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OUGD503 - Responsive: Collaborative - BEAR Mountains Research

I started looking at mountains for one of the areas we are looking at on the back of our packs.

 Tallest Mountains























Mountains







10 Facts

Rocky Mountains

Facts

Topography

While the Rocky Mountains sit high above sea level, hitting the 14,000-foot range in most areas, the mountains themselves are not particularly high since they rise from areas already at 4,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. Mount Elbert near Leadville, Colorado, has an elevation of 14,433 feet, making it the tallest peak in the mountain range. The popular Pikes Peak, the second most visited peak in the world, is only the 31st highest, rising 14,110 feet above sea level. Peak Bagger indicates that the Rockies are fairly gentle and require little technical mountaineering to climb, with the summit of Mount Elbert reachable by bicycle.

Animal Life

Because the Rocky Mountain Range covers such a vast geographical area, the animals found in the mountains vary from location to location. The National Park Service indicates that Rocky Mountain National Park serves as the habitat to 66 mammal species, including the rare lynx and wolverine. Above the tree line, small pikas live in the rocky crevices of the mountains. Black bears, coyotes, elk, marmots, mountain lions, bighorn sheep and moose also live in Rocky Mountain National Park. Banff National Park in Canada has numerous bighorn sheep as well as hoary marmots, grizzly and black bears and the golden mantled ground squirrel, among other creatures.

Length

The Rocky Mountain Range actually represents a series of more than 100 separate mountain ranges, rather than one uninterrupted mountain chain. These ranges stretch through New Mexico, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado, and also extend into British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. The entire series of mountain ranges measures approximately 3,000 miles.

Boundaries

The southern edge of the range sits in central New Mexico, with the Liard River in Canada serving as the northern boundary. On the east, I-25 serves as the boundary in the US. The Rocky Mountain Trench serves as the western edge in Canada. The western edge in the United States is not well defined, as the mountains gradually merge into the Great Basin desert regions.

National Parks

Because of the vast expanse covered by the Rocky Mountain Range, it holds several national parks. On the Canadian side, Banff, Kootenay, Yoho and Jasper National Parks protect the landscape and wildlife of the Rocky Mountains. Canada also has three provincial parks, Mount Robson, Mount Assiniboine and Hamber, along the Rockies. On the US side, the Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Glacier National Park and the Royal Gorge Park, among others, all give guests the opportunity to explore the Rockies.

 Blue Planet
The Rocky Mountains are located in western North America. They are know for their beautiful scenery with mountains, trees and big game. People visit the Rockies for many recreational activities like hiking, hunting, camping, skiing and lots of other sports.
The Rocky Mountains have unpredictable weather which can change rapidly. As with other highland climates, the climate changes with increasing altitude. In general, the Rockies have mild summers, cold winters and a lot of precipitation.
The Rockies have very different seasons. In the winter there is deep snow, high winds, and sudden blizzards are common. At night it can get to -35û F or below! In the spring there is unpredictable weather. It could be wet or dry, cold or warm. In the summer there are sunny mornings, afternoon thunderstorms and clear nights. In the fall there are cool, crisp days, wind and decreasing precipitation.
There is lots of vegetation. The forests are full of pine trees, firs and spruces.Plants are very sturdy, most clinging to rock or hard soil.
Some adaptions that animals have made to the climate is that the hoofed species are very surefooted for the mountainous terrain they live on. Many animals migrate to lower and warmer elevations during the winter months. Some animals shed their brown fur to replace it with white so that they blend in with the snow. Some hibernate and some even have big feet so that they can walk on snow.
Koppen's letter code that describes the Rockies are H, Csb and Cfc. H means highland climate. C means warm temperature climate. s means dry season in summer. f means sufficient precipitation in all months. b means warmest month mean under 71.6û F. c means fewer than four months with means over 50û F.
The average temperature per year is 43û F. For Winter the average temperature is 28û F. 40û F is the average Spring temperature. In the Summer 59û F is the average temperature and for Fall it is 44û F. The highest temperature is 82û F in July. The lowest temperature is 7û F in January.
The average precipitation per year is 14 inches. The average for winter is 1.4 inches. The average precipitation for the season of spring is 4.2 inches. For summer it is 5.9 inches and for fall it is 2.6 inches. In the winter there are some snowstorms and blizzards. It snows later in the fall and there is decreasing precipitation. There is a lot of thunder and lighting in the summer. It rains and snows in the spring.
The latitude and longitude range is 35û N to 60û N, and 115û E to 165û E.
The Rocky Mountains are rich in environmental treasures. Conservation and protection is important to make sure the Rockies are just as wonderful as they are today for many generations.
by Hilary D. 2003


