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Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is an American national park located approximately 55 mi northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and Grand Lake to the west. The eastern and western slopes of the Continental Divide run directly through the center of the park with the headwaters of the Colorado River located in the park's northwestern region. The main features of the park include mountains, alpine lakes and a wide variety of wildlife within various climates and environments, from wooded forests to mountain tundra.

The Rocky Mountain National Park Act was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915, establishing the park boundaries and protecting the area for future generations. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the main automobile route, Trail Ridge Road, in the 1930s. In 1976, UNESCO designated the park as one of the first World Biosphere Reserves. In 2023, 4.1 million recreational visitors entered the park. The park is one of the most visited in the National Park System, ranking as the third most visited national park in 2015. In 2019, the park saw record attendance yet again with 4,678,804 visitors, a 44% increase since 2012.

The park has five visitor centers, with park headquarters located at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Centera National Historic Landmark designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture at Taliesin West. National Forest lands surround the park on all sides, including Roosevelt National Forest to the north and east, Routt National Forest to the north and west, and Arapaho National Forest to the west and south, with the Indian Peaks Wilderness area located directly south of the park.

History

The history of Rocky Mountain National Park began when Paleo-Indians traveled along what is now Trail Ridge Road to hunt and forage for food. Ute and Arapaho people subsequently hunted and camped in the area. In 1820, the Long Expedition, led by Stephen H. Long for whom Longs Peak was named, approached the Rockies via the Platte River. Settlers began arriving in the mid-1800s, displacing the Native Americans who mostly left the area voluntarily by 1860, while others were removed to reservations by 1878.

Lulu City, Dutchtown, and Gaskill in the Never Summer Mountains were established in the 1870s when prospectors came in search of gold and silver. The boom ended by 1883 with miners deserting their claims. The railroad reached Lyons, Colorado in 1881 and the Big Thompson Canyon Road—a section of U.S. Route 34 from Loveland to Estes Park—was completed in 1904. The 1920s saw a boom in building lodges, including the Bear Lake Trail School, and roads in the park, culminating with the construction of Trail Ridge Road to Fall River Pass between 1929 and 1932, then to Grand Lake by 1938.

Prominent individuals in the effort to create a national park included Enos Mills from the Estes Park area, James Grafton Rogers from Denver, and J. Horace McFarland of Pennsylvania. The national park was established on January 26, 1915.

Geography
Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses 265,461 acre of federal land, with an additional 253,059 acre of U.S. Forest Service wilderness adjoining the park boundaries. The Continental Divide runs generally north–south through the center of the park, with rivers and streams on the western side of the divide flowing toward the Pacific Ocean while those on the eastern side flow toward the Atlantic.

A geographical anomaly is found along the slopes of the Never Summer Mountains where the Continental Divide forms a horseshoeshaped bend for about 6 miles, heading from south–to–north but then curving sharply southward and westward out of the park. The sharp bend results in streams on the eastern slopes of the range joining the headwaters of the Colorado River that flow south and west, eventually reaching the Pacific. Meanwhile, streams on the western slopes join rivers that flow north and then east and south, eventually reaching the Atlantic.

The headwaters of the Colorado River are located in the park's northwestern region. The park contains approximately 450 mi of rivers and streams, 350 mi of trails, and 150 lakes.

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest national parks in the nation, with elevations from 7,860 to 14,259 ft, the highest point of which is Longs Peak. Trail Ridge Road is the highest paved through-road in the country, with a peak elevation of 12,183 ft. Sixty mountain peaks over 12,000 ft high provide scenic vistas. On the north side of the park, the Mummy Range contains a number of thirteener peaks, including Hagues Peak, Mummy Mountain, Fairchild Mountain, Ypsilon Mountain, and Mount Chiquita. Several small glaciers and permanent snowfields are found in the high mountain cirques.

There are five regions, or geographical zones, within the park.

Region 1: Moose and big meadows
Region 1 is known for moose and big meadows and is located on the west, or Grand Lake, side of the Continental Divide. Thirty miles of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail loop through the park and pass through alpine tundra and scenery.

The Big Meadows area with its grasses and wildflowers can be reached via the Onahu, Tonahutu, or Green Mountain trail. Other scenic areas include Long Meadows and the Kawuneeche Valley (Coyote Valley) of the upper Colorado River which is a good place for birdwatching, as well as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. The valley trail loops through Kawuneeche Valley which contained as many as 39 mines, though less than 20 of those have archived records and archeological remains. LuLu City is the site of an abandoned silver mining town of the early 1880s located along the Colorado River Trail. According to a 1985 report prepared for the NRHP, there were only three cabin ruins remaining along with remnants of six other buildings.

