness Areas (each wi th over 1 00, 000 acres) many are
i n or nea r the Rocki es. Of smal l er si ze ( 5, 000 to 1 00, 000
acres) are the Wi l d Areas. Both are control l ed by the U. S.
Forest Servi ce. A few roads and truck trai l s a re kept open
for f i re protect i on, but access to Wi l derness Areas i s by
foot, on horse or by canoe. These a re the a reas for
" roughi ng i t. " Try a pack tri p wi th a gu i de. Check regi onal
forestry headquarters ( p. 1 4) and read Handbook of
Wilderness Tavel, by Wel l s, Har per Bros. , 1 956.
WI LDERNESS AREAS Wyomi ng: Br i dger, Gl aci er, Nor t h Absaroka, South
Absaroka, Strati fi ed, Teton. Montana: Anaconda- Pi ntl ar, Beartooth, Bob
Marshal l . Montana and I daho: Sel way- Bi tterroot. Idaho: Sawtooth. Utah: High
Ui ntas.
WI LD AREAS Col orado: Gore- Eagl e Nest, Maroon- Snowmass, Rawah, Uncom
pahgre, Wi l d El k- Eagl e Nest. Wyomi ng: Cl oud Peak, Pope Agi e. Montana:
Absaroka, Cabi net Mts. , Gates of the Mountai ns, Mi ssi on Mt.
There are many other areas i n the Rocki es, pri mi ti ve, i sol ated and uni nhab
i ted, that are not offi ci al l y Wi l d or Wi l derness Areas.
Sawtooth Wi l derness Area south of Stanl ey, I daho
Bob and I r a Spring
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES, of the U . S. Fi sh a nd
Wi l dl i fe Servi ce, are more n u merou s to the east than i n
the Rocki es. Seven are i n the a rea and more a re nearby.
Herds of bi g game, fl ocks of waterfowl and other wi l dl ife
may be seen, gi vi ng vi si tors an unexcel l ed opportuni ty for
observati on a nd photogra phy. Ani mal s a re protected , ex
cept d u r i ng occasi onal su pervi sed hunt i ng seasons, and
many breed i n the refuge areas. Si nce hunti ng is prohi bi ted
i n Nat i onal Parks, these too serve as ref uges.
I nf or mat i on i s avai l a bl e f rom ref uge managers and
f r om the Fi sh and Wi l dl i fe Servi ce, Washi ngton 25, D. C.
Al so rea d Seeing America's Wildlife in our National
Refuges, by Devereux Butcher , Houghton, 1 956.
SOME NATI ONAL WI LDLI FE REFUGES I N THE ROCKI ES
(Mainly for waterowl unless otherwise noted)
I daho: Camas, Jefferson Co. -al so pronghorns; Minidoka, Bl ai ne and Cassi a Cos.
Montana: Benton Lake, Cascade and Chouteau Cos. ; Nat. Bison Range, Sanders
and Lake Cos. -bi son, el k, deer, bi ghorn sheep; Red Rock Lake, Beaverhead
Co. -i ncl udi ng rare Trumpeter Swan. Montana al so has several l arge refuges
east on the Pl ai ns.
Utah: Famous Bear River Refuge ( Box El der Co. ) i s west of the Rocki es.
Wyomi ng: Nat. Elk Refuge, Teton Co. -al so i ncl udes a vari ety of bi g game,
waterfowl and u pl and gamebi rds; Pathfnder, Natrona and Carbon Cos. -al so
pronghorns.
Waterfowl and shorebi rds feed at Bear Ri ver Refuge, Utah
STATE PARKS are l ess known
a nd hence may not be as
c rowded as Nat i onal Par ks.
They a re more common i n
I daho and Monta na . Br i t i sh
Col umbi a boasts of f i ne, l arge
provi nci al par ks and Al berta
has many sma l l ones. There
a re fewer state areas i n the
southern Rocki es. Col orado
has onl y roadsi de parks at
p resent . Most of the l arge
Canadi an parks l i e al ong the
Cont i nenta l Di vi de and i n-
Montana Higkway Commission
CI Ude rugged mountai n Seen-
Cave formati ons i n lewi s and Clrk
Cavern State Park, Montana
ery. State par ks ( and many
cou nty or l ocal pa rks) i n
c l ude faci l i ti es f or receat i on, pi cni cki ng and ca mpi ng.
Campground gui des ( p. 1 41 ) often gi ve deta i l s on these
faci l i ti es and on cha rges, if any.
MONTANA Lewi s and Cl ar k Cavern State Par k (entrance f ee; gui ded tours)
i ncl udes t he t hi rd l argest cave i n U. S. , 300 ft. deep wi th col u mns, spi res and
hel i cti tes. WYOMI NG Hot Spri ngs State Park near Thermopol i s has four bi g
and many smal l mi neral hot spri ngs, i ncl udi ng one of the l argest and hottest i n
the worl d. I ndoor and outdoor swi mmi ng pool s; el k and bi son herds. I DAHO
leyburn State Park, at the southern ti p of Coeur d Al ene Lake, i ncl udes streams
and mountai n foot t r ai l s. Lava Hot Spri ngs Pl unge southeast of Pocatel l o i s a
heal th center. BRI TI SH COLUMBI A has the l argest provi nci al parks in the Cana
di an Rocki es. Hamber, Mt. Robson, Wel l s Gray and Kokanee Gl aci er parks have
much to offer i n scenery, recreati on and campi ng, as do many other smal l er
prov'l nci al parks. ALBERTA has over a dozen smal l parks i n the western part and
al so has many roadsi de campgrounds. Check your road map.
FOR MORE I NFORMATI ON wri te to agenci es suggested on p. 14. You r i nqui ry
wi l l be forwarded i f it cannot be answered di rectl y.
l 37
Sunset in ci ty pork, Denver
DENVER r i ghtl y boasts of i ts u ni que system of some 49
par ks, coveri ng an area of 380 sq. mi l es. Most are in the
mountai ns, formi ng a huge ci rcl e southwest of Denver.
Some a re wi thi n the ci ty l i mi ts. The par ks afford sceni c
mount ai n d r i ves, vi ews of many pea ks, ferti l e val l eys,
watersheds, l a kes, strea ms, and wi l dl i fe. Si de tri ps over
back roads, l eadi ng to ra nches, mounta i n meadows and
stands of pi nes and aspens, wi l l prove rewardi ng, too.
Most parks have pi cni c areas; some have museums.
Onl y 30 mi n utes west of Denver i s Lookout Par k and
Buffal o Bi l l ' s Grave. Park of the Red Rocks, 14 mi l es west
of Denver, contai ns the fa mous Red Rocks Theater, bui l t
i nto . the natur al Tri assi c red sandstone hogbacks. Here
erosi on has for med an acousti cal l y perfect audi tori um. P
30- mi l e tri p to Bergen Park l eads from I daho Spri ngs over
Squaw Pass to Echo Lake and Summi t Lake parks and,
! 38
over the hi ghest auto road i n the Uni ted States, to the top
of Mt. Evans-14, 260 feet. Here, in addi ti on to the superb
vi ews, i s a maj or cosmi c ray l aboratory. I n Genesee Park,
20 mi l es west of Denver, and at Dani el s Par k, 21 mi les
south, bi son, el k and antel ope graze peacef ul l y.
COLORADO SPRINGS i s l ong fa med as a resort area wi th
a noted ci ty park system. Nea rby i s the Ga rden of the
Gods, a par k of u ptu rned, red sedi ments, i ncl udi ng a huge
bal anci ng rock. A ci rcl e road tou r gi ves a one- day vi ew of
the mountai ns . Other dr i ves i ncl ude the sceni c Rampart
Range Road and the Gol d Camp Road. Best known attrac
ti on i s Pi kes Peak ( 14, 110 ft. ) , reached by car vi a tol l
road or by cog rai l road. Cheyenne Mt. Zoo and Wi l l Rogers
Memori al , Seven Fal l s and Cave of the Wi nds are al so
worth a vi si t. See Col orado Col l ege, the near by Fi ne Arts
Center, Pi oneer Mu seu m, and NORAD. About 7 mi l es
north i s the U . S. Ai r Force Academy. Grounds open dai l y;
parades on Satu rdays.