Himalayas


Himalayas, Nepali Himalaya,  great mountain system of Asia forming a barrier between the Plateau of Tibet to the north and the alluvial plains of the Indian subcontinent to the south. The Himalayas include the highest mountains in the world, with more than 110 peaks rising to elevations of 24,000 feet (7,300 metres) or more above sea level. One of these peaks is Mount Everest (Tibetan: Chomolungma; Chinese: Qomolangma Feng; Nepali: Sagarmatha), the world’s highest, with an elevation of 29,035 feet (8,850 metres; seeResearcher’s Note: Height of Mount Everest. The mountains’ high peaks rise into the zone of perpetual snow.

Physical features

The most characteristic features of the Himalayas are their soaring heights, steep-sided jagged peaks, valley and alpine glaciers often of stupendous size, topography deeply cut by erosion, seemingly unfathomable river gorges, complex geologic structure, and series of elevational belts (or zones) that display different ecological associations of flora, fauna, and climate. Viewed from the south, the Himalayas appear as a gigantic crescent with the main axis rising above the snow line, where snowfields, alpine glaciers, and avalanches all feed lower-valley glaciers that in turn constitute the sources of most of the Himalayan rivers. The greater part of the Himalayas, however, lies below the snow line. The mountain-building process that created the range is still active. As the bedrock is lifted, considerable stream erosion and gigantic landslides occur.