Baker Pass crosses the Continental Divide through the Never Summer Mountains and into the Michigan River drainage to the west of Mount Nimbus a drainage that feeds streams and rivers that drain into the Gulf of Mexico. Other mountain passes are La Poudre Pass and Thunder Pass, which was once used by stage coaches and is a route to Michigan Lakes. Little Yellowstone has geological features similar to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The Green Mountain trail once was a wagon road used to haul hay from Big Meadows. Flattop Mountain, which can be accessed from the eastern and western sides of the park, is near Green Mountain. Shadow Mountain Lookout—a wildfire observation tower—is on the National Register of Historic Places. Paradise Park Natural Area is an essentially hidden and protected wild area with no maintained trails penetrating it.

Skeleton Gulch, Cascade Falls, North Inlet Falls, Granite Falls, and Adams Falls are found in the west side of the park. The west side lakes include Bowen Lake, Lake Verna, Lake of the Clouds, Haynach Lakes, Timber Lake, Lone Pine Lake, Lake Nanita, and Lake Nokoni.

Region 2: Alpine region

Region 2 is the alpine region of the park with accessible tundra trails at high elevations—an area known for its spectacular vistas. Within this region is Mount Ida, with tundra slopes and a wide-open view of the Continental Divide. Forest Canyon Pass is near the top of the Old Ute Trail that once linked villages across the Continental Divide.

Chapin Pass trail traverses a dense forest to beautiful views of the Chapin Creek valley, proceeding onward above timberline to the western flank of Mount Chapin. Tundra Communities Trail, accessible from Trail Ridge Road, is a hike offering tundra views and alpine wildflowers. Other trails are Tombstone Ridge and Ute Trail, which starts at the tundra and is mostly downhill from Ute Crossing to Upper Beaver Meadows, with one backcountry camping site. Cache La Poudre River trail begins north of Poudre Lake on the west side of the valley near Milner Pass and heads downward toward the Mummy Pass trail junction. Lake Irene is a recreation and picnic area.

Region 3: Wilderness
Region 3, known for wilderness escape, is in the northern part of the park and is accessed from the Estes Park area.

The Mummy Range is a short mountain range in the north of the park. The Mummies tend to be gentler and more forested than the other peaks in the park, though some slopes are rugged and heavily glaciated, particularly around Ypsilon Mountain and Mummy Mountain. Bridal Veil Falls is a scenic point and trail accessible from the Cow Creek trailhead, at the Continental Divide Research Center. West Creek Falls and Chasm Falls, near Old Fall River Road, are also in this region. The Alluvial Fan trail leads to a bridge over the river that had been the site of the Lawn Lake Flood.

Lumpy Ridge Trail leads to Paul Bunyan's Boot at about 1.5 mi from the trailhead, then Gem Lake, and a further 2.2 mi to Balanced Rock. Black Canyon Trail intersects Cow Creek Trail, forming part of the Gem Lake loop which goes through the old McGregor Ranch valley, passing Lumpy Ridge rock formations, with a loop hike that goes into the McGraw Ranch valley.

Cow Creek Trail follows Cow Creek, with its many beaver ponds, extending past the Bridal Falls turnoff as the Dark Mountain trail, then joining the Black Canyon trail to intersect the Lawn Lake trail shortly below the lake. North Boundary Trail connects to the Lost Lake trail system. North Fork Trail begins outside of the park in the Comanche Peak Wilderness before reaching the park boundary and ending at Lost Lake. Stormy Peaks Trail connects Colorado State University's Pingree Park campus in the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the North Fork Trail inside the park.

Beaver Mountain Loop, also used by horseback riders, passes through forests and meadows, crosses Beaver Brook and several aspen-filled drainages, and has a great view of Longs Peak. Deer Mountain Trail gives a 360 degree view of eastern part of the park. The summit plateau of Deer Mountain offers expansive views of the Continental Divide. During the winter, the lower trail generally has little snow, though packed and drifted snow are to be expected on the switchbacks. Snow cover on the summit may be three to five feet deep, requiring the use of snowshoes or skis.

The trail to Lake Estes in Estes Park meanders through a bird sanctuary, beside a golf course, along the Big Thompson River and Fish Creek, through the lakeside picnic area and along the lakeshore. The trail is used by birdwatchers, bikers and hikers.