Pi kes Peak fr om the Gorden of the Gods, Col orado Spri ngs
Josef Muench
Bob and Ira Spring
Trai l Ia Hal e-i n-the-Wal l Camp, Gl aci er Nati onal Park
HI KI NG is rewar di ng. No maps are needed for the popu
l ar, wel l - marked tra i l s. Farther afi el d the hi ker shoul d use
the l ocal U . S. G. S. topographi cal maps ( p. 1 4). Vi sitors can
try everythi ng from easy nat ure wal ks to l ong wi l derness
trips wi th a gu i de. Don ' t overesti mate yo
U
r abi l i ty. Hi gh
country hi ki ng is exhi l arati ng but the "thi n" ai r is ti ri ng to
newcomers. Hi ke wi th a compa ni on. Stay on the trai l s
and avoi d short cut s. Sui t you r cl othi ng ari d equi pment to
your tri p. Comfortabl e shoes, warn cl othi ng, pl us a wi nd
brea ker are recommended. Ta ke a sl i cker for summer
showers. Leave word about where you are goi ng and when
you expect to ret ur n.
I f you r stay i s l ong, i nq u i re a bout l ocal hi ki ng cl ubs.
The Sky Line Trai l Hi kers and the Canadi an Youth ostel
e
rs
have a nn ual excu rsi ons i n the norther n Rocki es. Hi kers
can be easi l y tempted by mou nta i n c l i mbi ng ( p. 1 42),
whi ch i s at Its best here.
l 40
CAMPGROUNDS a re pl enti f u i . Roadsi de pi cni c a reas are
common and i ncreasi ng i n nu mber. Faci l i ti es at desi g
nated campsi tes range from crude cl eari ngs i n Wi l derness
Areas to wel l - pl anned camps wi th cabi ns, tent pl atforms
or t r ai l er si tes, t abl es, f i repl aces, water , and restrooms.
Some state parks charge smal l fees. Si nce campgrounds
may be crowded from Memor i al Day to Labor Day, pl an to
a r r i ve at a ca mpsi te ear l y. Lengths of stay a re l i mi ted i n
the more popu l ar campgrounds. I nqui re i n advance. Check
at Nati onal Forest and Par k headqua rters for l ocati on of
camps and maps, or use the gui des l i sted bel ow.
Campground Atlas of the U.S. and Canada, Bi er and Raup, Al pi ne. 1 960.
Campground Guide, Rand McNal l y.
Guid to Campsites, Campi ng Fami l y, I nc. , Hammond, 1 961 .
Intermountain West (Campsi te Fi nder Vol . 3) , Hartesvel dt, Naturegraph, 1 957.
Sunset Nature Campsite Director, Lane, 1 962.
Campi ng on Mirror Lake near Devi l ' s Peak, I daho
Bob and I ra Spring
--
-----
MO U NT AI N CL I MB I NG
comes nat ur al l y i n thi s l and
of "shi ni ng mountai ns. " Col
or ado boasts of 54 pea ks
hi gher than 1 4, 000 feet. No
other Rocky Mountai n state
has any thi s hi gh. Longs
Pea k, 1 4, 2 5 5 ft. , i s a Col o
r ado f avor i te. Mountai n
c l i mbi ng ta kes an essenti al
know- how whi ch the i nex
per i enced but physi ca lly fi t
vi si tor can acq u i re easi l y.
For the novi ce, the onl y re
q u i rement i s to keep on the
t ra i l . For d i ff i c u l t cl i mbs a
Bob and Ira Spdng
gui de and f ul l equ i pment are
Cl i mbi ng Longs Peak, Col orado
i mperati ve. Begi nners mi ght
t ry the basi c i n st r ucti on
gi ven every summer i n Grand Teton Nati onal Park. I nqui re
l ocal l y for detai l s of cl asses and gui ded cl i mbs.
Never sta rt on a cl i mb that wi l l ta ke you of f mar ked
t ra i l s wi thout proper equ i pment and wi thout f i rst check
i ng maps, t rai l detai l s, and tel l i ng a fri end or a Park ranger
where you are goi ng.
Hi gh Roc ky peaks i n Col orado i nc l ude Mt . El bert,
1 4, 43 1 , Mt . Massi ve, 1 4, 4 1 8, and Pi kes Pea k, 1 4, 1 1 0.
Hi ghest pea ks i n Wyomi ng are Mt. Gan nett, 1 3, 785 and
Gr and Tet on, 1 3, 766. Utah' s Ki ng' s Pea k, 1 3, 498, Mon
t ana' s Gr ani te Pea k, 1 2 , 850, a nd Bri t i sh Col u mbi a' s Mt.
Robson, 1 2, 972, a re other

hi gh mountai ns . Some of the

best, and most di ff i cu l t , mounta i ns for cl i mbi ng are not
the hi ghest ones.
! 42
GHOST TOWNS of the Rocki es come from a cent ury of
mi n i ng booms. Some a re negl ected col l ect i ons of cr um
bl i ng cabi ns, but many are restored beca use of new mi n
i ng acti vi ty or have become resorts and vacati on centers.
Col orado: Aspen boomed i n the 1 890' s; Central Cit-Black Hawk, once "ri ch
est square mi l e on earth, " famous now for i ts ol d mi ni ng fl avor; Cripple Creek,
fi fth ri chest gol d center of worl d; Leadville, nati on' s si l ver capi tal around 1 878;
Silverton, center of San J uan mi ni ng di stri ct. Nearby are Telluride, Ouray and
Creede. Al so see Waldor, one of regi on' s hi ghest ghosts; wel l - preserved
St. Elmo; Georgetown, famous for its 14- curve narrow- gauge Loop. Idaho:
Idaho Cit, once a terri tory capi tal ; Florence, state' s ri chest gol d camp; Perce,
gol d fi rst di scovered in 1 860, and nearby Yellowpine; Silver Cit, most pi ctur
esque gol d and si l ver ghost; Bonanza, and Custer, boom towns of the 1 870' s;
al so Gem, i n the Coeur d' Al ene area . Montana: Bannock, Montana' s fi rst capi
tal ; Cooke, ol d gol d and si l ver town; Gold Creek, gol d fi rst di scovered here;
Marsville, one- ti me l eadi ng gol d prod ucer; Virginia City, Montana' s second
capi tal . Utah: Alta, once a bustl i ng mi ni ng town; Park Cit, mi nes once yi el ded
over $300 mi l l i on; Brigham Canyon, began as a gol d town; now copper; Silver
Reef, now in r ui ns. Wyomi ng: Bald Cit, a short- l i ved gol d camp; Carbon, fi rst
coal - mi ni ng town; Grand Encampment, in the copper fi el d, and Dillon with its
tal l out houses; South Pass City and Atlantic Cit on the Conti nental Di vi de.
British Col umbi a: Kootenay Lake country has mi ni ng ghost towns.
leadvi l l e, Col orado was once the "si l ver capi tol "
Josef Muench
Bob and Ira Spring
Hal f Moon lake in the Wind River Rdnge, Wyomi ng, in autumn
RI VERS AND LAKES (natural and reservoi rs) are common
i n t he Rocky Mountai ns, often servi ng a mu l t i pl e use.
They provi de water for i rri gati on, power and dr i nki ng, ai d i n
fl ood and erosi on control , and ma ke possi bl e f i shi ng, swi m
mi ng, boati ng, water- ski i ng, and waterfowl h u nti ng. Many
l akes a re man- made. Al l add a pl easi ng vari ety to the
cou ntrysi de. The real gems are the many smal l , gl aci al
l akes, most of them off the beaten pat h. Thousands of smal l
streams a nd the headwaters of many maj or ri vers fl ow
f r om the Rocki es. Fi s hi ng i s f amous ( p. 1 46). I nqui re
l ocal l y for boat tri ps on the l arger ri vers and l akes. Among
t he regi on' s foremost l akes a re:
Colorad: Grand. Shadow Mountai n, Granby, Tayl or Park, Trapper' s, Maroon.
