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Wind River Range

Wind River Range

The Wind River Range (or "Winds" for short), is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 140 miles (210 km), with the central ridge forming a section of the continental divide. The range contains Gannett Peak which at 13,804 feet (4,207 m) is the highest peak in Wyoming. There are more than 20 other peaks in excess of 13,000 feet (3,962 m). Two large National Forests encompass the greater part of the mountain range. Shoshone National Forest extends from Montana to the southern tip of the Winds, along the eastern side of the continental divide and oversees 4 million acres (16,000 km²). Bridger-Teton National Forest is found west of the divide and has approximately 3.4 million acres (14,000 km²). Both National Forests are also within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Winds are composed primarily of a granitic batholith which is granite rock formed deep under the surface of the Earth, over 1 billion years ago. Over hundreds of millions of years, rocks that were once covering this batholith eroded away. As the land continued to rise during the Laramie Orogeny, further erosion occurred until all that remained were the granitic rocks. The ice ages beginning 500,000 years ago began carving the rocks into their present shapes. Within the Winds, numerous lakes were formed by the glaciers and numerous cirques, or circular valleys, were carved out of the rocks, the most well known being the Cirque of the Towers, in the southern section of the range. There are about two dozen remnant glaciers that still exist in the Winds, especially in the northern and higher altitude regions of the range. Several major rivers have headwaters on either side of the range. The Green and Big Sandy rivers drain southward from the west side of the range, while the Wind River drains eastward through the Shoshone Basin. The Winds are known to have a small Grizzly bear population, primarily in the northernmost areas near Yellowstone. Other mammals include the black bear, elk, moose, mule deer, pronghorn and wolverine. Bald eagles, falcons and hawk are just a few of the 300 species of birds known to inhabit the region. The streams and lakes are home to cutthroat trout, brown trout and northern pike. The forests are dominated by lodgepole pine, whitebark pine, fir and spruce. The range sits alongside many of the animal migration routes in the United States and contains several important passes, notably South Pass, (7,412 ft/2,301 m), at the south end of the range, which was one of the more important passes on the Oregon Trail as it passed through the Rockies. Aside from South Pass, which is at the southernmost tip of the range, no roads cross the mountains except at Togwotee Pass, (9,658 ft/2,944 m), which is at the northern terminus, just southeast of Yellowstone National Park.

External link


- http://www.visitsublettecounty.com/destinations/windriverrange.htm Category:Rocky MountainsCategory:Mountain ranges of Wyoming



Wyoming

Wyoming is a state of the western United States. While the eastern third of the state is within the Great Plains, the majority is dominated by numerous distinct mountain ranges and rangelands. Wyoming is also the least populous U.S. state with 493,782 people, although Alaska has a lower population density. The capital and largest city of Wyoming is Cheyenne.

History

The region known today as the state of Wyoming was originally inhabited by several Native American groups. The Crow, Arapahoe, Sioux, and Shoshone were but a few of the original inhabitants encountered when white explorers first entered the region. Although French trappers may have ventured into the northern sections of the state in the late 1700s, John Colter, a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was probably the first white American to enter the region in 1807. His reports of the Yellowstone area were considered at the time to be fictional. Explorer Jim Bridger discovered South Pass in 1827, which later became the route followed by the Oregon Trail. In 1850, Bridger also located what is now known as Bridger Pass, which was later used by both the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868, and in the 20th century by Interstate 80. Bridger also explored the Yellowstone region and like Colter, most of his reports on that region of the state were considered at the time to be tall tales. After the Union Pacific Railroad reached the town of Cheyenne, which later became the state capital, in 1867, the population began to grow steadily in the Wyoming Territory, established on July 25, 1868. Unlike the states of Montana to the north South Dakota to the east and Colorado to the south, Wyoming never experienced a rapid population boom due to any major mineral discoveries such as gold or silver. Copper could also be found in some areas of the state. Once government sponsored expeditions to the Yellowstone country were undertaken, the previous reports by men like Colter and Bridger were found to be true. This led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park which became the world's first National Park in 1872 and is located in the far northwestern portion of the state. Most of the territory that comprises Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming. Wyoming was admitted to the Union on July 10, 1890. It was named after the Wyoming Valley of Pennsylvania, made famous by the 1809 poem Gertrude of Wyoming by Thomas Campbell. The name was suggested by Representative J. M. Ashbey of Ohio. In 1869 Wyoming extended suffrage to women, at least partially in an attempt to garner enough votes to be admitted as a state. In addition to being the first U.S. state to extend suffrage to women, Wyoming was also the home of many other firsts for U.S. women in politics. It had the first female court bailiff and the first female justice of the peace in the country. Wyoming was also the first state in the Union to elect a woman governor, Nellie Tayloe Ross in 1925. Wyoming was the location of the Johnson County War of 1892 which was fought between large cattle operations and free ranging interests.

Politics

Wyoming is one of the most conservative and, in national politics, most staunchly Republican states in the nation. The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964 and there are no reliably Democratic counties. In the 2004 presidential election, George W. Bush won his third-largest victory, with 69% of the vote. Current Vice President Dick Cheney is a nearly lifelong Wyoming resident (born in Nebraska) and represented the state in Congress from 1979 to 1990. However, Democrats have held the governorship for all but eight years since 1975. The current governor, Democrat Dave Freudenthal, was elected in 2002 and has one of the highest approval ratings of any Governor in the nation. Because of its low population, Wyoming only has 3 votes in the electoral college. This is the same number of votes as Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington DC.

Geography

See: List of Wyoming counties It is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, and on the west by Utah and Idaho. Devil's Tower, made famous in the film Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, is located near Moorcroft in Crook County. Wyoming is generally considered an arid state with much of the land receiving less than 10 inches of rainfall a year. Consequently, the land supports few opportunities for farming. Ranching, however, is widespread, especially in areas near the numerous mountain chains. There are several major mountain ranges in the state, all part of the Rocky Mountains. The Snowy Range in the south central part of the state is an extension of the Colorado Rockies in both geology and appearance. The Wind River Range in the west central part of the state is remote and also has Gannett Peak, the highest peak in the state. The Big Horn Mountains in the north central portion are somewhat isolated from the bulk of the rest of the Rocky Mountains. Finally, the Teton Range in the northwest extends for 50 miles (80 km) and represents the most impressive section of mountains in the state, home to the second highest peak Grand Teton and Grand Teton National Park which preserves the most scenic section of the Teton range. Several rivers begin or flow through the state, including the Yellowstone River, Powder River, and the Snake River. The Continental Divide, which runs through most of North America forks in the south central part of the state. The waters that flow or precipitate into this area, known as the Great Divide Basin, do not flow to any ocean. Instead, due to the overall aridity of Wyoming, they simply sink into the soil or evaporate. Wyoming sports the lowest population of any state and the lowest population density of the continental 48 states; however, non-contiguous Alaska's population density is lower, although its total population is higher.