Lawn Lake Trail climbs to Lawn Lake and Crystal Lake, one of the parks deepest lakes, in the alpine ecosystem and along the course of the Roaring River. The river shows the massive damage caused by a dam failure in 1982 that claimed the lives of three campers. The trail is a strenuous snowshoe hike in the winter. Ypsilon Lake Trail leads to its namesake as well as Chipmunk Lake, with views of Longs Peak, while traversing pine forests with grouseberry and bearberry bushes. The trail also offers views of the canyon gouged out by rampaging water that broke loose from Lawn Lake Dam in 1982. Visible is the south face of Ypsilon Mountain, with its Y-shaped gash rising sharply from the shoreline.

Gem Lake is high among the rounded granite domes of Lumpy Ridge. Untouched by glaciation, this outcrop of 1.8 billion-year-old granite has been sculpted by wind and chemical erosion into a backbone-like ridge. Pillars, potholes, and balanced rocks are found around the midpoint of the trail, along with views of the Estes Valley and Continental Divide. Potts Puddle trail is accessible from the Black Canyon trail.

Region 4: Heart of the park
Region 4 is the heart of the park with easy road and trail access, great views, and lake hikes including the most popular trails. Flattop Mountain is a tundra hike and the easiest hike to the Continental Divide in the park. Crossing over Flattop Mountain, the hike to Hallett Peak passes through three climate zones, traversing the ridge that supports Tyndall Glacier and finally ascending to the summit of Hallett Peak.

Bear Lake is a high-elevation lake in a spruce and fir forest at the base of Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain. Bierstadt Lake sits atop a lateral moraine named Bierstadt Moraine, and drains into Mill Creek. There are several trails that lead to Bierstadt Lake through groves of aspens and lodgepole pines. North of Bierstadt Moraine is Hollowell Park, a large and marshy meadow along Mill Creek. The Hollowell Park trail runs along Steep Mountain's south side. Ranches, lumber and sawmill enterprises operated in Hollowell Park into the early 1900s.

Glacial Basin was the site of a resort run by Abner and Alberta Sprague, after whom Sprague Lake is named. The lake is a shallow body of water that was created when the Spragues dammed Boulder Brook to create a fish pond. Sprague Lake is a popular place for birdwatching, hiking and viewing the mountain peaks, along with camping at the Glacier Basin campground.

Dream Lake is one of the most-photographed lakes and is also noted for its winter snowshoeing. Emerald Lake is located directly below the saddle between Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain, only a short hike beyond Dream Lake. The shore of Lake Haiyaha (a Native American word for "big rocks") is surrounded by boulders along with ancient, twisted and picturesque pine trees growing out of rock crevices. Nymph Lake is named for the yellow lily, Nymphaea polysepala, on its surface. Lake Helene is at the head of Odessa Gorge, east of Notchtop Mountain. Two Rivers Lake is found along the hike to Odessa Lake from Bear Lake, and has one backcountry campsite. The Cub Lake trail passes Big Thompson River, flowery meadows, and stands of pine and aspen trees. Ice and deep snow are present during the winter, requiring the use of skis or snowshoes.

The Fern Lake trail passes Arch Rock formations, The Pool, and the cascading water of Fern Falls. Two backcountry campsites are located near the lake, and two more are closer to the trailhead. Odessa Lake has two approaches: one is along the Flattop trail from Bear Lake while the other is from the Fern Lake trailhead, along which are Fern Creek, The Pool, Fern Falls, and Fern Lake itself. One backcountry campsite is available. Other lakes are Jewel Lake, Mills Lake, Black Lake, Blue Lake, Lake of Glass, Sky Pond, and Spruce Lake. The Pool is a large turbulent water pocket formed below where Spruce and Fern Creeks join the Big Thompson River. The winter route is along a gravel road, which leads to a trail at the Fern Lake trailhead. Along the route are beaver-cut aspen, frozen waterfalls on the cliffs, and the Arch Rocks. The trail to Alberta Falls runs by Glacier Creek and Glacier Gorge.

Wind River Trail leaves the East Portal and follows the Wind River to join with the Storm Pass trail. There are three backcountry campsites. Other sites in the area are The Loch, Loch Vale, Mill Creek Basin, Andrews Glacier, Sky Point, Timberline Falls, Upper Beaver Meadows, and Storm Pass.

Region 5: Waterfalls and backcountry
Region 5, known for waterfalls and backcountry, is south of Estes Park and contains Longs Peak—the park's iconic fourteener—and the Wild Basin area. Other peaks and passes include Lily Mountain, Estes Cone, Twin Sisters, Boulder-Grand Pass, and Granite Pass. Eugenia Mine operated about the late-19th to early-20th century, with some old equipment and a log cabin remaining. Sites and trails include Boulder Field, Wild Basin Trail, and Homer Rouse Memorial Trail.