Wyoming: Yel l owstone, Jackson, Cooper, Wheatl and, Pathfi nder, Semi noe,
Boysen.
Idaho: Pend Orei l l e (I daho' s l argest), Ameri can Fal l s, Pal i sades, Coeur d' Al ene,
Pr i est, Cascade, Bi g Payette, Wal cott, Redfi sh, I sl and Park, Arrowhead,
Bl ackfoot Ri ver.
Montana: Fl athead, Hungry Horse, Hol ter, Hebgen, Ti ber, Canyon Ferry,
Georgetown, Wade.
Utah: Great Sal t Lake ( 1 500 sq. mi l es, very sal ty), Utah, Bear, Strawberry.
Alberta: Mal i gne, Loui se, Kananaski s, Spray.
British Columbia: Kootenay, Arrow Lakes, Shuswap, Jewel .
l 44
SPRI NGS, col d and hot, fl ow by the t housands. Those i n
contact wi th heated vol cani c rock are hot. Largest concen
trati on of hot spri ngs (some 3, 000) i s i n Yel l owstone ami d
sceni c geysers and mu d pots. Other hot spr i ngs a re the
si tes of pool s and resorts. Better known spr i ng areas are:
Col orado: Canon City, two sul phur spri ngs, di scovered by Pi ke i n 1 806; Glen
wood Springs, Yampah Spri ng suppl i es l argest ( 1 , 650 ft. ) outdoor mi neral
pool i n worl d; Hot Sulphur Springs, more than a dozen hot spri ngs; Idaho
Springs spa dates back to 1 868; Manitou Sprins wi th famous Soda Spri ngs;
Ouray, hi ghest mi neral spri ngs and pool ; Pagosa Springs, 1 53 spri ngs heat
homes; Poncha Springs, about 1 00 spri ngs, up to 1 85 ; Steamboat Springs,
1 57 spri ngs and pool s of vari ous temperatures.
I daho: Lava Hot Spri ngs (state park), 140 mi neral i zed water; Soda Spri ngs (on
Oregon Trai l ) , vari ety of hot and cold spri ngs; Mal ta, Ameri can Legion heal th
pl unge; Hot Springs (near Payette), hot medi ci nal water and mud baths; Big
Springs, source of the North Fork of the Snake.
Montana: Giant Springs (near Great Fal l s), one of worl d' s l argest, 1 52 ; Mont
Aqua, mi neral i zed water is bottl ed; White Sulphur Springs, resort.
Utah; Bl ue, Sweet Water, and I ron-al l smal l spri ngs.
Wyoming: Saratoga, a state reserve, medi ci nal waters; Thermopol i s State Park,
hundreds of mi neral hot spri ngs i ncl udi ng l argest i n the worl d; Warm Spri ngs,
the 70' water once used by Oregon Trai l travel ers.
I beria: Banf, Hot Sul phur Spri ngs; Jasper, Mi ette Hot Spri ngs.
Bri ti sh Col umbi a: Fai rmont Hot Spri ngs, one of sou rces of water for Col umbi a
Ri ver; Halcyon; Radi um Hot Spri ngs, i n Kootenay N. P.
Mammoth Hot Spri ngs are the l argest in Yel l owstone Noti onal Park
U. S. National Park Service
Bob and lro Sprng
Fi shi ng Swi ft Current Ri ver, Gl aci er Nati onal Park, Montana
FI SHI NG for trout i s popul ar t hroughout the Rocki es from
New Mexi co i nto Canada. Lakes and ri vers a re often
stocked. Check l ocal l y for l i cense requ i rements and catch
l i mi t s. Vi si t t he n u merous fi sh hatcher i es open to the
publ i c. Cal gary, Canada, has worl d' s l argest trout hatchery.
WHERE TO FI SH
Colorado: The Gunni son Ri ver . Conej os, Fr yi ng Pan and Col orado; Trapper' s
Lake and others. 1 5, 000 mi l es of streams; 2, 500 l akes.
Idaho: Buffal o Ri ver, Henry Lake, Payette Lake, Lake Pend Orei l l e, Pri est Lake,
Sal mon Ri ver, Si l ver Creek, Snake Ri ver.
Montana: Bi g Hol e Ri ver, Fl athead Lake, Gal l ati n Ri ver, Georgetown Lake,
Hebgen Lake, Madi son Ri ver, Sun Ri ver, Ti ber and Wade Lakes.
Utah: Duchesne Ri ver, Logan Ri ver, Provo Ri ver watershed, Strawberry Lake,
Ui nta Mountai n streams, Utah Lake, Wanshi p Lake.
Wyoming: DeSmet Lake, Encampment Ri ver, Gras Ventre Ri ver, North Pl atte
Ri ver, Pathfi nder Lake, Semi noe La ke, Shoshone Nati onal Forest streams,
Yel lowstone Ri ver and Yel l owstone Lake.
British Columbia: Brooks Ri ver. Cl earwater Ri ver, J ewel Lake, t he Kaml oops
and Kootenay Lake country, Ki cki ng Horse Ri ver.
Alberta: Bow Ri ver and tri butari es, the Kananaski s and Spray l akes, Ol dman
Ri ver headwaters.
l 4
HUNTI NG and trappi ng ori gi nal l y opened up the Rocky
Mounta i n wi l derness. The "ol d days" ar e gone but game
is sti l l abundant and many sti l l come here to hunt. El k
and mul e deer are pri me fal l game of the regi on. Less fre
quentl y bagged are gri zzl y and bl ack bea rs, moose, bi son,
bi ghorn sheep, mountai n goats and l i ons, whi te-tai l ed
deer , and pronghorn antel ope. Smal l er game i ncl ude bob
cat, wi th trappi ng for beaver, skunk, muskrat, weasel and
marten . There i s good h u nt i ng for waterfowl al ong ri vers
and l akes. Upl and ga mebi r ds i ncl ude sage hens, ri ng
necked pheasants, and several ki nds of grouse. State
l i censes are requ i red and can be purchased at most resorts
and sport i ng goods stores. State game and fi sh depart
ments at the state capi tal s offer h u nt i ng i nformati on.
Fi nal l y, everyone can enj oy h u nti ng wi th a camera. Excel
l ent shots can be taken i n parks where guns ar e prohi bi ted.
Bi son on Nati onal Bi son Range near Di xon, Montana
Al l an Cruickshank-National Audubon Society
-
l 47
MUSEUMS ar e pl enti f u l i n t he Rocki es, t hough Denver
and Sal t Lake a re t he onl y l arge ci ti es. Most uni versi ti es,
a l l the Nat i onal Parks, and many Nat i onal Monuments
have natural hi story museums. There ar e good art muse
u ms, too. Local pi oneer museums a re popul ar . The geo
l ogi cal exhi bi ts in several l ocal museums a re worth taki ng
ti me out to see.
Col orado: Boulder, Uni v. of Col o. Mus. ; Canon City, Mu s. of Nat . Hi st . ;
Colrado Springs, Col o. Col l ege Mus. , Fi ne Arts Center, Ai r Force Academy
M us . , Ft. Carson Mus . ; Denver, U. S. Mi nt, Mus . of Nat. Hi st . , Art Mus. ,
Schl ei er Gal l eri es, Cl ock Manor Mus. (cl ocks), Chappel l Hse. (art), State Hi st.
Mus. -)1i stori cal di oramas; Golden, Col o. School of Mi nes Geol ogy Mus. , Col o.