Demographics

Population
- 2004 Population estimate – 506,529
  - Foreign-born population – 11,000 (2.2%)
- Population Rank: 51st of the 50 states and the District of Columbia Race The racial makeup of Wyoming:
- 88.9% White
- 6.4% Hispanic
- 2.3% Native American
- 0.8% Black
- 0.6% Asian
- 1.8% Mixed race The five largest ancestry groups in Wyoming are: German (25.9%), English (15.9%), Irish (13.3%), American (6.5%), Norwegian (4.3%). Religion The religious affiliations of the people of Wyoming are shown in the table below:
- Christian – 78%
  - Protestant – 53%
    - Lutheran – 9%
    - Baptist – 9%
    - Methodist – 6%
    - Presbyterian – 4%
    - Episcopal – 4%
    - Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
  - Roman Catholic – 18%
  - Mormon – 7%
- Other Religions – 1%
- Non-Religious – 21%

Important cities and towns

The Wyoming municipalities with populations over 10,000 are, in descending order:

- Cheyenne
- Casper
- Laramie
- Rock Springs
- Gillette
- Sheridan
- Green River
- Evanston

Education

Colleges and universities


- Casper College
- Central Wyoming College
- Eastern Wyoming College
- Laramie County Community College
- Northwest College
- Sheridan College
- University of Wyoming
- Western Wyoming Community College
- Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) [http://www.WyomingCavalry.com link title]

Professional sports teams


- Casper Rockies, minor league baseball
- Wyoming Calvary, National Indoor Football League

Miscellaneous information


- List of notable people from Wyoming :Capital: Cheyenne :Nickname: Big Wonderful Wyoming, Equality State, Cowboy State :State motto: "Equal Rights" :Population: 493,782 (2000 census) :State flower: Indian Paintbrush :State mammal: Bison :State bird: Western Meadowlark :State tree: Plains Cottonwood :State gemstone: Jade :State fish: Cutthroat Trout :State reptile: Horned Toad :State Fossil: Knightia :State dinosaur: Triceratops :State coin: Golden Dollar :State sport: Rodeo USS Wyoming was named in honor of this state.

Major highways


- Interstate 25
- Interstate 80
- Interstate 90
- U.S. Highway 14
- U.S. Highway 20
- U.S. Highway 26
- U.S. Highway 89
- U.S. Highway 191
- U.S. Highway 287

External links


- [http://wyoming.gov/ Wyoming state government website] :
- [http://wyoming.gov/state/wyoming_news/general/general.asp State information and symbols]
- [http://gowyld.net/ Wyoming's portal to knowledge and learning]
- [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/56000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
- [http://www.Untraveledroad.com/USA/Wyoming.htm Photographic virtual tour of Wyoming.]
- [http://www.terragalleria.com/america/north-west/wyoming Photos of Wyoming - Terra Galleria]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org/state/wyoming/ Wyoming Newspapers] Category:States of the American West
- Category:States of the United States ko:와이오밍 주 ja:ワイオミング州

Continental Divide

:For other continental divides, see: continental divide. continental divide The Continental Divide or Great Divide is a ridge of mountains in North America, which separates the watershed area of streams and rivers that flow west into the Pacific Ocean from those that flow east into the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The majority of the divide follows the crest of the Rocky Mountains. It begins at Cape Prince of Wales in Alaska and continues into the Yukon Territory and British Columbia in Canada and then heads south through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico in the United States. It then continues south into Mexico and Central America following the crest of the Sierra Madre Occidental. The southern portion of the border between the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta is defined by the Continental Divide. There is a portion of the divide that actually splits and goes around the Great Divide Basin in Wyoming which, having no natural outlet except as groundwater, is neither in the Atlantic nor Pacific watersheds. North Two Ocean Creek in Wyoming forms another "hole", but one that flows into both oceans. Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park in Montana forms the triple point at which waters flow to the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. The Continental Divide Trail follows the divide through the U.S. from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. Image:Continental Divide in Yellowstone-750px.JPG|The Continental Divide as it passes through Yellowstone National Park (7988'/2436m) Image:lovelandPass_CMM.jpg|The Continental Divide as it passes through CO at the Loveland Pass Image:Continental_Divide_in_Colorado_-_July_2005.jpg|The Continental Divide seen from Idaho Springs, CO in July 2005 Image:Continental_Divide_CO_-_Berthoud_Pass_-_July_2005.jpg|The Continental Divide at Berthoud Pass, CO in July 2005 Image:Continental Divide CO 2005-10-15.jpg|The Continental Divide viewed from northwest of Winter Park, Colorado.

See also


- List of railroad crossings of the North American continental divide

External links


- [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Garden/9907/2OP/ Parting of the Waters: a creek that flows to two oceans] Category:Mountain ranges of North America

Gannett Peak

Gannett Peak is the highest peak in Wyoming and straddles the boundary between Fremont and Sublette Counties along the continental divide. Named for American geographer Henry Gannett, the peak is the apex of the Wind River Range. The mountain slopes are located in both Bridger-Teton National Forest and Shoshone National Forest. Gannett is the highest peak within what is better known as the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

External links


- [http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=12&n=4782146&e=609338&s=100&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25 Topozone Map]
- [http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=5352 Gannett Peak on PeakBagger] (photo) Category:Wyoming mountains

National Forests

:This article is on national forests in the United States. For the National Forest in England, see National Forest, England. U.S. National forests are protected forests and woodland areas in the United States. National forests are controlled by the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, under the direction of the United States Department of Agriculture. The management of these lands focuses on timber harvesting, livestock grazing, water, wildlife, and recreation. Commercial use of national forests is permitted and in many cases encouraged, unlike national parks. The national forest system was created by the Land Revision Act of 1891. It was the result of concerted action by Los Angeles -area businessmen and property owners who were concerned by the harm being done to the watershed of the San Gabriel Mountains by ranchers and miners. Abbott Kinney and forester Theodore Lukens were key spokesmen for the effort. There are frequent conflicts between timber companies and environmentalists over the use of national forest land. These conflicts center on endangered species protection, logging of old-growth forests and road-building in national forests. In the USA there are 155 national forests containing almost 190,000,000 acres (769,000 km2) of land. These lands comprise 8.5% of the total land area of the United States, an area about the size of Texas. Only 13% of National Forest land lies east of the Mississippi River. Alaska alone accounts for 12% of all National Forest land. There are two distinctly different types of national forests. Those east of the Great Plains are primarily re-acquired or replanted forests. That is, the land had long been in the private domain but was purchased by the United States government in order to create new national forests. In these cases, the areas of national forest noted on most maps do not actually represent the extent of the national forest, but only the extent of the authorized purchase zone. The actual amount of land acquired in most cases is much smaller. Those national forests west of the Great Plains are originally-owned forests. These are mostly lands reserved from the public domain by the US government, and were never in private hands. In these cases, the areas of national forests noted on maps are generally the true areas of the forest. Many ski resorts operate in national forests. The Forest Service also administers National Grasslands.