Enos Mills, the main figure behind the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park, enjoyed walking to Lily Lake from his nearby cabin. Wildflowers are common in the spring and early summer. In the winter, the trail around the lake is often suitable for walking in boots, or as a short snowshoe or ski. Other lakes in the Wild Basin include Chasm Lake, Snowbank Lake, Lion Lakes 1 and 2, Thunder Lake, Ouzel Lake, Finch Lake, Bluebird Lake, Pear Lake, and Sandbeach Lake. Many of the lakes have backcountry campsites. Waterfalls include Ouzel Falls, Trio Falls, Copeland Falls, and Calypso Cascades.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Rocky Mountain National Park has a Subarctic climate with cool summers and year around precipitation (Dfc). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Plant Hardiness zone at Bear Lake Ranger Station (9492 ft / 2893 m) is 5a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -15.2 °F (-26.2 °C), and 5a with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -16.1 °F (-26.7 °C) at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center (7825 ft / 2385 m).

The complex interactions of elevation, slope, exposure and regional-scale air masses determine the climate within the park, which is noted for its extreme weather patterns. A "collision of air masses" from several directions produces some of the key weather events in the region. When cold arctic air from the north meets warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico at the Front Range, "intense, very wet snowfalls with total snow depth measured in the feet" accumulate in the park.

Elevation
Higher elevation areas within the park receive twice as much precipitation as lower elevation areas, generally in the form of deep winter snowfall. Arctic conditions are prevalent during the winter, with sudden blizzards, high winds, and deep snowpack. High country overnight trips require gear suitable for -35 °F or below.

The subalpine region does not begin to experience spring-like conditions until June. Wildflowers bloom from late June to early August.

Below 9,400 ft, temperatures are often moderate, although nighttime temperatures are cool, as is typical of mountain weather. Spring comes to the montane area by early May, when wildflowers begin to bloom. Spring weather is subject to unpredictable changes in temperature and precipitation, with potential for snow along trails through May. In July and August, temperatures are generally in the 70s or 80s °F during the day, and as low as the 40s °F at night. Lower elevations receive rain as most of their summer precipitation.

Sudden dramatic changes in the weather may occur during the summer, typically due to afternoon thunderstorms that can cause as much as a 20 °F drop in temperature and windy conditions.

Continental Divide
The park's climate is also affected by the Continental Divide, which runs northwest to southeast through the center of the park atop the high peaks. The Continental Divide creates two distinct climate patterns - one typical of the east side near Estes Park and the other associated with the Grand Lake area on the park's west side. The west side of the park experiences more snow, less wind, and clear cold days during the winter months.

Climate change study
Rocky Mountain National Park was selected to participate in a climate change study, along with two other National Park Service areas in the Rocky Mountain region and three in the Appalachian Mountain region. The study began in 2011, orchestrated by members of the academic scientific community in cooperation with the National Park Service and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The stated objective: "develop and apply decision support tools that use NASA and other data and models to assess vulnerability of ecosystems and species to climate and land use change and evaluate management options."

, the preceding one hundred years of records indicated an increase in the average annual temperature of approximately 3 F-change. The average low temperature has increased more than the average high temperature during the same time period. As a result of the temperature increase, snow is melting from the mountains earlier in the year, leading to drier summers and probably to an earlier, longer fire season. Since the 1990s, mountain pine beetles have reproduced more rapidly and have not died off at their previous mortality rate during the winter months. Consequently, the increased beetle population has led to an increased rate of tree mortality in the park.

The climate change study projects further temperature increases, with greater warming in the summer and higher extreme temperatures by 2050. Due to the increased temperature, there is a projected moderate increase in the rate of water evaporation. Reduced snowfall—perhaps 15% to 30% less than current amounts—and the elimination of surface hail, along with the higher likelihood of intense precipitation events are predicted by 2050. Droughts may be more likely due to increased temperatures, increased evaporation rates, and potential changes in precipitation.

Geology
Precambrian metamorphic rock formed the core of the North American continent during the Precambrian eon 4.5–1 billion years ago. During the Paleozoic era, western North America was submerged beneath a shallow sea, with a seabed composed of limestone and dolomite deposits many kilometers thick. Pikes Peak granite formed during the late Precambrian eon, continuing well into the Paleozoic era, when mass quantities of molten rock flowed, amalgamated, and formed the continents about 1 billion–300 million years ago. Concurrently, in the period from 500 to 300 million years ago, the region began to sink while lime and mud sediments were deposited in the vacated space. Eroded granite produced sand particles that formed strata—layers of sediment—in the sinking basin.