Rai l road Mus. ; Gunnison, Western State Col l ege archeol ogy mus. ; Montrose, Ute
I ndi an Mus. Idaho: Boise, State Capi tal Mus. (outstandi ng bi rd exhi bi ts); Pocatello
State Col l ege Mus. , Nat. Hi st. Mus. Montana: Billings, Yel l owstone Mus. ; Boze
man, McGi l l Mus . ; Browning, Mus. of Pl ai ns I ndi an; Butte, Mont ana School o1
Mi nes Geol ogy Mus. , Charl es M. Russel l Gal l ery and Mem. Mus. ; Helena, Mont.
State Mus. and Russel l Gal l ery; Missoula, Art Mus. Utah: Salt Lake City, Latter
Day Sai nts Church Mus. of Nat. Sci . , State Capi tal Mus. , Uni v. of Utah art gal l ery
and geol ogy mus. ; Springville, art gal l ery; Vernal, Utah Fi el d Hse. of Nat. Hi st.
Wyomi ng: Como Bluf, "Creati on" fossi l mus. ; Cheyenne, Wyo. Geol ogy Mus. ;
Jackson Hole, Jackson Hol e Mus. ; Laramie, Uni v. of Wyo. Geol ogy Mus.
Al berta: Banf, Nat . Hist. Mus. , Luxton Mus. ( l nd
'
i ans).
Narrow gouge trai n i n Col orado Rai l road Museum
Herbert s. Zi m
l 48
Warren Hamilton
Polar Bears in the Denver Zoo
GARDENS, ZOOS and other exhi bi ts a re worth a stop.
Pl anti ngs range from commerci al i ri s crops at Boul der to
rock and rose gardens and l i vi ng study col l ect i ons (arbo
ret u rs). Zoos i n the l arge ci t i es a re best. Avoi d roadsi de
zoos wi th a few caged ani mal s, kept as tou ri st bai t. Don' t
mi ss t he sel f- gu i di ng nat ure t rai l s i n Nati onal Pa rks.
Colorado: Bouler, commerci al i ri s gardens; Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Moun
tai n Zoo; Denver, Habi tat Zoo and botani cal gardens i n Ci ty Park, Roseacre
(roses, l i l i es, Japanese garden); Grand Junction, Li ncol n Park Zoo; Greeley,
Grasmere rock gardens; Pueblo, rose gardens in Mi neral Pal ace Park; zoo.
Idaho: Caldwell, muni ci pal rose gardens; Idaho Falls, Sport man' s I sl and Zoo;
Moscow, Shattuck arboret um; Payette, Showberger botani cal gardens; Tin
Falls, Gaski l l botani cal garden. Montana: Billings, Wonderl and Zoo; Butte, rock
gardens; Great Fall, botani cal gardens; Red Lodge, "See Em Al i ve" zoo. Utah:
Provo, State fi sh hatchery and game farm; Salt Lake Cit, Li berty Park rose gar
dens and zoo, Hogl e Gardens Zoo, I nternati onal Peace Gardens, George Wash
i ngton Memori al Grove. Wyomi ng:_ Casper, muni ci pal gardens; Cheyenne, Great
Pl ai ns horti cul t ur al stat i on, Li ons Park s unken gardens; Lovell, rose gardens;
Powell, spri ng garden tours; Thermopolis Hot Springs, zoo. Al berta: Banf,
Cascade Rock Gardens, buffal o paddocks; Calgary, Reader rock gardens (pl ants
from around the worl d), Burns Memori al gardens, Brewery aquari um, fi sh
hatchery, zoo.
l 4
I NDI AN RESERVATI ONS are
now sel f - gover ni ng centers
of t r i bal l i fe a n d i n d u st ry
qu i te di fferent from the heav
i l y s u pervi sed ca mps of a
cent u ry ago. Ma ny t r i bes
manage soi l and water con
servati on. They run coopera
t i ve and ci vi c proj ects. Vi si t
t h ose i n a nd cl ose to the
Rocky Mounta i n area to see
t h e progress made a nd the
probl ems sti l l ahead. I ndi ans
of today are f ar mer s, cattl e
men , and workers i n many
t r ades. Leat her and bead-
James R. s;
man
W
O
r k a re
O
ften f
O
r Sal e i n
Crow women i n costume before a ti pi
communi ty craft shops. Look
for those bear i ng the seal of t he I ndi an Arts and Crafts
Gu i l d . See al so t he I ndi an museums , showi ng l i fe i n the
Rocki es and adj oi ni ng Hi gh Pl ai ns before and dur i ng the
peri od of expl orati on and settl ement.
Colorado: So. Ute Res. and Ut e Mountai n Res. ( Ute), sout h of our a rea. Idaho:
Fort Hal l I ndi an Res. (Shoshoni , Bannock) (Headquarters: Fort Hal l , N. of
Pocatel l o, Rt. 9 1 . ), Kutenai Res. ( Kutenai ). Montana: Bl ackfoot Agency & Res.
( Bl ackfoot) , Rt. 2, E. of Browni ng; Fl athead I ndi an Res. ( Fl athead, Sal i sh,
Kutenai ), N. of Mi ssoul a; Crow Agency & Res. (Crow Cheyenne), Rt. 87; Rocky
Boy' s Agency Res. (Cree, Chi ppewa), S. of Havre; Fort Bel knap Res. (Assi ni boi n,
Atsi na), S. of Rt . 2; Fort Peck Agency & Res. (Assi ni boi n, Si oux) , N. of Rt . 2.
Utah: Ui ntah and Ouray Res. ( Utes), S. of our area. Wyoming: Wi nd Ri ver
Agency & Res. (Arapaho, Shoshoni ), Rt. 287, N. of Lander. Albera: Bl ood and
Pi egan Agency ( Bl ood and Pi egan); Stony Sarcee Agency (Assi ni boi n); Bl ack
foot Agency ( Bl ackfoot); Sarcee Reserve (Sarsi ).
l 50
HI STORI CAL SI TES i n thi s
regi on a re mai nl y of l ocal
i mportance. Forts and trad
i ng posts were establ i shed
d u ri ng t he f i rst hal f of the
1 800' s . Th en i n t he sec
ond h a l f of t he cent ury
came gol d r ushes, mi ni ng
camps and boom towns.
Rec ent l y ol d towns h ave
been revi ved and rebui l t;
f ort s h ave been restored
or r epl i cas const r u cted.
See t hese l a nd ma r ks of
t h e not- so- di st ant past.
Ma ny i nc l u de mu seu ms
and exh i bi t s. See t hose
l i sted on p. 48.
State of Colorado
The restored Central City Opera House
Colorado: Aspen, si l ver mi ni ng town revi ved; Central City, restored, famous
Tel l er and opera houses; Colo. Springs, Pi oneer Mus. , hi stori cal col i . ; Cripple
Creek, mi ni ng town; Denver, Col o. State Hi st. Mus. ; Fort Garland, Ki t Carson' s
adobe fort; Georgetown, si l ver mi ni ng, Hami l l Hse. ; Greeley, Meeker Mem.
Mus. ; Leadville, si l ver bonanza town, Heal y Hse. , Matchl ess Cabi n;
Pueblo, El Puebl o Hi st. Mus. ; Sterling, Overl and Trai l Mus. ; Trinidad, Ol d
Baca House. I daho: Catal do Mi ssi on, bui l t 1 842, off US 10, w. of Kel l ogg; Ft.
Hall, tradi ng and mi l i tary post on Snake Ri ver west of present ci ty. Montana:
Bannock State Mon. , former terri tori al capi tal , 25 mi . w. of Di l l on, Bi g Hol e
Battl efi el d Nat. Mon. , 12 mi . w. of Wisdom, Rt. 43; Billings, Yel l owstone Co.
Hi st. Mus. ; Crow Agenc, Custer Battl efi el d Nat. Mon. , mus. , US 87, Owen State
Mon. , first settl ement, off US 93, St. Mary' s Mi ssi on nearby; Helena, Mont.