Geography
  • Everest is 29,035 feet or 8848 meters high
  • The summit is the border of Nepal to the south and China or Tibet on the north
  • It is over 60 million years old
  • Everest was formed by the movement of the Indian tectonic plate pushing up and against the Asian plate
  • Everest grows by about a quarter of an inch (0.25") every year
  • It consist of different types of shale, limestone and marble
  • The rocky summit is covered with deep snow all year long
Weather
  • The Jet Stream sits on top of Everest almost all year long
  • The wind can blow over 200 mph
  • The temperature can be -80F
  • In mid May each year, the jet stream moves north causing the winds the calm and temperatures to warm enough for people to try to summit. This is called the 'summit window'. There is a similar period each fall in November.
  • It can be very hot with temperatures over 100F in the Western Cwm, an area climbers go through to reach the summit.
History
  • It was first identified by a British survey team in lead by Sir George Everest in 1841
  • Everest was first named Peak 15 and measured at 29,002 feet in 1856
  • In 1865, it was named Mount Everest, after Sir George Everest
  • In 1955, the height was adjusted to 29,028 feet and is still used by Nepal
  • China uses 29,015 feet as the official height today
  • Using GPS technology, the summit was measured at 29,035 feet in 1999
  • Everest is called Chomolungma in Tibet. It means mother goddess of the universe
  • Everest is called Sagarmatha in Nepal. It means goddess of the sky
Summits
  • The first attempt was in 1921 by a British expedition from the north (Tibet) side
  • The first summit team was a British expedition lead by Colonel John Hunt on the south (Nepal) side
  • The first summit was on May 29, 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary from New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa from Nepal. They climbed from the south side.
  • The first north side summit was on May 25, 1960 by Nawang Gombu (Tibetan) and Chinese climbers Chu Yin-Hau and Wang Fu-zhou
  • The first climbers to summit Everest without bottled oxygen were Italian Reinhold Messner with Peter Habler in 1978
  • The first woman to summit Everest was Junko Tabei of Japan in 1975
  • The oldest person to summit was Japanese Miura Yiuchiro, age 80 on May 23, 2013
  • The oldest woman to summit was Japanese Tamae Watanabe, age 73, in 2012 from the north
  • The youngest person to summit was American Jordan Romero, age 13, on May 23, 2010 from the north side
  • The youngest person to summit from the south side was Nepali Nima Chemji Sherpa on May 19, 2012
  • Apa Sherpa and Phurba Tashi both hold the record for most summits with 21, the most recent one in 2013
  • About 3,668 climbers have summited Everest once and another 2,540 have summited multiple times totaling 6,208 summits of Everest through June 2012
  • The Nepal side is more popular with 3877 summits compared to 2331 summits from the Tibet side
  • 363 women have summited through June 2012
  • 178 climbers summited without supplemental oxygen through June 2012, about 2.8%
  • 249 people (162 westerners and 87 Sherpas) have died on Everest from 1924 to 2013.
  • More people have died on the South side, 134 than on the Tibet side, 106.
  • Almost all are still on the mountain.
  • The top cause of death was from a fall, avalanche, exposure and altitude sickness
  • There were an estimated 600 summits in the Spring of 2013 bringing the total estimated summits to 6,800.
Climbing
  • There are 18 different climbing routes on Everest
  • It takes 40 days to climb Mt. Everest in order for the body to adjust to the high altitude
  • There is 66% less oxygen in each breath on the summit of Everest than at sea level
  • Thin nylon ropes are used to keep climbers from falling.
  • Climbers wear spikes on their boots called crampons
  • They also use ice axes to help stop a fall
  • Thick, puffy suits filled with goose feathers keep climbers warm
  • Most climbers eat a lot of rice and noodles for food
  • Almost all climbers use bottled oxygen because it is so high. It helps keep the climbers warm.
  • Climbers start using bottled oxygen at 26,000 feet but it only makes a 3,000 foot difference in how they feel so at 27,000 feet, they feel like they are at 24,000 feet
  • You have to be 16 or older to climb from the Nepal side and 18 on the Chinese side.
Sherpas
  • Sherpa is the name of a people. They mostly live in western Nepal. They migrated from Tibet over the last several hundred years
  • Sherpa is also used as a last name
  • Usually their first name is the day of the week they were born.
    • Nyima - Sunday
    • Dawa - Monday
    • Mingma - Tuesday
    • Lhakpa - Wednesday
    • Phurba - Thursday
    • Pasang - Friday
    • Pemba - Saturday
  • Sherpas help climbers by carrying tents and cooking food to the High Camps
  • Sherpas climb Everest as a job to support their families
  • Sherpas can get sick from the altitude like anyone
Trivia
  • Babu Chiri Sherpa spent the night on the summit in 1999
  • Over 33,000 feet of fixed rope is used each year to set the South Col route
  • You have to be at least 16 to climb Everest from the south side and 18 from the north
  • Climbers burn over 10,000 calories each day, double that on the summit climb
  • Climbers will lose 10 to 20 lbs during the expedition




Facts About Mt. Everest


  • Tallest mountain in the world. 
  • Number of people to attempt to climb Mt. Everest: approximately 4,000. 
  • Number of people to successfully climb Mt. Everest: 660. 
  • Number of people who have died trying to climb Mt. Everest: 142. 
  • Height: 29,028 feet, or 5 and a half miles above sea level. This is equivalent to the size of almost 20 Empire State Buildings.
  • Location: part of the Himalaya mountain range; straddles border of Nepal and Tibet.
  • Named for: Sir George Everest, a British surveyor-general of India.
  • Age: approximately 60 million years old.
  • Other names: called "Chomolungma" by Tibetans and Sherpas, which means "Mother Goddess of the Earth."
  • Countries visible from the summit: Tibet, India, and Nepal.
  • First to climb to summit: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953.
  • Notable dates:
    1921 — Dalai Lama allows British reconnaissance party to visit Tibet and the northern side of Mt. Everest.
    1924 — British explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappear near the summit, along the Northeast Ridge. It is possible that they may have actually been the first to reach the summit, but they never returned.
    1949 — Nepal opens its borders, making access to the mountain's southern peak possible.
    1953 — Hillary and Norgay reach summit.
    1963 — First Americans reach the summit.
    1989 — First two women, both American, reach the summit.
    1990 — Sir Edmund Hillary's son, Peter, reaches summit.
    1996 — Eleven people die during spring expeditions.