About 300 million years ago, the land was uplifted creating the ancestral Rocky Mountains. Fountain Formation was deposited during the Pennsylvanian period of the Paleozoic era, 290–296 million years ago. Over the next 150 million years, the mountains uplifted, continued to erode, and covered themselves in their own sediment. Wind, gravity, rainwater, snow, and glacial ice eroded the granite mountains over geologic time scales. The Ancestral Rockies were eventually buried under subsequent strata.

The Pierre Shale formation was deposited during the Paleogene and Cretaceous periods about 70 million years ago. The region was covered by a deep sea—the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway—which deposited massive amounts of shale on the seabed. Both the thick stratum of shale and embedded marine life fossils—including ammonites and skeletons of fish and such marine reptiles as mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and extinct species of sea turtles, along with rare dinosaur and bird remains—were created during this time period. The area now known as Colorado was eventually transformed from being at the bottom of an ocean to dry land again, giving yield to another fossiliferous rock layer known as the Denver Formation.

At about 68 million years ago, the Front Range began to rise again due to the Laramide orogeny in the west. During the Cenozoic era, block uplift formed the present Rocky Mountains. The geologic composition of Rocky Mountain National Park was also affected by deformation and erosion during that era. The uplift disrupted the older drainage patterns and created the present drainage patterns.

Glaciation
Glacial geology in Rocky Mountain National Park can be seen from the mountain peaks to the valley floors. Ice is a powerful sculptor of this natural environment and large masses of moving ice are the most powerful tools. Telltale marks of giant glaciers can be seen all throughout the park. Streams and glaciations during the Quaternary period cut through the older sediment, creating mesa tops and alluvial plains, and revealing the present Rocky Mountains. The glaciation removed as much as 5000 ft of sedimentary rocks from earlier inland sea deposits. This erosion exposed the basement rock of the Ancestral Rockies. Evidence of the uplifting and erosion can be found on the way to Rocky Mountain National Park in the hogbacks of the Front Range foothills. Many sedimentary rocks from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras exist in the basins surrounding the park.

While the glaciation periods are largely in the past, the park still has several small glaciers. The glaciers include Andrews, Sprague, Tyndall, Taylor, Rowe, Mills, and Moomaw Glaciers.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential natural vegetation Types, Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses three classifications; an Alpine tundra & Barren (52) vegetation type with an Alpine tundra (11) vegetation form, a Western Spruce/Fir (15) vegetation type with a Rocky Mountain Conifer Forest (3) vegetation form, and a Pine/Douglas fir (18) vegetation type with a Rocky Mountain Conifer Forest (3) vegetation form.

Colorado has one of the most diverse plant and animal environments of the United States, partially due to the dramatic temperature differences arising from varying elevation levels and topography. In dry climates, the average temperature drops 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit with every 1,000 foot increase in elevation (9.8 degrees Celsius per 1,000 meters). Most of Colorado is semi-arid with the mountains receiving the greatest amount of precipitation in the state.

The Continental Divide runs north to south through the park, creating a climatic division. Ancient glaciers carved the topography into a range of ecological zones. The east side of the Divide tends to be drier with heavily glaciated peaks and cirques. The west side of the park is wetter with more lush, deep forests.

There are four ecosystems, or zones, in Rocky Mountain National Park: montane, subalpine, alpine tundra, and riparian. The riparian zone occurs throughout all of the three other zones. Each individual ecosystem is composed of organisms interacting with one other and with their surrounding environment. Living organisms (biotic), along with the dead organic matter they produce, and the abiotic (non-living) environment that impacts those living organisms (water, weather, rocks, and landscape) are all members of an ecosystem.

The park was designated a World Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations in 1976 to protect its natural resources. The park's biodiversity includes afforestation and reforestation, ecology, inland bodies of water, and mammals, while its ecosystems are managed for nature conservation, environmental education and public recreation purposes. The areas of research and monitoring include ungulate ecology and management, high-altitude revegetation, global change, acid precipitation effects, and aquatic ecology and management.

Despite the importance of preserving the park's natural environment, the area suffers air pollution impacts from Front Range activities, even as the impacts of Denver's infamous brown cloud have been reduced.

Montane zone
The montane ecosystem is at the lowest elevations in the park, between 5,600 to 9,500 ft, where the slopes and large meadow valleys support the widest range of plant and animal life, including montane forests, grasslands, and shrublands. The area has meandering rivers and during the summer, wildflowers grow in the open meadows. Ponderosa pine trees, grass, shrubs and herbs live on dry, south-facing slopes. North-facing slopes retain moisture better than those that face south. The soil better supports dense populations of trees, like Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine. There are also occasional Engelmann spruce and blue spruce trees. Quaking aspens thrive in high-moisture montane soils. Other water-loving small trees like willows, grey alder, and water birch may be found along streams or lakeshores. Water-logged soil in flat montane valleys may be unable to support growth of evergreen forests. The following areas are part of the montane ecosystem: Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, Kawuneeche Valley, and Upper Beaver Meadows.