State Hi st . Mus . ; Virginia City, former terri tori al capi tal , mu s . , Rt. 34. Utah:
Provo, Pi oneer Mem. Bl dg. , exhi bi t; Salt Lake City, Pi oneer Mem. Bl dg. , Mai n
St. , Pi oneer Vi l l age Mus. , Conner St. , Utah Hi st. Soc. , Templ e St. Wyomi ng:
Cody, Buffal o Bi l l Hi st. Center and Mus. ; Ft. Bridger, south of US 30S, ori gi nal
fort and army base, mus. ; Ft. Casper, repl i ca of ol d fort, mus. , near Casper, Ft.
Larami e Nat. Mon. , mus. , 3 mi . s. of Ft. Laramie, Rt. 26, I ndependence Rock,
fa med "regi ster of the desert , " Rt. 220, 50 mi . w. of Casper; Lander, grave of
Sacaj awea, n. w. off Rt. 287; Laramie, U. of Wyo. , State hi stori cal col l ecti ons
a nd archi ves.
l 5 l
FOSSILS abound i n t hi s, one of t he worl d' s r i chest fossi l
areas. However, don' t expect to f i nd di nosau rs l yi ng al ong
t he roadsi de. Good fossi l s of vertebrates are hard to fi nd,
di ff i cul t to extract and costl y to prepa re and mount . Wi th
l uck one may f i nd an occasi onal tooth or bone. Watch for
i nvertebrate and pl ant fossi l s, too. Vi si t l oca l museums
( p. 1 48). Try " rockhound" shops. Make l ocal i nqui ri es be
fore h u nt i ng fossi l s. Deposi ts may be off paved roads and
h a rd to l ocate wi thout speci fi c di recti ons. Check al so for
l oca l gui de books coveri ng geol ogy and mi neral l ocati ons.
Best pl aces for fossi l s a re not i n the Rocki es proper but
i n " par ks, " foot hi l l s and adj oi ni ng Hi gh Pl a i ns where up
t u rned or undi sturbed sedi ments are exposed .
WHERE TO LOOK
Col orado: Eastern foot hi l l s, good col l ecti ng the enti re l engt h; Canon Cit,
di nosaur s and earl y f i sh; DeBeque ( Devi l ' s Pl ayground) , di nosau rs; Morrison,
di nosaur s and i nvertebrates; Florissant, fossi l f i sh, many fossi l pl ants and
i nsects; Pawnee Buttes, fossi l mammal s i ncl udi ng horses and camel s; N. W.
and N. E. Col o .. many fossi l mammal s-rhi noceros, mammoth, ti tanothere, saber
toothed cat; good fossi l exhi bi ts at Golden (School of Mi nes). Bouldr, Uni v. of
Col o. Mus . , and Denver ( Mus. of Nat. Hi st. ). Idaho: Petri fi ed Forest (Sequoi as)
i n Mai m Gul ch near Challis. Montana: Near Harlowton, east of Hel ena, l arge
fossi l beds wi th di nosa urs, ma mmal s, t urtl es, l i zards, crocodi l es, bi r ds, pl ants;
near Conrad, 70 mi l es north of Great Falls, many mari ne fossi l s i n shal e
of Mari as Ri ver tri butary; di nosaur beds east of Anaconda. Utah: See Di nosaur
Quarry i n Di nosaur Nat. Mon. , exhi bi ts of di nosa ur bones i n posi ti on; Mount
Timpanogos, mari ne ani mal s and pl ants in l i mestone; southwest of Wasatch,
pl ant fossi l s in cl i ffs; Price, di nosaurs and ti tanotheres; Logan, seaweed; Sal
Lake Cit, di nosaurs and other fossi l s on exhi bi t at Uni versi ty of Utah Geol ogy
Mu seum; Vernal, outdoor l i fe- si ze di nosaur repl i ca, fi el d museum. Wyomi ng:
Como Bl uff west of Laramie, site of fi rst Rocky Mountai n di nosaur fi nds, many
earl y mammal s, and nearby "Creati on Museum" contai ns many fossi l s; Pol ecat
Bench north of Cody, fossi l crocodi l es and t urtl es; Kemmerer, one of greatest
fossi l f i sh beds i n worl d, toget her with fossi l al l i gators, bi rds, pl ants; north of
Lusk, l i mestone fossi l beds contai ni ng some of best Ameri can Tri ceratops
di nosau r r emai ns; Bl ack Hi l l s, gi ant cycads ( depl eted), mar i ne fossi l - beari ng
shal es at Belle Fouche. Al bera: Ri ch di nosaur beds-many l ocal i ti es for smal l er
fossi l s; Calgary, di nosaur gardens wi th repl i cas. Bri ti sh Col umbi a: Feld, Bur
gess shal e deposi ts contai ni ng many earl y Cambri an mari ne fossi l s i ncl udi ng
seaweeds, sponges, worms.
l 52
Bb and Ira Spring
Smelter near Kel l ogg, I daho-Coeur d' Al ene mi ni ng di strict
ROCKS AND MI NERALS made t he Rocki es f amous. Mi n
i ng i s sti l l bi g busi ness wi t h a tota l prod u ct i on today
greater t han i n the bonanza days of t he l ate 1 800' s. Be
si des gol d a nd s i l ver , the regi on i s r i ch i n mol ybdenum,
vanadi u m, anti mony, l ead, z i nc, copper and gem stones.
Some operati ng mi nes are open to vi si tors and gui ded
tours have been set u p i n abandoned mi nes. Vi si tors can
pan for gol d l ocal l y-good exerci se. Check l ocal gui des on
l oca l i ti es for mi neral and gem col l ecti ng-they are l egi on.
Some l arger mi ni ng areas are l i sted bel ow.
Colorado: Climax, mol ybdenum; Gilman, l ead and zi nc; Idaho Sprngs-Central
Cit area and many others.
Idaho: Kellgg, heart of Coeur d' Al ene mi ni ng di stri ct (l ead, si l ver, gol d and
zi nc); Bunker Hill, l ead and si l ver; Montpelier area, phosphate deposi ts;
Wallace, l ead- si l ver.
Montana: Anaconda, copper (Washoe Smel ter); Butte, gol d, si l ver, copper and
zi nc; Helena, gol d , si l ver and l ead.
Utah: Bingham Canyon, narrowest ci ty i n t he worl d, has l argest open-cut copper
mi ne i n the U. S.
Wyomi ng: Greybull, bentoni te; Kemmerer, coal ; Rock Springs, bi tumi nous coal ;
Gillette, great stri p coal mi ne.
British Col umbi a: Kimberley, summer tours t hrough l ead- zi nc mi ne; Tail, l arge
l ead- zi nc pl ant. Al so wi despread but smal l deposi ts of gol d , si l ver, copper
ti n, cadmi um, anti mony and bi smuth.
l 53
Bob and Ira Spring
The Rockies ofer magni ficent vi ews for the photographer-Boul der Peak, Gl aci er
Nati onal Park
PHOTOGRAPHY i n the Rocki es can be di sconcert i ng unti l
vi si tors l earn t hey tend to overexpose t hei r pi ct u res here.
The hi gher one goes, the greater the l i ght i ntensi ty. Unl ess
you r ca mera is a utomat i c, or equ i pped wi th a l i ght meter,
cl ose the sh utter one stop more t han what you woul d use
for nor mal photographs back home. Snow cover cal l s for
reduced exposu re. Summer pi ctu re- ta ki ng t i me is best in
t he morni ng because of possi bl e afternoon showers. Bad
weat her sel dom l asts and t he pat i ent photogra pher wi l l
us ua l l y get hi s pi ct ure. Good l a ke ref l ect i ons have to be
caught earl y or l ate because of dayt i me breezes.