    • 28 The mountain is more than 28 times the height of the Shard.
    59 It is estimated that expeditions to climb the mountain take two months from start to end.
    60 Geologically speaking, Mt Everest is about 60 million years old.




    Aconcagua (Spanish pronunciation: [akoŋˈkaɣwa]) is the highest mountain in the Americas at 6,960.8 metres (22,837 ft).[1] It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the province ofMendoza, Argentina, and lies 112 kilometres (70 mi) northwest of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the international border with Chile. Aconcagua is the highest peak in both the Western and Southern Hemispheres. It is one of the Seven Summits.
    Aconcagua is bounded by the Valle de las Vacas to the north and east and the Valle de los Horcones Inferior to the West and South. The mountain and its surroundings are part of theAconcagua Provincial Park. The mountain has a number of glaciers. The largest glacier is the Ventisquero Horcones Inferior at about 10 km long, which descends from the south face to about 3600 m altitude near the Confluencia camp.[3] Two other large glacier systems are the Ventisquero de las Vacas Sur and Glaciar Este/Ventisquero Relinchos system at about 5 km long. The most well-known is the north-eastern or Polish Glacier, as it is a common route of ascent.
    The mountain was created by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American plate during the geologically recent Andean orogeny; but it is not an active volcano.[4] The origin of the name is contested; it is either from the Arauca Aconca-Hue, which refers to the Aconcagua River and means "comes from the other side",[citation needed] the Quechua Ackon Cahuak, meaning "'Sentinel of Stone",[citation needed] or Quechua Anco Cahuac, "White Sentinel"[5] or the Aymara Janq'u Q'awa, "White Ravine", "White Brook".[6]

    Yellowstone


    Yellowstone National Park, located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, though the park also extends into Montana and Idaho and its Mountains and Mountain Ranges are part of theRocky Mountains. There are at least 70 named mountain peaks over 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in Yellowstone in four mountain ranges. Two of the ranges—The Washburn Range and the Red Mountains—are minor and completely enclosed within park boundaries. The other two ranges are major, multi-state ranges that extend far beyond the boundaries of the park. TheGallatin Range begins approximately 75 miles (121 km) north of Yellowstone near Bozeman, Montana and dominates the northwest corner of the park. The Absaroka Range, the largest range in the park, begins approximately 80 miles (130 km) miles north of the park near Livingston, Montana along the Yellowstone River and runs southeast into, then south through the entire eastern side of the park to the Wind River Range in Wyoming. The highest peak in the park, Eagle Peak is in the Absaroka Range. Yellowstone also has several isolated peaks over 8,000 feet (2,400 m) on the plateaus that dominate the central, western and southwestern sections of the park.[1]


    Wildfire is a natural part of most ecosystems, and plants found in Yellowstone have adapted in a variety of ways. Douglas-fir has a thick bark which protects the inner section of the tree from most fires. Lodgepole Pines —the most common tree species in the park— generally have cones that are only opened by the heat of fire. Their seeds are held in place by a tough resin, and fire assists in melting the resin, allowing the seeds to disperse. Fire clears out dead and down wood, providing fewer obstacles for lodgepole pines to flourish. Subalpine Fir, Engelmann Spruce,Whitebark Pine, and other species tend to grow in colder and moister areas, where fire is less likely to occur. Aspen trees sprout new growth from their roots, and even if a severe fire kills the tree above ground, the roots often survive unharmed because they are insulated from the heat by soil.[103] The National Park Service estimates that in natural conditions, grasslands in Yellowstone burned an average of every 20 to 25 years, while forests in the park would experience fire about every 300 years.[103]
    About thirty-five natural forest fires are ignited each year by lightning, while another six to ten are started by people— in most cases by accident. Yellowstone National Park has three fire lookout towers, each staffed by trained fire fighters. The easiest one to reach is atop Mount Washburn, though it is closed to the public. The park also monitors fire from the air and relies on visitor reports of smoke and/or flames.[104] Fire towers are staffed almost continuously from late June to mid-September— the primary fire season. Fires burn with the greatest intensity in the late afternoon and evening. Few fires burn more than 100 acres (40 ha), and the vast majority of fires reach only a little over an acre (0.5 ha) before they burn themselves out.[105] Fire management focuses on monitoring dead and down wood quantities, soil and tree moisture, and the weather, to determine those areas most vulnerable to fire should one ignite. Current policy is to suppress all human caused fires and to evaluate natural fires, examining the benefit or detriment they may pose on the ecosystem. If a fire is considered to be an immediate threat to people and structures, or will burn out of control, then fire suppression is performed.[106]