Some of the mammals that inhabit the montane ecosystem include snowshoe hares, coyotes, cougars, beavers, mule deer, moose, bighorn sheep, black bears, and Rocky Mountain elk. During the fall, visitors often flock to the park to witness the elk rut.

Subalpine zone
From 9000 ft to 11000 ft, the montane forests give way to subalpine forests. Forests of fir and Engelmann spruce cover the mountainsides in subalpine areas. Trees grow straight and tall in the lower subalpine forests, but become shorter and more deformed the nearer they are to the tree line. At the tree line, seedlings may germinate on the lee side of rocks and grow only as high as the rock provides wind protection, with any further growth being more horizontal than vertical. The low growth of dense trees is called krummholz, which may become well-established and live for several hundred to a thousand years old.

In the subalpine zone, lodgepole pines and huckleberry have established themselves in previous burn areas. Crystal clear lakes and fields of wildflowers are hidden among the trees. Mammals of the subalpine zone include bobcats, cougars, coyotes, elk, mule deer, chipmunks, shrews, porcupines and yellow-bellied marmots. Black bears are attracted by the berries and seeds of subalpine forests. Clark's nutcracker, Steller's jay, mountain chickadee and yellow-rumped warbler are some of the many birds found in the subalpine zone. Sprague Lake and Odessa Lake are two of the park's subalpine lakes.

Alpine tundra
Above tree line, at approximately 11000 ft, trees disappear and the vast alpine tundra takes over. Over one third of the park resides above the tree line, an area which limits plant growth due to the cold climate and strong winds. The few plants that can survive under such extreme conditions are mostly perennials. Many alpine plants are dwarfed at high elevations, though their occasional blossoms may be full-sized.

Cushion plants have long taproots that extend deep into the rocky soil. Their diminutive size, like clumps of moss, limits the effect of harsh winds. Many flowering plants of the tundra have dense hairs on stems and leaves to provide wind protection or red-colored pigments capable of converting the sun's light rays into heat. Some plants take two or more years to form flower buds, which survive the winter below the surface and then open and produce fruit with seeds in the few weeks of summer. Grasses and sedges are common where tundra soil is well-developed.

Non-flowering lichens cling to rocks and soil. Their enclosed algal cells can photosynthesize at any temperature above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 °C), and the outer fungal layers can absorb more than their own weight in water. Adaptations for survival amidst drying winds and cold temperatures may make tundra vegetation seem very hardy, but in some respects it remains very fragile. Footsteps can destroy tundra plants and it may take hundreds of years to recover. Mammals that live on the alpine tundra, or visit during the summer season, include bighorn sheep, elk, badgers, pikas, yellow-bellied marmots, and snowshoe hares. Birds include prairie falcons, white-tailed ptarmigans, and common ravens. Flowering plants include mertensia, sky pilot, alpine sunflowers, alpine dwarf columbine, and alpine forget-me-not. Grasses include kobresia, spike trisetum, spreading wheatgrass, and tufted hairgrass.

Riparian zone

The riparian ecosystem runs through the montane, subalpine, and alpine tundra zones and creates a foundation for life, especially for species that thrive next to streams, rivers, and lakes. The headwaters of the Colorado River, which provides water to many of the southwestern states, are located on the west side of the park. The Fall River, Cache la Poudre River and Big Thompson Rivers are located on the east side of the park. Just like the other ecosystems in the park, the riparian zone is affected by the climatic variables of temperature, precipitation, and elevation. Generally, riparian zones in valleys will have cooler temperatures than communities located on slopes and ridge tops. Depending on elevation, a riparian zone may have more or less precipitation than other riparian zones in the park, with the difference creating a shift in the types of plants and animals found in a specific zone.

Wildlife
Rocky Mountain National Park is home to many species of animals, including nearly seventy mammals and almost three hundred species of birds. This diversity is due to the park's varying topography, which creates a variety of habitats. However, some species have been extirpated from the park, including gray wolf, wolverine, grizzly bear, and American bison. Moose are commonly seen in the park, but they were not historically recorded as being part of this particular area of the Rocky Mountains.

