Presentation Outline Title: Formation of the Rocky Mountains I. Introduction A. Attention Getter: The Colorado Rocky Mountains are one of the most beautiful sights. Do you ever wonder about the foundation of these mountains? B. Thesis: The formation of the Rocky Mountains consists of a variety of geological explanations. C. Credibility Statement: I am interested in this topic because I appreciate the beautiful scenery of Colorado and its many mountains. D. Preview of Main Points: Today I will talk about mountain formation, the ranges and faults of the Rockies, and the glacier behavior in them. Transition to Body: First, I will talk about mountain formation. II. Body A. Main Point 1: Mountain Formation 1. Mountains form as an effect of convergent …show more content…
The Never Summer Range is filled with decomposing igneous rocks. Under the range is a boundless thrust fault where Precambrian rocks pushed west dominate Mesozoic and younger rocks by 6 or more miles. Mid-Tertiary intrusions and late Tertiary lava flows cover the range with iron oxide color. Tertiary formations hold a significant place in the geological background of the Rocky Mountains. Transition to Main Point 3: Next, I will talk about the glacier behavior within the mountains. C. Main Point 3: Glacier Behavior 1. Higher up in the mountains, numerous glacial features become apparent. There is a wide upland leveled by an ice cap and bounded by glacier-carved cliffs, cirques, cirque lakes, and hanging valleys. Studies have recorded synchronies and asynchronies in glacier behavior beyond the Rocky Mountain area. Due to the mountains’ low altitude, they support a low number of niche glaciers. 2. The “Last Glacial Maximum” refers to the time during which most mountain glaciers and ice sheets acquired their peak extents of the last Pleistocene glaciation. In the Rocky Mountains, the Park Range was the northwesternmost area of considerable glaciation in Colorado. In addition, the Front Range, the northeasternmost Colorado range, was the discussion of paleoglacier investigations. Transition to Conclusion: In