See also


- List of U.S. national forests
- List of U.S. state forests
- Federal lands

External links


- [http://www.fs.fed.us/ USDA Forest Service] National Forest
- Forest

Shoshone National Forest

Spanning 2.4 million acres (9,700 km²) in the U.S. state of Wyoming, Shoshone National Forest is the first federally protected forest in the United States, first protected by Congress as the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891. A total of four wilderness areas are located within the forest ensuring that more than half the forest will never be developed or altered by human activities. From sagebrush plains through dense spruce and fir forest to craggy mountain peaks, the Shoshone National Forest has a rich biodiversity rarely matched in any protected area. Three major mountain ranges are located in the forest including the Absaroka, the Beartooth and the Wind River Range. Yellowstone National Park forms part of the forest boundary to the west, while south of Yellowstone, the Continental Divide separates the the forest from its neighbor; the Bridger-Teton National Forest which lies west of the divide. To the east the forest boundary includes privately owned property, lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Wind River Indian Reservation which belongs to the Shoshoni Indians. Custer National Forest along the Montana border is the boundary to the north. All of the forest is a part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, an unbroken expanse of federally protected lands encompassing an estimated 20 million acres (80,937 km²). The forest is now managed by the U.S. Forest Service under authority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Forest uses

U.S. Department of Agriculture As is true with all National Forests in the U.S., in Shoshone National Forest the emphasis is on conservation rather than preservation as is commonly practiced by the National Park Service. The Forest Service mandate is to ensure a sustainable flow of some raw materials from the forest such as lumber for construction purposes and wood pulp for paper products. Mineral extraction and oil and gas exploration and recovery are also conducted, though much more uncommon and with increasing rarity. On suitable lands, lease options are offered to ranchers to allow them to graze livestock such as cattle and sheep. The forest provides guidelines and enforces environmental regulations to ensure that resources are not overexploited and to ensure necessary commodities are available for future populations. An increasing effort by conservationist groups combined with public demand led to the creation of wilderness designated zones within most National Forests which provides a much higher level of protection and prohibits any alterations to the resource. In Shosone National Forest, less than ten percent of the total acreage is utilized for land lease, logging or mineral extraction. The rest of the forest is either designated wilderness, reserved for habitat protection for plants and animals, or set aside for visitor recreation. The forest is separated into seven districts and the main headquarters is located in Cody, Wyoming.

Human history

Cody, Wyoming The Shoshone is named after the Shoshoni Indians, who, along with other Native American groups such as the Lakota, Crow and Northern Cheyenne, were the original human inhabitants of the region. The forest has provided an abundance of game meat, wood products, and shelter during the winter months from the more exposed high plains to the east to the local tribes for 8,000 years. Portions of the more mountainous regions were frequented by the Shoshoni and Sioux (Lakota) for spirtual healing and vision quests. In the early 1800s, the forest was visited by mountain men and explorers such as John Colter and Jim Bridger. Colter is the first white man known to have visited both the Yellowstone region and the forest in the period between 1806 and 1808. Having been an original member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Colter requested permission from Meriwether Lewis to leave the expedition after it had finished crossing the Rocky Mountains during their return journey from the Pacific Ocean. Colter teamed up with two unaffiliated explorers the expedition had encountered but soon thereafter decided to explore regions south of where his new partners wished to venture. Traveling first into the northeastern region of what is today Yellowstone National Park, Colter then explored the Absaroka Mountains, crossing over Togwotee Pass and entering the valley known today as Jackson Hole. Colter survived both a grizzly bear attack and pursuit by a band of Blackfeet Indians that had taken his horse and striped him naked. Colter later provided William Clark with previously unknown information of the regions he had explored which were published by Clark in 1814. Travels by fur trappers and adventurers such as Manuel Lisa and Jim Bridger from 1807 to 1840, completed the exploration of the region. With the decline of the fur trade in the late 1840's and much of the prized beaver long since made scarce by overtrapping, much of the forest was rarely visited again until the federally sponsored explorations under direction of F.V. Hayden in 1871. Hayden was primarily interested in documenting the Yellowstone country west of the forest, but his expedition established that the forest was a prime resource that also needed protection. Travels in the forest in the 1880s by later U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who was also a strong advocate of land conservation, provided the impetus that subsequently established the Yellowstone Timberland Reserve in 1891 creating the first national forest in the U.S. In 1902, President Roosevelt first greatly expanded the reserve and then divided the reserve into four separate units, with the Shoshone being the largest. Upon the creation of the U.S. Forest Service in 1905, the reserve was redesignated as a national forest, but the current wording and title that exists today was designated forty years later in 1945. Built in 1903, the Wapiti Ranger Station is located west of Cody, Wyoming and is the oldest ranger station in any U.S. National Forest and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During the era of the Great Depression in the 1930s, numerous camps were established by the Civilian Conservation Corps that housed groups of unemployed men paid by the federal government to build roads and hiking trails as well as campgrounds for future travellers to the Yellowstone region.