Elk
The park is home to some 2,000 to 3,000 elk in summer, and between 800 and 1,000 elk spend the winter within its boundaries. Because of lack of predators such as wolves, the National Park Service culls around 50 elk each winter. Overgrazing by elk has become a major problem in the park's riparian areas, so much so that the NPS fences them out of many critical wetland habitats to let willows and aspens grow. The program seems to be working, as the deciduous wetland plants thrive within the fencing. Many people think the elk herd is too large, but are reluctant to reintroduce predators because of its proximity to large human populations and ranches.

Other ungulates
Many other ungulates reside in the park, including bighorn sheep, moose, and mule deer. Bison were eliminated from the park in the 1800s, as were pronghorn and moose, the latter of which was restored to the area in 1978. Moose are now frequently seen in the park, especially on the park's west side. The park's bighorn sheep population has recovered and is estimated at 350 animals.

Predators
The park is home to many predatory animals, including Canada lynx, foxes, bobcat, cougar, black bear, and coyotes. Wolves and grizzly bears were extirpated in the early 1900s. Most of these predators kill smaller animals, but mountain lions and coyotes kill deer and occasionally elk. Bears also eat larger prey. Moose have no predators in the park. Black bears are relatively uncommon in the park, numbering only 24-35 animals. They also have fewer cubs and the bears seem skinnier than they do in most areas. Canadian lynx are quite rare within the park, and they have probably spread north from the San Juan Mountains, where they were reintroduced in 1999. Cougars feed mainly on mule deer in the park, and live 10–13 years. Cougar territories can be as large as 500 sqmi. Coyotes hunt both alone and in pairs, but occasionally hunt in packs. They mainly feed on rodents but occasionally bring down larger animals, including deer, and especially fawns and elk calves. Scat studies in Moraine Park showed that their primary foods were deer and rodents. They form strong family bonds and are very vocal.

Recreational activities

The park contains a network of trails that range from easy, paved paths suitable for all visitors including those with disabilities, to strenuous mountain trails for experienced, conditioned hikers as well as off-trail routes for backcountry hikes. Trails lead to more than 100 designated wilderness camping sites. From either the Bear Lake or Grand Lake trailheads, backpackers can hike a 45 mi loop along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail within the park. Most trails are for summer use only, since at other times of the year many trails are not safe due to weather conditions. Horseback riding is permitted on most trails, as are llamas and other pack animals.

Rock climbing and mountaineering opportunities include Lumpy Ridge, Hallett Peak, Chiefs Head Peak, and Longs Peak, the highest peak in the park, with the easiest route being the Keyhole Route. This 8 mi one-way climb has an elevation gain of 4850 ft. The vast east face, including the area known as The Diamond, is home to many classic big wall rock climbing routes. Many of the highest peaks have technical ice and rock routes on them, ranging from short scrambles to long multi-pitch climbs. Bouldering is popular in the park as well, as it is often considered a "mecca for boulderers around the world", particularly the Emerald Lake and Chaos Canyon areas.

Fishing is permitted at many of the park's lakes and streams. Four trout species inhabit park waters: rainbow, brook, cutthroat, and German brown trout. The greenback cutthroat, once widespread in Eastern Colorado, is currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

During the winter most of Trail Ridge Road is closed due to heavy snow, limiting motorized access to the edges of the park. Winter activities include snowshoeing and cross-country skiing which are possible from either the Estes Park or Grand Lake entrances. On the east side near Estes Park, skiing and snowshoeing trails are available off Bear Lake Road, such as the Bear Lake, Bierstadt Lake, and Sprague Lake trails and at Hidden Valley. Slopes for sledding are also available at Hidden Valley. The west side of the park near Grand Lake also has viable snowshoeing trails. Backcountry skiing and snowboarding can be enjoyed after climbing up one of the higher slopes, especially late in the snow season after avalanche danger has subsided and technical climbing remains also a possibility, although typically differing in style from the summer months.

Hazards
Encountering bears is a concern in much of the Rocky Mountains, including the Wind River Range. There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.

There have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993, 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), 2015 and 2018. Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain in 2005, and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in such areas, including the Wind River Range.

Wildfires
Wildfires have been recorded in Rocky Mountain National Park prior to its establishment in 1915. Some of the most notable wildfires include the Bear Lake Fire, which was started by a campfire that was failed to be properly put out, and burned for two months in 1900. The Ouzel Fire in 1978 was caused naturally by lightning and was allowed to burn under supervision until it grew out of control and in total burned 1,050 acres of land. The Fern Lake Fire in 2012 was also caused by a campfire, the fire was intensified due to strong winds and drought in the area. Absence of fire in around Fern Lake for many centuries caused excessive dead trees and a thick layer of organic matter on the ground which fuelled the fire, ultimately leading to the it lasting for over two months, burning nearly 3,500 acres of land.