    Wildfire in Yellowstone National Park produces a pyrocumulus cloud
    In an effort to minimize the chances of out of control fires and threats to people and structures, park employees do more than just monitor the potential for fire. Controlled burns are prescribed fires which are deliberately started to remove dead timber under conditions which allow fire fighters an opportunity to carefully control where and how much wood is consumed. Natural fires are sometimes considered prescribed fires if they are left to burn. In Yellowstone, unlike some other parks, there have been very few fires deliberately started by employees as prescribed burns. However, over the last 30 years, over 300 natural fires have been allowed to burn naturally. In addition, fire fighters remove dead and down wood and other hazards from areas where they will be a potential fire threat to lives and property, reducing the chances of fire danger in these areas.[107] Fire monitors also regulate fire through educational services to the public and have been known to temporarily ban campfires from campgrounds during periods of high fire danger. The common notion in early United States land management policies was that all forest fires were bad. Fire was seen as a purely destructive force and there was little understanding that it was an integral part of the ecosystem. Consequently, until the 1970s, when a better understanding of wildfire was developed, all fires were suppressed. This led to an increase in dead and dying forests, which would later provide the fuel load for fires that would be much harder, and in some cases, impossible to control. Fire Management Plans were implemented, detailing that natural fires should be allowed to burn if they posed no immediate threat to lives and property.

    A crown fire approaches the Old Faithful complex on September 7, 1988.
    1988 started with a wet spring season although by summer, drought began moving in throughout the northern Rockies, creating the driest year on record to that point. Grasses and plants which grew well in the early summer from the abundant spring moisture produced plenty of grass, which soon turned to dry tinder. The National Park Service began firefighting efforts to keep the fires under control, but the extreme drought made suppression difficult. Between July 15 and 21, 1988, fires quickly spread from 8,500 acres (3,400 ha; 13.3 sq mi) throughout the entire Yellowstone region, which included areas outside the park, to 99,000 acres (40,000 ha; 155 sq mi) on the park land alone. By the end of the month, the fires were out of control. Large fires burned together, and on August 20, 1988, the single worst day of the fires, more than 150,000 acres (61,000 ha; 230 sq mi) were consumed. Seven large fires were responsible for 95% of the 793,000 acres (321,000 ha; 1,239 sq mi) that were burned over the next couple of months. A total of 25,000 firefighters and U.S. military forces participated in the suppression efforts, at a cost of 120 million dollars. By the time winter brought snow that helped extinguish the last flames, the fires had destroyed 67 structures and caused several million dollars in damage.[52] Though no civilian lives were lost, two personnel associated with the firefighting efforts were killed.
    Contrary to media reports and speculation at the time, the fires killed very few park animals— surveys indicated that only about 345 elk (of an estimated 40,000–50,000), 36 deer, 12 moose, 6 black bears, and 9 bison had perished. Changes in fire management policies were implemented by land management agencies throughout the United States, based on knowledge gained from the 1988 fires and the evaluation of scientists and experts from various fields. By 1992, Yellowstone had adopted a new fire management plan which observed stricter guidelines for the management of natural fires.[52]

