1.Where are the Rocky Mountains? 2.Climate and Height 3.Plants 4.Animals 5.Travel 6.Activities and Sports 7.Myths 8.Pictures of the Rockies 9.Websites

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North Amrerica. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than 3,000 miles from northernmost British Columbia, in Canada to New Mexico in the the United States.

The highest peak in the Rockies is Colorado’s Mount Elbert at 14,433 ft. The climate of the area is generally characterised by warm, very dry summers with an average temperature of 15°C and wet, cool winters with an average temperature of −2°C. In addition, there is sometimes light snowfall which can change the elevation.

There is lots of vegetation in the Rocky Mountains. At lower altitudes, the forests are full of pine trees, firs and spruces. High above the forests, plants face severe weather conditions including sub-zero temperatures, blizzards and droughts. Therefore they have to be very sturdy, most clinging to rock or hard soil. These plants are flower – rich meadowlands of the alpine tundra. Some very popular ones are: Sky Pilot, Alpine Avens, Fairy Primrose, Greenleaf Bluebell, Alpine Harebell, Alpine Forget–me–not, Mountain Dryad and Rydbergia.

In the Rocky Mountains you can see animals such as the spotted Hyena, Grizzly Bears, Deer, Mountain Goats and Sheep, Wild Cats (Cougars and Lynx) and Wild Dogs (Wolfs, Coyotes and Foxes). These animals are normally found in the central Rocky mountains.

You can get to the Rocky mountains in lots of different ways. Probably the most popular way of getting there is by plane. The nearest airport to the Rockies is The Great Western Airport of Vancouver. You can also get to the Rocky mountains by other means like boat, car, train or even by foot if you lived nearby.

In the Rocky mountains there are plenty of activities and sports to keep you fit while having fun. Some of these activities include: skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, climbing, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, heli-skiing, snowmobiling and one of the most popular sports of all is white water rafting.

In the Rocky mountains there have been stories and sightings of a mythical monster called the Bigfoot. People have said they have come across one of these mythical monsters – and there has been a sighting of one in Vancouver, near the Rockies. Most scientists think people put on costumes and try to make films or pictures of the Bigfoot.