Geography

Of the three major mountain ranges found in the forest, they are geologically distinct from each other. The Absaroka Mountains were named after the Crow Indians' name for themselves, although they only inhabited the far northernmost part to the mountain range. The Absarokas are primarily volcanic in origin, composed of igneous rocks. The majority of the Absaroka Mountains are contained within the forest with the highest peak in the mountain range being Francs Peak at 13,153 feet (4009m). Stretching north to south through the northern and eastern sections of the forest, they span over 100 miles (160 km) from the Montana border to south of Dubois, Wyoming. Important passes through the Absarokas include Sylvan Pass which leads to the eastern entrance of Yellowstone National Park, and Togwotee Pass which provides access to Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. The peaks of the Absaroka are basaltic in origin, having been the result of volcanic activity estimated to have occurred 50 million years ago during the Eocene epoch. The rocks themselves are relatively dark and consist of rhyolite, andesite and breccias. Due to the erosional influences of glaciers and water and the relative softness of the rocks, the Absarokas are quite craggy in appearance. Gold was mined from the slopes of Francs Peak until the early 1920s and the small ghost town of Kirwen can still be seen today. Few lakes exist in the Absarokas but the headwaters of both the Bighorn and Yellowstone Rivers are found there. The Beartooth Mountains in the northernmost section of the forest are granitic and metamorphic in origin. Some rocks in that area have been dated up to 3.96 billion years old, which makes these exposed rocks some of the oldest on Earth. Although oftentimes considered a part of the Absarokas, they are distinct in appearance and geologic history. Uplifted approximately 70 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, the Beartooths consist of vast windswept plateaus and rugged peaks with sometimes sheer cliff faces. The granite, gneiss and schist rocks are rich in minerals such as chromium and platinum. Iron and magnesium are found in the biotite, amphiboles and pyroxene minerals throughout the range. Quartz and feldspars are also commonly found. Geologists believe that the Beartooth's were at one time as much as 20,000 feet (6,096 m) in altitude at least, but subsequent erosion for tens of millions of years has reduced them to an average of 12,000 feet (3,657 m) for the higher peaks. There are an estimated 300 lakes in the Beartooth region of Shoshone National Forest, some of them left behind by the last major ice age glaciation known as the Pinedale, which ended roughly 10,000 years ago. The Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), crosses 10,974 foot (3,345 m) Beartooth Pass, and from there descends to the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The Wind River Range is in the southern portion of the forest and are composed primarily of granitic rock, gneiss and schist. Gannett Peak at 13,804 feet (4,207 m), is the highest peak in Wyoming and another seven peaks also exceed 13,500 feet (4,115 m). In total, over 230 mountains rise above 12,000 feet (3,600 m). Most of the glaciers found in the forest are located in the Wind River Range and counting those found in the Absarokas and Beartooths, there are a total of 156 of them; the most in any single forest in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Dinwoody glaciers are a series of massive glacial features that are found in the northern Wind River Range near Gannett and Fremont Peaks. The seven largest glaciers in the U.S. outside of Alaska are also located in the immediate area. This range is also popular with mountain climbers from all over the world due to the sheer cliff faces and excellent stabilty of the rocks for rope anchoring points. The Cirque of the Towers in the Popo Agie Wilderness is one of the more popular climbing and hiking destinations, and an estimated 200 different climbing routes are located within the peaks that surround the cirque. Hundreds of lakes are located in this region as is the headwaters of the Wind River. At least 500 named lakes are located in the forest, as well as 1,000 miles (1,610 km) of streams and rivers. The Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River is designated as a National Wild and Scenic River for 22 miles (35 km) through the forest, with cliffs towering up to 2,000 feet (610 m) as the river winds through a gorge also named for the river. All of the forest is located immediately east of the Continental Divide and all the water that flows out of the forest eventually empties into the Atlantic Ocean basin.

Wilderness

Atlantic Ocean basin Four wilderness areas are found within the forest that total 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²) and include the North Absaroka, Washakie, Fitzpatrick and Popo Agie Wildernesses. Additionally, a small portion of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness extends into the extreme north western part of the forest, along the Montana border. The Wilderness Act of 1964 was the beginning of an effort to enhance protection status to remote and or undeveloped sections of acreage already contained within federally administered land areas. Passage of the act ensured that no human improvements would take place aside from those already existing. This includes road and building construction, oil and mineral exploration or extraction, and prohibits the use of motorized equipment, including even bicycles. The only manner in which people can enter wilderness designated areas is either on foot or horseback. Hunting and fishing are permitted provided those engaging in such activities have the proper licenses and permits.

Biology

fishing While the flatlands oftentimes have sagebrush and grasses, the forested sections are dominated by various species of fir, spruce, pine and aspen. There are 1,300 species of plants in all that have been documented. Grizzly bears, black bears, wolf, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, wolverine, mountain lion, and antelope are just a few of the 100 species of mammals found in the forest. Bald and Golden eagles as well as magpie, trumpeter swan, heron and peregrine falcon are also found. The lakes and streams are home to 8 species and subspecies of trout, some not found anywhere else.

Fire ecology

Shoshone National Forest has an active Fire Management program which recognizes that forest fires are a natural part of the ecosystem. The Yellowstone National Park fires of 1988 also impacted regions within the forest, though not as severely as it had in the adjacent park. Working cooperatively with the National Interagency Fire Center, (which is a multiagency effort of federal, state and local resources), the forest has developed a system of fire restrictions, fuels management, and a controlled burn plan designed to help reduce the chances of a huge catastrophic fire. Fire was long thought of as bad and this is still true when discussing structure fires. Smokey Bear was the U.S. Forest Service mascot that for decades reminded the public with the adage that "only you can prevent wildfires" as a method to help ensure that visitors to forests would be careful with fire. While a need to continue to ensure that people do use fire safely, an active re-education program helps to promote the knowledge that not all fire is harmful when properly managed. As was true in all national forests, Shoshone National Forest long had a policy of suppressing forest fires immediately upon their discovery. So successful were the original efforts to prevent forest fires that over time huge sources of fuel in the form of dead and dying trees littered the forest floor. Prior to, but especially after the catastrophic fires in the Yellowstone region in 1988, the effort to identify areas of similar fire potential were identified. Today, the forest, in conjunction with the National Interagency Fire Center, works to allow some natural fires to burn unsuppressed and to actively engage in controlled burns to help reduce the risk of larger and harder to manage fire incidents. Though much of the forest is remote and the surrounding region sparcely populated, some concern over the proximity of peoples homes and businesses, primarily along major roads through the forest, has dictated a need for a cooperative effort between the forest and local land owners to minimize the potential for human injury and fatalities. Better known as the Wildland Urban Interface, it is the region where the forest and human development meet.

Recreation

Over half a million visitors will spend at least one night in the forest in an average year. There are 30 vehicle access campgrounds scattered around the forest with up to 27 individual sites each. Approximately half of these campgrounds provide running water and restroom facilities and also provide for handicapped accessiblity. Referred to as "front country" campgrounds, they also allow recreational vehicle access in many cases. All of the campgrounds are on a first come, first served basis except for the Rex Hale campground which is on the National Recreation Reservation Service; a phone and web based system that allows tourists to reserve a site months ahead of time. For some visitors, the greater solitude of the "backcountry" requires accessing Hiking trails and then backpacking into more remote destinations. There are dozens of trails which total over 1,500 miles (2,400 km) spread out throughout the forest. The Continental Divide Trail weaves its way through the forest though it follows alternatively named trails for some of the distance.

Tourism

An estimated 2 million visitors pass through Shoshone National Forest each year, many of them on their way to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Outside of the main roads through the forest, there are oftentimes few tourists aside from those who are looking for isolation. Many trails and the more remote regions of the forest have few if any visitors recorded annually. The towns of Cody and Lander, Wyoming have numerous lodging and dining opportunities as well as small municipal airports. If arriving by air to the region, it may be best to fly to Billings, Montana or Jackson, Wyoming and travel to the forest by rented vehicle. Along several of the scenic roads through the forest, there are isolated recreational ranches and motels to be found. Due to particularily heavy tourism between the months of June and September it is strongly advised that visitors make advance reservations for lodging. Shoshone National Forest also has a few cabins that can rented and which can be reserved. The Rex Hale campground is on the National Recreation Reservation system and can be reserved, while the remaining campgrounds are all on a first come first served basis. As a gateway to two entrances leading into Yellowstone National Park from the east, the forest has a number of scenic roadways. A federally designated All-American Road, the Beartooth Highway (U.S. Highway 212), weaves through the forest and serves as the northeastern entranceway to Yellowstone National Park. Immediately south of the Beartooth Highway, the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (Wyoming route 296) follows the old trail in which Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce tribe attempted to flee the U.S. Cavalry in 1877. South of there, Buffalo Bill Cody Scenic Byway (US 14/16/20) heads west from Cody, Wyoming and crosses Sylvan Pass as it enters Yellowstone. Lastly, the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway (US 26/287) heads west from Dubois, Wyoming, over Togwotee Pass and enters Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park. The Chief Joseph, Buffalo Bill Cody and Wyoming Centennial byways have all been designated by the U.S. Government as National Scenic Byways.