Col or photography i s best i n t he Rocki es, but avoi d
strong l i ght and shadow. Cl ose- up l enses or extensi on
t u bes a re essent i al for wi l dfl ower or ot her deta i l . A tel e
photo l ens i s hel pf u! for bi rds, ani mal s and i n getti ng
detai l s of mountai n scenery. Wi l dl i fe photography takes
pati ence. Don' t enti ce bears wi th food . I t ca n be danger
ous . Use a yel l ow or red f i l ter wi t h bl ack a n d whi te f i l m
t o gi ve you contrast.
l 54
CULTURAL ACTI VI TI ES have become a featu re of the
Rocki es, not onl y i n the bi g ci ti es, but a l so i n the smal l er
mi ni ng towns whi ch have been revi ved a s centers of wi n
ter sport and s u mmer recreati on. Pagea nts, concerts,
festi val s and pl ays, i ncl udi ng ol d- fashi oned mel odra mas,
make up the s u mmer progra ms. Aspen, Col orado, i s the
ol dest and most famous of these centers wi th a musi c
and c u l t ur al progra m that has been goi ng on for nearl y
twenty yea rs . I nternati onal a rti sts pa rt i ci pate j ust as they
di d i n the boom days of the ' 90' s. Check l ocal l y for sched
u l es. Ma ny col l eges have s u mmer cou rses i n natu ral sci
ences wi th fi el d work and week- end programs. Wri te them
for catal ogs.
Colorado: Aspen, I nsti tute f or Humani sti c Studi es, summer festi val s, l ectures,
musi c and semi nars. Boulder, U. of Col orado summer dr ama, concerts and
l ectures. Canon City, musi c bl ossom festi val i n May. Central Cit, summer
performances at famous opera house duri ng J ul y. Colorado Sprins, Garden of
the Gods, summer concerts, Broadmoor I nternati onal Center. Cripple Creek,
ol d- ti me mel odramas in summer. Denver, summer opera at Cheesman Park,
concerts at Red Rock Park, summer theater at El i tch' s Gardens. La Junta,
Koshare I ndi an ki va and dances.
Montana: Virginia Cit, summer pl ayhouse, 1 9th century drama.
Utah: Salt Lake Cit, Mormon Tabernacl e Choi r.
Wyoming: Summer pageants of the West at Landr, Lusk and Daniel.
Concerts are hel d in the huge Musi c Tent in Aspen
Don Knight Photos
WINTER SPORTS a re possi
bl e every mont h of t he year
i n the snow- cl ad Rocki es, but
t h e " season " u s u a l l y ex
t ends f r om Dece mber to
May. Sk i i ng i s t he top sport
but l akes and ri nks are avai l
a bl e f or i ce- skati ng. Snow
s hoei ng, bobsl ed d i ng and
tobogga ni ng a re d one al so.
Ski tows a re i n operati on at
over a h u n d red si tes from
Union Pocifc Roilrood
Sun V
al l ey, I daho, famous
Atop Dol l or Mountai n, Sun Val l ey, I daho
wi nter Sports a rea, where
t h er e a re severa l , to s mal l ,
l oca l l i fts. Aspen, Col orado, a very muc h rej uvenated
ghost town, has good ski sl opes i ncl udi ng fou r- mi l e Roch
Run, one of the worl d' s most d i ffi cul t I ts 1 4,000-foot l i ft,
r i si ng 3, 400 feet up Aj ax Mountai n, i s one of t he l ongest
i n t he worl d.
OTHER ROCKY MOUNTAI N WI NTER SPORTS AREAS I NCLUDE:
Colorado: Arapahoe Basi n, Berthoud Pass, Breckenri dge, Broadmoor (cl osest
to the Pl ai ns, augmented by arti fi ci al snow), Cooper Hi l l (Leadvi l l e), Crested
Butte, Guenel l a Pass, Hi dden Val l ey, Lovel and Basi n, Mesa Lakes (Grand
Mesa), Monarch Pass, Pi kes Peak, Pi oneer (Gunni son), Red Mountai n (Gl en
wood Spri ngs), Redstone, Steamboat Spri ngs, Wi nter Park.
Idaho: I sl and Park regi on, Magi c Mountai n (Twi n Fal l s) , Payette Forest (McCal l ),
Pend Orei l l e regi on.
Montana: Bi g Mountai n (Whi tef i sh) , Bozeman regi on, Butte regi on, Kal i spel l
regi on, Red Lodge.
Utah: Al ta, Beaver Mountai n (logan), Bri ghton, Snow Basi n (Ogden).
Wyoming: Bi ghorn Nati onal Forest, Casper Mountai n Park, Snow Ki ng Moun
tai n (Jackson), Snowy Range (Larami e).
Alberta: Banff (Mount Norquay, Sunshi ne Lodge, Mount Templ e Chal et, Mount
Skoki Lodge), Jasper (Whi stl ers Mountai n).
British Columbia: Mount Revel stoke, Red Mountai n (Trai l ) .
l 5
l NDX
Asteri sks ( *) denote pages on whi ch t he subj ects are i l l ustrated.
Aconite, 67*
Agate: banded, 58*
moss, 58*
Al abaster, 53*
Al der, t hi n l eaf, 79*
Amozonite, 58*
Amethyst, 58*
Ammonites, 59*
Amphi bi ans, 1 1 2 *
Anaconda, 1 7
Ani mal s, 87*-96*
Antel ope, brush, 82*
Arapaho I ndi ans, 30, 1 50
Arkose, 53*
Arni ca, heortl eaf, 71 *
Ash, mountai n, 75*
Aspen, 1 55* , 1 56
Aspen, quaki ng, 80*
Assi ni boi n I ndi ans, 30, 1 50
Assi ni boi ne, Mt., 1 26
Astraspis, 59*
Athabaska, MI., 49*
Atsi na I ndi ans, 30
Avens, al pi ne, 62 *
Azurite, 56*
Badger, 94*
Badl ands Nat. Mon. , 1 33
Bal sam root, 69*
Banff Nat. Park, 1 8, 1 26*
Bannock I ndi ans, 26-27,
1 50
Basalt, 52*
Bearo bl ack, 89*, 1 1 9*
'
grizzl y, 89*
Beargrass, 66*
Bear Ri ver Refuge, 1 36*
Beaver, 92*
Bee pl ant, Rocky Mt. , 72*
Bergen Park, 1 38
Big Hol e Battlefiel d, 1 3 1
Bi ghorns, 8 8 *
Bi l l i ngs, 1 7
Bi rch: paper, 80*
water, 74*
Bi rds, 97*-1 07*, 1 36*
Bison, 96*, 1 47*
Bitterbrush, 82
Bitterroot, pygmy, 63*
Bl ackbi rd, Brewer's, 1 06*
Bl ack Canyon, 1 30*
Bl ackfoot I ndi ans, 2829*,
1 23, 1 50
Bl ack Hi l l s, 1 32*- 1 33
Bl uebi rd: mountai n, 1 06*
western, 1 06 *
Bobcat, 90*
Boul der, 1 6
Boul der Peak, 1 54*
Bozeman, 1 7
Bracken, western, 85 *
Breccia, 53
Brontosaurus, 60*
Buffal o, 96*
Buffal o berry, 81 *
Buffal o Bi l l , 1 38, 1 5 1
Bunti ng, l azul i , 1 07*