    Recreation

    Yellowstone ranks among the most popular national parks in the United States. Since the mid-1960s, at least 2 million tourists have visited the park almost every year.[114] In 2010, a record number of visitors came to the park in July: 975,000. July is the busiest month for Yellowstone National Park.[115] At peak summer levels, 3,700 employees work for Yellowstone National Park concessionaires. Concessionaires manage nine hotels and lodges, with a total of 2,238 hotel rooms and cabins available. They also oversee gas stations, stores and most of the campgrounds. Another 800 employees work either permanently or seasonally for the National Park Service.[8]
    Park service roads lead to major features; however, road reconstruction has produced temporary road closures. Yellowstone is in the midst of a long term road reconstruction effort, which is hampered by a short repair season. In the winter, all roads aside from the one which enters from Gardiner, Montana, and extends to Cooke City, Montana, are closed to wheeled vehicles.[116] Park roads are closed to wheeled vehicles from early November to mid April, but some park roads remain closed until mid-May.[117] The park has 310 miles (500 km) of paved roads which can be accessed from five different entrances.[8] There is no public transportation available inside the park, but several tour companies can be contacted for guided motorized transport. In the winter, concessionaires operate guided snowmobile and snow coach tours, though their numbers and access are based on quotas established by the National Park Service.[118] Facilities in the Old Faithful, Canyon and Mammoth Hot Springs areas of the park are very busy during the summer months. Traffic jams created by road construction or by people observing wildlife can result in long delays.

    Old Faithful Inn
    The National Park Service maintains 9 visitor centers and museums and is responsible for maintenance of historical structures and many of the other 2,000 buildings. These structures include National Historical Landmarks such as the Old Faithful Inn built from 1903 to 1904 and the entire Fort Yellowstone – Mammoth Hot Springs Historic District. An historical and educational tour is available at Fort Yellowstone which details the history of the National Park Service and the development of the park. Campfire programs, guided walks and other interpretive presentations are available at numerous locations in the summer, and on a limited basis during other seasons.
    Camping is available at a dozen campgrounds with more than 2,000 campsites.[8] Camping is also available in surrounding National Forests, as well as in Grand Teton National Park to the south. Backcountry campsites are accessible only by foot or by horseback and require a permit. There are 1,100 miles (1,800 km) of hiking trails available.[119] The park is not considered to be a good destination for mountaineering because of the instability of volcanic rock which predominates. Visitors with pets are required to keep them on a leash at all times and are limited to areas near roadways and in "frontcountry" zones such as drive in campgrounds.[120]Around thermal features, wooden and paved trails have been constructed to ensure visitor safety, and most of these areas are handicapped accessible. The National Park Service maintains a year round clinic at Mammoth Hot Springs and provides emergency services throughout the year.[121]
    Hunting is not permitted, though it is allowed in the surrounding national forests during open season. Fishing is a popular activity, and a Yellowstone Park fishing license is required to fish in park waters.[122] Many park waters are fly fishing only and all native fish species are catch and release only.[123] Boating is prohibited on rivers and creeks except for a 5 miles (8.0 km) stretch of the Lewis River between Lewis and Shoshone Lake, and it is open to non-motorized use only. Yellowstone Lake has a marina, and the lake is the most popular boating destination.[124]

    Vintage photo of visitors feeding bears in spite of the danger
    In the early history of the park, visitors were allowed, and sometimes even encouraged, to feed the bears. The bears had learned to beg for food, and visitors welcomed the chance to get their pictures taken with them. This led to numerous injuries to humans each year. In 1970, park officials changed their policy and started a vigorous program to educate the public on the dangers of close contact with bears, and to try to eliminate opportunities for bears to find food in campgrounds and trash collection areas. Although it has become more difficult to observe them in recent years, the number of human injuries and deaths has taken a significant drop and visitors are in less danger.[125]
    Other protected lands in the region include Caribou-Targhee, Gallatin, Custer, Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests. The National Park Service's John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway is to the south and leads to Grand Teton National Park. The famed Beartooth Highway provides access from the northeast and has spectacular high altitude scenery. Nearby communities include West Yellowstone, Montana; Cody, Wyoming; Red Lodge, Montana; Ashton, Idaho; and Gardiner, Montana. The closest air transport is available by way of Bozeman, Montana; Billings, Montana; Jackson; Cody, Wyoming, or Idaho Falls, Idaho.[126] Salt Lake City, 320 miles (510 km) to the south, is the closest large metropolitan area.

    Yellowstone


    Beer hat 









    Andes


    Everest









    Mount McKinley







    Vinson Massif




    Aconcagua



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