External links


- [http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/shoshone/ Shoshone National Forest Federal website]
- [http://away.com/dow/rockymtn/shosinfo.htm Shoshone National Forest information]
- [http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/rockymtn/shos.htm#lookup Campground information]
- [http://www.nifc.gov/ National Interagency Fire Center]
- [http://www.fireplan.gov/ National Fire Plan website]
- [http://www.byways.org/ America's Byways listing of scenic roads]
- [http://wyoshpo.state.wy.us/wapiti.htm Image of Wapiti Ranger Station listed on National Register of Historic Places]
- [http://www.wyomingtourism.org/cms/index.php?id=53 Wyoming Tourism information]
- [http://www.cdtrail.org/map.html Continental Divide Trail, map and information page]

References


- Roadside Geology of the Yellowstone Country, William J. Fritz, (Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula; 1985) ISBN 0-87842-170-X
- Geology of National Parks: Fifth Edition, Ann G. Harris, Esther Tuttle, Sherwood D., Tuttle (Iowa, Kendall/Hunt Publishing; 1997) ISBN 0-7872-5353-7
- Geology of U.S. Parklands: Fifth Edition, Eugene P. Kiver, David V. Harris (New York; John Wiley & Sons; 1999; pages 592-596) ISBN 0-471-33218-6

See also


- National Forest
- Conservation movement
- Forestry
- Forest fire Category:U.S. National Forests Category:Geography of Wyoming

Montana

Montana is an inland U.S. state in the northwest and north-central United States with around 60% of the state dominated by the vast expanse of the Great Plains. The central and western thirds of the state have numerous mountain ranges (approximately 77 named) of the northern Rocky Mountains; thus the name, derived from the Spanish word montaña ("mountain"). The state nickname is the "Treasure State." Other nicknames include "Land of Shining Mountains", "Big Sky Country", and the slogan "the last best place". The state ranks fourth in size (~145,000 square miles) but has a relatively low population (with only six states having fewer people) and consequently a very low population density. The economy is primarily based on agriculture (wheat, barley, sugar beets, oats, rye, seed potatoes, honey and cherries) as well as cattle and sheep ranching, and significant lumber and mineral extraction (gold, coal, silver, talc, and vermiculite) industries. Tourism is also important to the economy with millions of visitors a year to Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the Missouri River headwaters, the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn and 3 of the 5 entrances to Yellowstone National Park. Montana was originally inhabited by several ethnolinguistic groups of American Indians, including the Blackfoot, (Siksika), Crow, Cheyenne, Bannock, Shoshoni, Nez Perce. The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–1806 was the first group of European-American explorers to cross Montana. Today, most of these Native American nations still call Montana home and Montana has more Native American Indian reservations than any other state (7). Modern-day Montana became Montana Territory in 1864 by the appointment of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and later became the 41st state in 1889. The state became the first to elect a female member of Congress, Jeannette Rankin, and was one of the first states to give women voting rights; (see Suffrage). Despite its sizable American Indian population, Montana is one of the most homogenous states— nearly nine-tenths of its residents are of European descent, with a large number of immigrants of German, Irish, Norwegian, Welsh/Cornish, Italian and Slovak heritage arriving from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. A significant portion of Chinese (Canton) immigrants also came and left an indelible mark on the state, especially in the mining cities of Helena and Butte. Outside of the state, Montana is generally regarded as Republican; however, the state currently has a Democratic governor (Brian Schweitzer), Democratic-controlled legislature (the Montana State Legislature), and one Democratic U.S. Senator (Max Baucus). The state capital is Helena (nicknamed "Queen City of the Rockies"), hometown of the late Gary Cooper and Myrna Loy, and sister city of Kumamoto, Japan. The largest city is Billings with a metro area of over 100,000. The state's U.S. postal abbreviation is MT. The USS Montana was named in honor of the state.

Geography

USS Montana Main articles: List of Montana counties, List of Montana rivers Montana and Canada share a 545 mile (877 km) northern border portion of the world's longest undefended border. The state borders the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, more provinces than any other state. This area, following U.S. Highway 2, is often called the "High Line." To the east is the border with North Dakota; to the southeast is a short border with South Dakota. In the south is the Wyoming border, and on the west and southwest is the Idaho border. With a land area of 145,552 square miles (376,978 km²), the state of Montana is the fourth largest in the United States (after Alaska, Texas, and California). Major rivers in the state include the Missouri, Clark Fork of the Columbia, Milk, Flathead, and Yellowstone. The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in North America. Montana is also one of several areas to claim the disputed title of "world's shortest river" (the Roe River). Montana contains Glacier National Park and portions of Yellowstone National Park. Other sites include the Little Bighorn National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area, Big Hole National Battlefield, Lewis and Clark Caverns, and the National Bison Range. There are also a number of National Forests and National Wildlife Refuges. The Federal government administers 36,000,000 acres (146,000 km²). 275,000 acres (1100 km²) are administered as state parks and forests. state park The topography of the state is highly diverse. In the western third it is extremely mountainous. The Bitterroot Mountains form most of the western boundary line. East of this almost continuous boundary the main chain of the Rocky Mountains cross the state. Between the Bitterroot Mountains and the Rocky Mountain Front are many parallel valleys (Gallatin Valley, Big Hole Valley, Bitterroot Valley, Flathead Valley), separated by spur ranges. East of the main range of the Rocky Mountains is a high tableland with several isolated 'island ranges.' Farther east and north of this transition zone are the empty Great Plains, with rolling tablelands and rough badlands which extend into the Dakotas, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Wyoming. Just east of the Rocky Mountains lie the Sun River and Chestnut Valleys (west and south of Great Falls). Three stately buttes are familiar landmarks. These buttes, Square Butte, Shaw Butte, and Crown Butte, are made of igneous rock, which is dense and has withstood weathering for many years. The underlying surface consists of shale. Many areas around these buttes are covered with clay surface soils. These soils have been derived from the weathering of the Colorado Formation. In the south near the Yellowstone River lies the Absaroka Mountains and the Beartooth Plateau, where many of the mountains reach an altitude of over 10,500 feet (3,200 m) and the peaks are perpetually covered with snow. The Beartooth Plateau is the largest contiguous land mass over 10,000 feet in the lower 48 states. Besides the prominent mountain ranges there are many spurs, detached ridges, and smooth, sloping buttes. The mountains are intersected by numerous small valleys and canyons, through which flow several pristine rivers. The highest point in the state, Granite Peak, is 12,807 feet (3,901 m) high. The principal river systems in Montana are the Clark Fork of the Columbia, the Missouri, and the Yellowstone. The Clark Fork of the Columbia (not to be confused with the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River) rises in the Rocky Mountains near Butte, and after flowing west turns north and forms a portion of the Idaho boundary. The Missouri river, formed by the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers crosses the central part of the state, flows through the Missouri breaks and later enters North Dakota. The Yellowstone, a tributary of the Missouri, rises in Yellowstone Park in Wyoming, flows northeast across the state through canyons and gorges, and enters the Missouri River a few miles east of the North Dakota boundary. Vegetation of the state includes ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, larch, fir, spruce, aspen, birch, redcedar, ash, alder, rocky mountain maple and cottonwood trees. Forests cover one-fourth of the state. Flowers native to Montana include asters, bitterroots, daisies, lupins, poppies, primroses, columbine, lilies, orchids and dryads. Several species of sagebrush and cactus and many species of grasses are common plants in some regions. Many species of mushrooms and lichens are also found in the state.