Butte, 1 6
Butterfl ies, 1 1 3*- 1 1 5*
Cal endar of events, 22
Cal gary, 1 8
Calypso, 71 *
Cal yptra, 86*
Campi ng, 1 9* , 1 41 *
Canadi an parks, 1 25-1 28*
Carnotite, 57*
Carson, Kit,' 37, 1 5 1
Casper, 1 7
Castl e Geyser, 51 *
Cedar, white, 78*
Central City, 1 5 1 *
Chal cocite, 56*
Cheyenne, 1 7
Cheyenne I ndi ans, 30,
1 3 1 , 1 50
Chi ckadee, mountai n, 1 00*
Chi ckaree, 92*
Chi pmunk, l east, 95*
Chokecherry, 8 1 *
Ci nquefoil , shrubby, 75*
Ci rque, 50*
Cl ematis, western, 71 *
Cl i mate, 1 0
Ccur d'Al ene, 1 53*
Col orado Nat . Mon. , 1 30*
Col o. Rai l road Museum,
1 48*
Col orado Spri ngs, 6*, 1 6,
1 39*
Col umbi a l cefel d, 49*-50* ,
1 26, 1 27, 1 28*
Col umbi ne, Col orado, 66 *
Concerts, 1 55*
Congl omerate, 53*
Conifers, 73*, 76*78*
Conti nental Divide, 7,
1 9*, 1 22
Cony, 88*
Cottonwood, narrowl eaf,
79*
Coyote, 96*
Crossbi l l , red, 1 02*
Crow I ndi ans, 30, 1 50*
Cultural activities, 1 55
Currant, squaw, 82*
Custer Battlefiel d, 1 3 1
Daisy, subal pi ne, 65*
Deer, mul e, 92*
Denver, 1 5* , 1 6, 1 38* 1 39;
1 49*
Devil 's Tower Nat. Mon. ,
1 33
Di nosaur Not. Mon. , 1 29*
Di nosaurs, 44, 60*, 1 29*
Di pl odocus, 60*
Di pper, 1 05*
Dogwood, redosier, 82*
Dream Lake, 1 2 1 *
Dryas, mountai n, 74*
El bert, Mt., 5, 1 42
El der, red berried, 84*
El k, 93*
Evans, Mt . , 1 39
Eveni ngstar, many
fl owered, 70*
1
Expl orers, 34*-37
Fai ry sl i pper, 71 *
Fal l Ri ver Pass, 1 20
Farmi ng, 8-9*
Fel dspars, 57*
Fern' brittle, 85*
parsley, 86*
Fi nch: brown-capped rosy,
98*
Cassi n's, 1 01 *
Fi" Dougl as, 1 2, 77*
grand, 77*
subal pi ne, 73*
Fi reweed, 67*
Fi re-wheel , 69*
Fi shes, 1 08*- 1 09*
Fi shi ng, 1 08, 1 46*
Fl athead I ndi ans, 28-29,
1 50
Fl ax, bl ue, 68*
Fl i cker, red-shafted, 1 03 *
Fl owers, 62*-72 *
Fl uorite, 57*
Fl ycatcher, western, 99*
Forget-me-not, al pi ne, 63*
Fort Col l i ns, 1 6
Forts, 1 5 1
Fossil s, 59* -60* , 1 52
Fox, red, 90*
Fremont, 37
Frog, l eopard, 1 1 2*
swamp chorus, 1 1 2*
Front Range, 43 *
Gabbro, 52
Gai l l ardi a, 69*
Gal ena, 56"
Gal l ati n Nat. Forest, 1 34 *
Garden of the Gods, 1 39*
Gardens, 1 49
Gems, 58*
Genti an: arctic, 63*
Rocky Mt. fri nged, 72*
Geol ogy, 43*-60*
Geysers, 51 *, 1 1 8- 1 1 9*
Ghost towns, 1 43 *
Gi l ia, scarl et, 68*
1 d
Gl aci er Nat. Park, 1 3*, 1 7,
50*, 78, 85, 1 22*-
1 23, 1 40*, 1 46*, 1 54*
Gl aci er Nat. Park
(Canada), 1 28
Gl aci ers, 49*-50* , 1 20-
1 25, 1 26*, 1 27
Gl obefl ower, 66*
Gl obemal low, scarl et, 72*
Gneiss, 54*
Goat, mountai n, 88*, 1 22*
Gol d, 56*
Gol d Rush, 38-39
Gooseberries, 82
Gopher, northern pocket,
88*
Gr and Juncti on, 1 6
Grand Teton Nat. Park,
1 24*, 1 42
Granite, 52*
Grayl i ng, Montana, 1 09*
Great Fal l s, 1 6
Greel ey, 1 6
Green River, 37*
Gri nnel l Gl aci er, 1 22*
Grosbeak, bl ack-headed,
1 07*
eveni ng, 1 07*
pi ne, 1 0 1 *
Gras Ventre I ndi ans, 36*
Grouse, 98*
bl ue, 99*
Gypsum, 53*, 57*
Hare, snowshoe, 93*
Harebel l , mountai n, 71 *
Hawthorn, bl ack, 80*
Hel ena, 1 6, 39*
Hemlock, western, 78*
Hi ki ng, 1 3, 1 40*
Hi storical , sights, 1 5 1
ti metabl e, 42
Hi story, 23*-42*
Hol l ygrape, Oregon, 84 * ;
Homestake Mi ne, 1 33
Hot spi ngs, 1 37, 1 45*
Huckl eberry, broom, 84*
Hummi ngbi rd, broad-
tail ed, 1 03 *
Hunti ng, 87, 1 47
I daho Fal l s, 1 7
I gneous rocks, 52*
I ndi an pai ntbrush, 70*
I ndi ans, 23*-33*
I ndi an: cl othi ng, orna-
ments, decorations,
3 1 , 32*-33*
hi story, 23-30
map, 24-25
reservations, 1 50 *
I nformati on, sources of,
1 4, 43, 6 1 , 87, 97
I noceramus, 59*
I nsects, 1 1 3*- 1 1 5 *
Jack rabbi t, whi te-tai l ed,
94*
Jackson Hol e Wi ldl ife
Refuge, 1 24
J asper, 58*
Jasper Nat. Park, 1 8, 49*,
I
1 27- 1 28*
Jay, gray, 99*
Stel l er's, 1 04 *
Jewel Cave Nat. Mon. , 1 3<
Junco, gray-headed, 1 n
Juni per: dwarf, 77*
Rocky Mt. , 77*
Kal i spel l , 1 7
Ki l l deer, 1 00*
Ki mberl y, 1 8
Ki ngfi sher, bel ted, 1 03*
Ki ngl et, ruby-crowned,
1 0 1 *
Ki ng' s crown, 62*
Kootenay Nat . Park, 1 2 8
Kutenai I ndi ans, 29, 1 50
Lacl ede, 35
Lake Loui se, 1 26*
Lakes, 1 44*
Laramie, 1 7
Larch, al pi ne, 73*
western, 78 *
lark, horned, 98 *
larkspur, subal pi ne, 67*
laurel , dwarf mt., 75*
leadvi l l e, 1 43*
Lethbri dge, 1 8
lewis and Cl ark, 26, 36
lewis and Cl ark Cavern
Stale Park, 1 37*
li chens, 85*-86*
li fe zones, 1 1 *- 1 2
li l y: aval anche, 63*
mari posa, 71 *
li mestone, 53*
li on, mountai n, 91 *
li vi ngston, 1 7
li zard: fence, 1 1 0*
short-horned, 1 1 0*
locoweed, Rocky Mt., 70*
logan, 1 7
longs Peak, 1 20* , 1 2 1 ,
1 42*
lupi ne, mountai n, 70*
Magpi e, bl ack-bi l l ed, 1 03*
Mal achite, 56*
Mammals, 87*-96*
Mammoth Hot Spri ngs,
1 1 9, 1 45*
Mapl e, Rocky Mt., 75*
Maps: Canadi an parks, 1 25
hi storical , 24-25, 34
mi neral , 55
modern, 4-5
Monuments, 1 1 7
Parks, 1 1 7
touri ng, 20
Marbl e, 54*
Mari gol d, white marsh, 64 *
Marmot: hoary, 87*
yel low-bel l i ed, 87, 91 *
Marten, 89*
Metamorphi c rocks, 54*
Mi ca schi st, 54*
Mi neral s, 55-58* , 1 53
Mi ner's candl e, 70*
Mi ni ng, 38-39, 1 53*
Mi nk, 89*
Missoul a, 1 7
Mol ybdenite, 57*
Monkeyflower, yel low, 67*
Monkshood, 67*
Monument pl ant, 66*
Moose, 96*
Morai ne, 50*
Mormons, 38-39
Mormon Templ e, 1 8 *
Moss campi on, 62 *
Moss: hai rycap, 86*
spi ke, 86*
Mountai n: bui l di ng,46 * -48 *
cl i mbi ng, 1 24, 1 42*
Mountai n lover, 82*
Mouse, deer, 93*
Mud pol, 1 1 9* .
