Raising the Roof of the Rockies: A Geologic History of the Mountains and of the Ice Age in Rocky Mountain National Park
Richmond GM. 1974. Raising the Roof of the Rockies: A Geologic History of the Mountains and of the Ice Age in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain Nature Association, Inc.. Rocky Mountain National Park
The first part of the story explores the almost incredible series of events that has brought about the present mountains. Truly, they have had a long hard life—indeed, many lives. Today, with minor exceptions, only the oldest and youngest rocks on which this history is based are preserved in the Park. To fill the gap, the intermediate history is borrowed from nearby mountains and plains (see index map), where rocks of the missing ages are preserved. You may feel skeptical, and perhaps a bit confused, as events lasting millions of years flash by in a few pages, But if the mountains seem to alternately rise and wear away faster than you can follow, pause and glance up at those in the Park. They'll still be there—and will be for millenia to come. The second part of the story traces the events of the Ice Age—the last 2 million years—during which large glaciers advanced and receded in the canyons. Most of the landscape of the Park either is the product of sculpture and scour by these glaciers or is formed of their deposits. In fact, the shape of most features is the work of the last large glaciers which occupied the canyons from about 25,000 to about 13,000 years ago. More specific features of the landscape are mentioned and illustrated in this latter part of the story than in the earlier part, because they have survived and you can see them.