History

Main article: History of Montana Native Americans were the first inhabitants of modern-day Montana. Groups included the Crows in the south-central area, the Cheyenne in the southeast, the Blackfeet, Assiniboine and Gros Ventres in the central and north-central region and the Kootenai and Salish in the western sector. The smaller Pend d'Oreille and Kalispel tribes were found around Flathead Lake and the western mountains, respectively. Subsequent to the Lewis and Clark expeditions and after the finding of gold and copper in the state in the late 1850's, Montana became a United States territory (Montana Territory) on May 26, 1864 and the 41st state on November 8, 1889. Fort Shaw, (Montana Territory), was established in the spring of 1867. Fort Shaw is located west of Great Falls in the Sun River Valley. Fort Shaw was one of three posts authorized to be built by Congress in 1865. The other two posts in the Montana Territory were Camp Cooke on the Judith River and Fort C.F. Smith on the Bozeman Trail in southcentral Montana Territory. Fort Shaw, named after Colonel Robert G. Shaw, who commanded one of the first all African-American regiments (54th Massachusetts) during the American Civil War, was built of adobe and lumber by the 13th Infantry. The fort had a parade ground that was 400 feet square and consisted of barracks for officers, a hospital, and a trading post and could house up to 450 soldiers. Completed in 1868, the fort was used by military personnel until 1891. After the close of the military post in 1891, the government established Fort Shaw as a school to provide industrial training to young Native-Americans. The Fort Shaw Indian Industrial School was opened on April 30, 1892. The school had at one time 17 faculty members, 11 Indian assistants and 300 students. The school made use of over twenty of the buildings originally built by the Army. In 1902, a group of female students from the Indian school began playing basketball and traveled throughout Montana, defeating high school teams as well as some college teams. In 1904, the girls basketball team traveled by train to the St. Louis World's Fair. Over five months' time the team was challenged by numerous other basketball teams and won every contest, returning to Fort Shaw with the "world champion" trophy. On May 1, 2004 a monument in honor of the basketball team was unveiled at the entrance of the present day Fort Shaw Elementary School. The Enlarged Homestead Act of the early 1900's greatly affected the settlement of Montana. This Act expanded the land that was provided by the Homestead Act of 1862 from 160 acres to 320 acres. When the latter Act was signed by President Taft, it also reduced the time necessary to prove up from five years to three years and permitted five months absence from the claim each year. In 1908, the Sun River Irrigation Project, west of Great Falls was opened up for homesteading. Under this Reclamation Act, a person could obtain 40 acres. Most of the people who came to file on these homesteads were young couples who were eager to live near the mountains where hunting and fishing were good. Many of these homesteaders came from the Midwest and Minnesota. Montana was the scene of the Native Americans' last effort to keep their land. For instance, the last stand of U.S. Army Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer was fought in Montana near the present day town of Hardin. Montana was also the location of the final battles of the Nez Perce Wars. Cattle ranching has long been central to Montana's history and economy. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site in Deer Lodge Valley is maintained as a link to the ranching style of the late 19th century. It is operated by the National Park Service, but is also a 1900 acre (7.7 km²) working ranch.

Law and government

See: List of Montana Governors The capital of Montana is Helena and its current Governor is Brian Schweitzer (Democrat) who was sworn in on January 3, 2005. Its two U.S. senators are Max Baucus (Democrat) and Conrad Burns (Republican). Montana's lone congressman is Denny Rehberg (Republican). Though generally considered a Republican state (George W. Bush won it by twenty percentage points with 59.1% of the vote in 2004), Democrats seem to be on the upswing in the state. Montana elected its first Democratic Governor in 16 years in 2004, and both chambers of the legislature are currently controlled by the Democrats. The state last supported a Democrat for president in 1992, Bill Clinton's first election. Only five of Montana's counties tend to vote for Democratic candidates in national elections, they are Big Horn County, Glacier County, Silver Bow County, Roosevelt County and Deer Lodge County. In 2004, Missoula County voted Democratic, while it went Republican in 2000. Several Indian reservations are located in Montana: Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Crow Indian Reservation, Rocky Boys Indian Reservation, Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Economy

[http://www.bea.gov/ The Bureau of Economic Analysis] estimates that Montana's total state product in 2003 was $26 billion. Per capita personal income in 2003 was $25,406, 47th in the nation. Its major agricultural outputs are cattle, wheat, barley, sugar beets and hay. Its industrial outputs are mining, lumber and wood products, and food processing. Tourism is also an extremely important facet of Montana's economy.

Demographics

Population

As of 2004, the population of Montana was estimated to be 926,865. 16,500 of state residents are foreign-born, accounting for 1.8% of the total population. Montana's population increased 128,000 between 1990 and 2004, a 16% growth.

Race


- 89.5% White
- 6.2% Native American
- 2.0% Hispanic
- 0.5% Asian
- 0.3% Black
- 1.7% Mixed race

Ancestry

The five largest reported ancestries in Montana are:
German (27%), Irish (14.8%), English (12.7%), Norwegian (10.6%), American (5.1%). German ancestry is the largest reported ancestry in most of Montana. Residents of Scandinavian ancestry are a plurality in parts of the state, particularly in the northeast. There are several predominantly Native American counties, especially in the north and east. The residents of the western Rocky Mountains are largely of British origin.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Montana:
- Christian – 82%
  - Protestant – 55%
    - Lutheran – 15%
    - Methodist – 8%
    - Baptist – 5%
    - Presbyterian – 4%
    - United Church of Christ – 2%
    - Other Protestant or general Protestant – 21%
  - Roman Catholic – 24%
  - Mormon – 3%
- Other Religions – <1%
- Non-Religious – 18%

Important cities and towns

Montana's largest city is Billings. Some of the major cities and towns in Montana are:

- Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
- Billings
- Bozeman
- Butte
- Glasgow
- Great Falls
- Havre
- Helena
- Kalispell
- Miles City
- Missoula
- Three Forks