Mudstone, 53*
Museums, 1 48*
Muskrat, 95*
Nati onal Bi son Range,
1 47*
Forests, 1 34 *
Parks and Monuments,
1 1 6*- 1 3 1 *
Wi l dl i fe Refuges, 1 36*
Needl es Hi ghway, 1 32,
1 33*
Nel son, 1 8
Nez Perce I ndi ans, 1 3 1
Ni nebark, 8 1 *
Nutcracker, Cl ark's, 1 00*
Nuthatch, pygmy, 1 05*
Oak, Gam bel , 79*
Obsidi an, 52*
Ogden, 1 7
Ol d Fai thful , 1 1 8, 1 1 9*
Creodonts, 59*
Ores, 56*-57*
Otter, river, 90*
Pai ntbrush, rosy, 67*
Pea, gol den, 68 *
Pegmatite, 52*
Pel i can, white, 97*, 1 1 9
Penstemon, tal l , 72*
Phlox, al pi ne, 61 *
Photography, 1 54
Phyl l ite, 54
Pi ka, 88*
Pi kes Peak, 1 6; 36, 1 39*
Pi ne: bristl econe, 1 2, 7 6
l i mber, 73*
l odgepol e, 76*
ponderosa, 7 6 *
western whi te, 76*
western yel low, 76*
Pi pi t, water, 98*
Pi ute I ndi ans, 23*, 26-27
Pl ai ns I ndi ans, 30-31 *
Pl ants, 61 *-86*
non-floweri ng, 85*-86*
Pl over, 1 00*
Pocatel l o, 1 7
Popl ar, bal sam, 79*
Porcupi ne, 93*
Prai ri e dog, whi te-tai l ed,
95*
Pri mrose, parry, 65*
Pronghorn, 96*
Provo, 1 7
Ptarmi gan, whi te-tai l ed
98*
Puebl o, 1 6
Puma, 91 *
Pumi ce, 52*
Purpl e fri nge, 64 *
Pyrite, 57*
Pyrol a, 64*
Quartz, 58*
Quartzite, 54
Rabbit brush, 69*
Racer, 1 1 1 *
Ragwort, western gol den,
66*
Rai l roads, 40*-41 *
Rai nfal l , 1 0
Ranchi ng, 6, 7*, 8
Rat, bushy-tai l ed wood, 92 *
Rattl esnake, western, 1 1 1 *
Red el ephant, 65*
Red Rocks Theater, 1 38
Repti l es, 1 1 0*- 1 1 1 *
Revelstoke, 1 8
Revelstoke, MI., Nat. Park,
1 8, 1 28
Rhyol ite, 52
V
Rivers, 1 44
Riverside Geyser, 51 *
Rock brake, 86*
Rocks, 52*-54*, 1 53
Rocky Mt. Nat. Park, 79,
85, 1 20*- 1 2 1 *
Rushmore, Mt., 1 32 *
Sacaj awea, 26, 36, 1 5 1
Sagebrush, 83*
St . louis, 35
Sal amander, ti ger, 1 1 2*
Sal t lake Ci ty, 1 7, 1 8*, 38*
Sandpi ;er, spotted, 1 01 *
Sandstone, 6*, 53*
Sapsucker, Wi l l i amSon's,
99*
Sawtooth Wi l dernes Area,
1 35*
Schi st, 54*
Scori a, 52*
Sedi mentary rocks, 53*
Sedi ments, 43*
Sel ki rk Mts., 1 28
Serviceberry, 83*
Settl ement, 38-41
Seven Devi l s Range, 1 1 *
Shal e, 53
Sheep, mountai n, 88*
Shooti ngstars, 69*
Shoshoni I ndi ans, 26-27*
1 50
Shrubs, 74*-75*, 8 1 *-84*
Si l ver, 56*
Si oux I ndians, 30, 1 3 1 , 1 50
Si ski n, pi ne, 1 03*
Ski i ng, 1 56
Ski nk, western, 1 1 0*
Skunk, stri ped, 94 *
Skunkbush, 81 *
Sky pi lot, 61
Sky-rocket, 68
Sl ate, 54*
Snake, gopher, 1 1 1 *
western garter, 1 1 1 *
Snowberry, 83*
Snowt"-themountai n, 72*
Sparrow: Li ncol n's; 1 02*
whitecrowned, 1 02*

Sphal erite, 56*
Sports, wi nter, 1 56 *
Spri ngs, 1 45
Spruce' bl ue, 78
Engel mann, 73*
Squawbush, 81 *
Squawfish, 1 09*
Squi rrel , gol den mantled
ground, 91 *
pi ne, 92*
Ri chardson's ground, 91 *
1 3-l i ned ground, 94*
tuft-eared, 95*
State parks, 1 37*
Stegosaurus, 60*
Strawberry bl ite, 68*
Sucker, northern, 1 09*
Sul phur fl ower, 68*
Sun Dance, 31 *
Sunflower, al pi ne, 62 *
Sun Val l ey, 1 56*
Swal l ow, vi ol et-green, 1 04*
Swan, trUmpeter, 97* , 1 1 8*
Swift, white-throated, 1 04
Tal l chi mi ng bel l s, 65*
Tamarack, 73*
Tanager, western, 1 06*
Temperature, 1 0
T etons, 46 -47*
Thi mbl eberry, 83*
Thrush, hermi t, 1 00*
Townsend's sol itai re,
1 00*
Ti mpanogos Cave, 1 30*
Too& spadefoot, 1 1 2*
western, 1 1 2 *
Touri ng, 1 3, 1 9-2 1
Towhee: green-tai l ed, 1 02 *
rufoussided, 1 07*
Traders, 34*-37*
Trai l , 1 8
TransCanada Hi ghway,
1 26
Trees, 73*-80*
Trout, 1 08*
Turtle, poi nted, 1 1 0*
Twi nberries, 74*
Twi nfl ower, 64*
Tyrannosaurus, 60*
U. S. Ai r Force Academy,
1 6*, 1 39
Ute I ndi ans, 26-27, 1 50
verendrye, 35*
Vol cani c acti on, 51 * ,
1 1 8- 1 1 9*
Wal l fl ower, western, 69*
Wapi ti , 93*
Warbl e" Audubon's, 1 01 *
MacGi l l ivray's, 1 06*
Waterton-Gi aci er I nter
nati onal Peace Pork,
1 8, 1 22*- 1 23*
Weasel , l ong-toi l ed, 90*
Whitefi sh, Rocky Mt . , 1 09*
Whortl eberries, 84
Wi l derness Areas, 1 35*
Wi l low: creepi ng, 74*
peoch l eof, so
Wi nter sports, 1 56
Woodpecker, lewis, 1 04
Wren: canon, 1 05*
rock, 1 05*
Yel lowstone Nat. Park,
1 7, 20-2 1 , 51 * , 79,
1 1 8 *- 1 1 9*, 1 45
Yoho Not. Pork, 1 28
Zoos, 1 49*
J K l M N
THE ROCKY MOUNTAI NS
LLLUtN LU Ut
*
HERBERT S. ZI M, Ph. D., Sc. D. , i ni ti ated the
Col den Gui de Series and was both author
and editor for many years. Author of some
ni nety books and editor of about as many,
he i s now Adj unct Professor at the Univer
sity of Mi ami and Educational Consul tant to
the American Friends Service Committee
and other organi zati ons. He works on
education, population and envi ronmental
probl ems.
SU ZAN NOGUCHI SWAI N has i l l ustrated
many scientifi c books and articles, i ncl ud
i ng titles publ ished by the American Mu
seum of Natural History and the Audubon
Society. She is a l ife member of the New
York Entomol ogical Society and the John
Burroughs Society, a major conservation or
ganizati on. Most of her drawi ng is done
from l ife models.
LLLULN FkL55 NLW YLkK