Everything about The Uinta Mountains totally explained
The
Uinta Mountains are a high
chain of mountains in northeastern
Utah and extreme northwestern
Colorado in the
United States. A subrange of the
Rocky Mountains, they're unusual for being the highest range in the
contiguous United States running east to west, and lie approximately 100 mi (160 km) east of
Salt Lake City. The peaks range in height from 11,000-13,500 ft (3,400-4,100 m), with the highest being
Kings Peak at, the highest point in Utah. The
Mirror Lake Highway crosses the western half of the Uintas on its way to
Wyoming.
Geology
The rocks in the core of the Uinta Mountains are of
Neoproterozoic age (between about 700 million and 800 million years ago) and consist primarily of
quartzite,
shale, and
slate. These rocks comprise the Uinta Mountain Group, and reach thicknesses of 4 to 7.3 kilometers (13,000 to 24,000 feet). Most of the high peaks are in outcrops of the Uinta Mountain Group. Many of the peaks are ringed with bands of cliffs, rising to broad or flat tops.
The flanks of the east-west trending Uinta Mountains contain a sequence of
Paleozoic and
Mesozoic strata ranging from the
Cambrian Lodore Formation to the
Cretaceous Mancos Formation, all of which have been tilted during the uplift of the mountain range.
The uplift of the range dates to the
Laramide orogeny, about 70 to 50 million years ago, when compressive forces produced high-angle
reverse faults on both north and south sides of the present mountain range. The east-west orientation of the Uintas is anomalous compared to most of the ranges of the northern
Rocky Mountains; it may relate to changing stress patterns and rotation of the Colorado Plateau
The high Uintas were extensively glaciated during the last
ice age, and most of the large stream valleys on both the north and south sides of the range held long
valley glaciers.
In between the summits and ridgelines are wide level basins, with some 500 small lakes. One of the most popular lakes is
Mirror Lake because of its good fishing and scenic views.
Hydrology
The south and east sides of the range are largely within the
Colorado River watershed. The
Green River, the principal tributary of the Colorado, flows in a tight arc around the eastern side of the range. The
Bear and
Weber Rivers, the two largest tributaries of
Great Salt Lake, rise on the northern side of the range. The
Provo River, the largest tributary to
Utah Lake, rises in the southern side of the range. Utah Lake itself drains via the
Jordan River into Great Salt Lake: thus, Great Salt Lake receives a majority of its water from the Uinta Range. Large portions of the mountain range receive over 500 in (1,250 cm) of snow and 60 in (150 cm) of precipitation annually. The high Uintas are snowcapped year-round except for late July through early September.
Ecology
Nearly the entire range lies within
Wasatch-Cache National Forest (on the north and west) and
Ashley National Forest (on the south and east). The highest peaks of the range are protected as part of the
High Uintas Wilderness. The forests contain many species of trees including
lodgepole pine and
subalpine fir.
Points of Interest
The Uintas are home to
Camp Steiner, the highest boy scout camp in the United States at 10,400 feet. The camp is near mile marker 33 of the Mirror Lake Highway .
Further Information
Get more info on 'Uinta Mountains'.
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