Education

Colleges and universities


- Montana University System or MUS consists of:
  - Montana State University - Billings
  - Montana State University - Bozeman
  - Montana State University Northern- Havre
- University of Montana - Missoula
  - University of Montana Tech - Butte
  - [http://www.umwestern.edu/ University of Montana Western- Dillon]
- Carroll College
- Flathead Valley Community College
- Rocky Mountain College
- Miles Community College
- Salish Kootenai College
- University of Great Falls

Professional sports teams

The Minor League baseball teams are:
- Missoula Osprey
- Great Falls White Sox
- Helena Brewers
- Billings Mustangs

Famous Montanans


- Dave McNally (from Billings)
- Nicolette Larson (from Helena)
- Dana Carvey
- Gary Cooper (from Helena)
- Evel Knievel (from Butte)
- Phil Jackson (from Deer Lodge)
- Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam
- Ryan Leaf (from Great Falls)
- Chet Huntley (from Billings)
- David Lynch (from Missoula)
- Michelle Williams (from Kalispell)
- Joe McIntosh (from Billings)
- Ty Paine (from Billings)
- Carmen Ebert (from Missoula)
- Mike Mansfield (From Great Falls)
- Dave Dickenson (From Great Falls)

Ski areas

Montana has several ski areas including:
- Bear Paw
- Big Mountain near Whitefish
- Big Sky near Bozeman
- Blacktail near Lakeside
- Bridger Bowl near Bozeman
- Discovery Basin near Philipsburg
- Great Divide near Helena, Montana
- Lost Trail near Darby, Montana
- Lookout Pass near St. Regis, Montana
- Maverick Mountain near Dillon, Montana
- Montana Snowbowl near Missoula
- Moonlight Basin near Bozeman
- Red Lodge Mountain near Red Lodge
- Showdown Ski Area near White Sulphur Springs
- Turner near Libby

Miscellaneous information


- State flower: Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) (since 1895)
- State tree: Ponderosa Pine since 1949
- State animal: Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) (since 1862
- State bird: Western Meadowlark since 1931
- State fish: Blackspotted Cutthroat Trout since 1977
- State Song: "Montana" since 1945
- State Ballad: "Montana Melody" since 1983
- State Gemstones: Yogo Sapphire & Agate
- State Fossil: Duck-billed Dinosaur (Maiasaura peeblesorum) since 1985
- State Butterfly: Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) since 2001
- State Grass: Bluebunch Wheatgrass since 1973
- State Motto: "Oro y Plata" (Spanish: Gold and Silver)
- Shortest river in the world: The Roe River
- In the movie 'Star Trek: First Contact', Montana is the location of the historical first contact between humans and an alien race, the Vulcans.

Transportation

Star Trek: First Contact. A variety of other license plate images are available in Montana as fund-raisers for non-profit organizations.]] Major highways include:
- Interstate 15
- Interstate 90
- Interstate 94
- U.S. Highway 2
- U.S. Highway 212
- U.S. Highway 93

Further reading


- Kittredge, William. The Last Best Place: A Montana Anthology. (From the back cover: "...over 230 stories, poems, reminiscences, and reports written by 140 men and women. The book is divided into eight sections with introductory essays by William Bevis, Mary Blew, William Kittredge, William Lang, Richard Roeder, Annick Smith, and James Welch.") University of Washington Press ed edition 1990. 1158 pages. ISBN 0295969741.
- Howard, Joseph Kinsey. Montana: High, Wide, and Handsome. Bison Books: 2003. ISBN 0803273398.
- Lang, William L., et. al. Montana: A History of Two Centuries. University of Washington: 1991. ISBN 0295971290.
- Toole, Kenneth Ross. Montana: An Uncommon Land. University of Oklahoma: 1984. ISBN 0806118903.
- Doig, Ivan, Dancing at the Rascal Fair.
- Doig, Ivan, English Creek.
- MacLean, Norman, A River Runs Through It.
- MacLean, Norman, Young Men and Fire.
- Walker, Mildred. Winter Wheat. ISBN 0151972230.

External links


- [http://www.state.mt.us State of Montana Website]
- [http://www.montanacapitol.com Montana State Capitol Information]
- [http://www.bigskyfishing.com/Photo-Gallery/photo_gallery.htm Photographs of Montana]
- [http://www.montanahistory.net/ Montana History]
- [http://www.his.state.mt.us/ Montana Historical Society] Category:States of the American West
- Category:States of the United States ko:몬태나 주 ja:モンタナ州

Bridger-Teton National Forest

Bridger-Teton National Forest is located in western Wyoming, United States. The forest consists of 3.4 million acres (13,800 km²), making it the second largest National Forest outside of Alaska. The forest stretches from Yellowstone National Park, along the eastern boundary of Grand Teton National Park and from there rides along the western slope of the Continental Divide to the southern end of the Wind River Range. The forest also extends southward encompassing the Salt River and Wyoming mountains near the Idaho border. Located within the forest are the Gros Ventre, Bridger Wilderness and Teton Wildernesses, totaling 1.2 million acres (4,900 km²). Other points of interest contained in the forest include Gannett Peak (13,804 ft/4,207 m) , the tallest mountain in Wyoming, and the Gros Ventre landslide, which is one of the largest readily visible landslides on earth. All of the forest is in turn a part of the 20 million acre (81,000 km²) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem While Gannett Peak is the highest summit in the forest, another 40 named mountains rise above 12,000 feet (3,658 m). The high altitudes and abundant snowfall, exceeding 600 inches (50 ft/15 m) at some locations, provides a constant supply of water for streams and rivers. 1,500 lakes also help provide water for the Yellowstone, Snake and Green Rivers, which all have their headwaters in the forest. Seven of the largest glaciers outside of Alaska are located within the forest boundaries. The primariy tree species include lodgepole pine, engelmann spruce, douglas fir, aspen and whitebark pine. Willows, grasses and sagebrush are found on the lower altitudes, while above the timberline alpine meadows are common. Threatened and endangered species found within the forest boundaries include Grizzly bears, Wolf, Black-footed Ferret and peregrine falcon. Most of the mammals that existed in the region prior to white settlement can still be found here. Elk, moose, mule deer, bighorn sheep, bison, coyote, marmot, pronghorn, and mountain lion are but a few of the 75 species of mammals known to exit in the forest. Four subspecies of Cutthroat Trout also are found here including the relatively rare Snake River Cutthroat Trout. 355 species of birds have been sighted including bald eagles, trumpeter Swans, sandhill cranes, hawks, and clark's nutcracker. Over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of hiking trails are located in the forest providing access into wilderness areas and interlinking with trails in Yellowstone National Park. There are several dozen vehicle accessible campgrounds that have picnic tables and tent sites as well as room in some circumstances for recreational vehicles. Nighttime temperatures can be below freezing any time of the year and mosquitos in the late spring and early summer are common. Summertime high temperatures average in the 70's and the wintertime lows can drop below -50 degrees. U.S. Highways 26/287 cross over the continental divide at Togwotee Pass and enter the forest from the north, and U.S. Highways 89 and 191 provide access to the forest in the vicnity of Jackson, Wyoming and forest lands to the south. Forest offices are located in Pinedale, Kemmerer, Big Piney, Buffalo and Greys River. The forest headquarters is located in Jackson.

