Chapter 12 The Rocky Mountain Region & Chapter 13 The Intermontane West 

The formation of the Rocky Mountains is created through a mixture of geographic changes. Long before our time, the tectonic force of the North American Plate was moved westward and collided with the Pacific Plate. This collision was known as the Columbia Orogeny. It was then moved east over North America which cracked a great mass of rock creating sedimentary layers over the land. It is through this geographic change that it created the western and central Rocky Mountains. This collision was then followed up by the Laramide Orogeny which created the front ranges and foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

The Rocky Mountains

The Intermontane region on the other hand contains blocky mountains that create the basin and range province of the area. This basin and range province is known as the Great Basin. Even though the Intermontane West does not contain beautiful mountains that create great scenery, the Intermontane has the Columbia Plateau, the Great Columbia Plain, and the Grand Canyon.

The Grand Canyon

Guam being a small island does not have a mountain that can compare to the Rocky Mountains or the Grand Canyon but they have other places that are just as breathtaking. On Guam, they have Mt. LamLam where climbers, bikers and hikers go for a good work out. It is the highest peak on Guam and it is absolutely breathtaking. For a small island, this mountain of an elevation of 1,334 feet is one of the places people have to go. It’s a great workout and just like the Grand Canyon or the Rocky Mountains, it’s worth the visit. 

Mount LamLam