External links


- [http://www.fs.fed.us/outernet/btnf/ Bridger-Teton National Forest] Category:U.S. National Forests Category:Geography of Wyoming

Batholith

A batholith is a large emplacement of igneous intrusive (also called plutonic) rock that forms from cooled magma deep in the Earth's crust. Batholiths are almost always made mostly of felsic or intermediate rock-types, such as granite, quartz monzonite, or diorite. Although they may appear uniform, batholiths are in fact structures with complex histories and compositions. They are composed of multiple masses, or plutons, of magma that traveled toward the surface from a zone of partial melting at the base of the Earth's crust. While moving, these plutons of relatively buoyant magma are called plutonic diapirs. Because the diapirs are liquefied and very hot, they tend to rise through the surrounding country rock, pushing it aside and partially melting it. Most diapirs do not reach the surface to form volcanoes, but instead slow down, cool and usually solidify 5 to 30 kilometers underground as plutons (hence the use of the word pluton; in reference to the Roman god of the underworld Pluto). A batholith is formed when many plutons converge together to form a huge expanse of granitic rock. Some batholiths are mammoth, paralleling past and present subduction zones and other heat sources for hundreds of kilometers in continental crust. One such batholith is the Sierra Nevada Batholith, which is a continuous granitic formation that forms much of the Sierra Nevadas in California. An even larger batholith, found predominantly in the mountains of western Canada, extends for 1,800 kilometers and reaches into southeastern Alaska. There is also an important geographic usage of the term batholith. For a geographer, a batholith is an exposed area of mostly continuous plutonic rock that covers an area larger than 100 square kilometers. Areas smaller than 100 kilometers are called stocks. However, the majority of batholiths visible at the surface (via outcroppings) have areas far greater than 100 square kilometers. These areas are exposed to the surface through the process of erosion accelerated by continental uplift acting over many tens of millions to hundreds of millions of years. This process has removed several tens of kilometers of overlying rock in many areas, exposing the once deeply buried batholiths. Batholiths exposed at the surface are also subjected to huge pressure differences between their former homes deep in the earth and their new homes at or near the surface. As a result, their crystal structure expands slightly and over time. This manifests itself by a form of mass wasting called exfoliation. This form of erosion causes convex and relatively thin sheets of rock to slough off the exposed surfaces of batholiths (a process accelerated by frost wedging). The result is fairly clean and rounded rock faces. A famous example of the result of this process is Half Dome, which located in the world-famous Yosemite Valley (see picture).

See also


- Laccolith
- Dike
- Sill
- Volcanic Neck
- Pluton

Reference


- Plummer, McGeary, Carlson, Physical Geology, Eight Edition (McGraw-Hill: Boston, 1999) pages 61-63 ISBN 0-697-37404-1
- Glazner, Bartley, Coleman, Gray, Taylor, [http://www.gsajournals.org/gsaonline/?request=get-document&doi=10.1130%2F1052-5173(2004)014%3C0004:APAOMO%3E2.0.CO%3B2 Are plutons assembled over millions of years by amalgamation from small magma chambers?], GSA Today: Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 4–11

External links


- [http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/geo/bathlith/bathtxt/bathmn.htm Idaho Batholith]
- [http://www.brookes.ac.uk/geology/8361/1999/simon/cornbath.htm The Cornubian Batholith] Category:Petrology Category:Volcanology

Granite

Granite is a common and widely-occurring group of intrusive felsic igneous rocks that form at great depths and pressures under continents. Granite consists of orthoclase and plagioclase feldspars, quartz, hornblende, biotite, muscovite and minor accessory minerals such as magnetite, garnet, zircon and apatite. Rarely, a pyroxene is present. Ordinary granite always carries a small amount of plagioclase, but when this is absent the rock is referred to as alkali granite. An interesting proportion of plagioclase feldspar causes granite to pass into granodiorite. A rock consisting of equal proportions of orthoclase and plagioclase plus quartz may be considered a quartz monzonite. A granite containing both muscovite and biotite micas is called a binary granite. Depending upon the proportions of feldspar and quartz, the Mohs hardness of granite ranges between 5.5 and 7 [http://www.findstone.com/daniel1.htm]. The average density is 2.75 g/cm<sup>3</sup> with a range of 1.74 to 2.80. The extrusive equivalent of plutonic granite rock is called Rhyolite. The word granite comes from the Latin granum, a grain, in reference to the coarse-grained structure of such a crystalline rock.

Occurrence

Granite occurs as relatively small, less than 100 km<sup>2</sup> stock-like masses and as large batholiths often associated with orogenic mountain ranges and is frequently of great extent. Small dikes of granitic composition called aplites are associated with granite margins. In some locations very coarse-grained pegmatite masses occur with granite. Granite has been intruded into the crust of the Earth during all geologic periods; much of it is of Precambrian age. Granite is widely distributed throughout the continental crust of the Earth and is the most abundant basement rock that underlies the relatively thin sedimentary rock veneer of the continents.

Origin

There are two theories for the origin of granite. The magmatic theory states that granite is derived by the crystal fractionation of magma. Thus granite bodies are the result of intrusion of liquid magma into the existing rocks. The granitization theory states that granite is formed in place by extreme metamorphism. There is evidence to support both theories, and both are useful to explain different observed features. The two may actually merge: as metamorphic conditions increase to the melting point of the metamorphosed granite, it will melt and become a liquid magma, and then harden into igneous granite.

Uses

Antiquity

The Red Pyramid of Ancient Egypt (c.26th century BC), named for the light crimson hue of its exposed granite surfaces, is the third largest of Egyptian pyramids. Menkaure's Pyramid, likely dating to the same era, was constructed of limestone and granite blocks. The Great Pyramid of Giza (c.2580 BC) contains a huge granite sarcophagus fashioned of "Red Aswan Granite." The mostly ruined Black Pyramid dating from the reign of Amenemhat III once had a polished granite pyramidion or capstone, now on display in the main hall of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (see Dahshur). Other uses in Ancient Egypt, [http://www.eeescience.utoledo.edu/Faculty/Harrell/Egypt/Mosques/CAIRO_Rocks_1.htm] include columns, door lintels, sills, jambs, and wall and floor veneer. How the Egyptians worked the solid granite is still a matter of debate. Dr. Patrick Hunt [http://hebsed.home.comcast.net/hunt.htm] has postulated that the Egyptians used emery shown to have higher hardness on the Mohs scale.

Modern

Granite has been extensively used as a dimension stone and as flooring tiles in public and commercial buildings and monuments. P