An increase in average temperature in the Rocky Mountain region has been correlated to a decrease in snowfall that melts earlier in the year, attributing to drier summers and longer fire seasons. Rocky Mountain National Park is expected to see one of the largest increases in number of wildfires for the United States, with an increase in both duration and intensity for wildfires in general across the nation.

Wildfires that have a higher burn severity can cause serious damage to an ecosystem. High-severity wildfires can cause soil degradation by affecting the soils’ ability to absorb and process water. They also cause an increase in erosion due to burning away vegetation that holds the soil to the ground, thus increasing the chances of flooding and mudslides that cause further damage in and around the affected areas. Ash from the fires also contributes significantly to air and water pollution.

Low-severity wildfires however are crucial to maintaining a balanced ecosystem and can help prevent the damaging high-severity wildfires by clearing away excess organic material that adds fuel to and amplifies the spread of more severe wildfires. While severe fires can negatively impact the soil, less severe wildfires can be beneficial as burning the nutrient-rich dead organic material helps to fertilize the soil. The smaller fires also clear room for new growth and can fight against invasive species encroachment in the park.

Many parks including Rocky Mountain National Park use small fires as means to prevent more severe fires from getting out of hand. Along with small, prescribed burns, other fuel management practices include removing low hanging branches and forest thinning in general. Scientists have been working hard to find a balance in wildfires, allowing them to work as a restorative ecological process while avoiding the damage and pollution that come with high-severity wildfires.

Access
The park may be accessed through Estes Park or via the western entrance at Grand Lake. Trail Ridge Road, also known as U.S. Route 34, connects the eastern and western sides of the park. The park has five visitor centers. The Alpine Visitor Center is located in the tundra environment along Trail Ridge Road, while Beaver Meadows and Fall River are both near Estes Park, with Kawuneeche in the Grand Lake area, and the Moraine Park Discovery Center near the Beaver Meadows entrance and visitor center.

Trail Ridge Road and other roads
Trail Ridge Road is 48 miles long and connects the entrances in Grand Lake and Estes Park. Running generally east–west through many hairpin turns, the road crosses Milner Pass through the Continental Divide at an elevation of 10758 ft. The highest point of the road is 12183 ft, with eleven miles of the road being above tree line which is approximately 11,500 ft. The road is the highest continuously paved highway in the country, and includes many large turnouts at key points to stop and observe the scenery.

Most visitors to the park drive over the famous Trail Ridge Road, but other roads include Fall River Road and Bear Lake Road. The park is open every day of the year, weather permitting. Due to the extended winter season in higher elevations, Trail Ridge Road between Many Parks Curve and the Colorado River Trailhead is closed much of the year. The road is usually open again by Memorial Day and closes in mid-October, generally after Columbus Day. Fall River Road does not open until about July 4 and closes by, or in, October for vehicular traffic. Snow may also fall in sufficient quantities in higher elevations to require temporary closure of the roads into July, which is reported on the road status site.

Estes Park
Most visitors enter the park through the eastern entrances near Estes Park, which is about 71 miles northwest of Denver. The most direct route to Trail Ridge Road is the Beaver Meadows entrance, located just west of Estes Park on U.S. Route 36, which leads to the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and the park's headquarters. North of the Beaver Meadows entrance station is the Fall River entrance, which also leads to Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road. There are three routes into Estes Park: I-25 to U.S. 34 west which runs alongside the Big Thompson River; U.S. 36 west (northwest) from Boulder connecting to U.S. 34 west; and the Peak to Peak Highway, also known as State Highway 7, from points south.

The nearest airport is Denver International Airport and the closest train station is the Denver Union Station. Estes Park may be reached by rental car or shuttle. During peak tourist season, there is free shuttle service within the park; additionally, the town of Estes Park provides shuttle service to Estes Park Visitor Center, surrounding campgrounds, and the Rocky Mountain National Park's shuttles.

Grand Lake
Visitors may also enter at the western side of the park from U.S. 34 near Grand Lake. U.S. 34 is reached by taking U.S. 40 north from I-70. The closest railroad station is the Amtrak station in Granby, which is 20 miles from the western entrance of the park. Taxi service is available into the park.

title: Rocky Mountain National Park


text:
Steve Case

Stephen McConnell Case (born August 21, 1958) is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist best known as the former chief executive officer and chairman of America Online (AOL). Case joined AOL's predecessor company, Quantum Computer Services, as a marketing vice-president in 1985, became CEO of the company (renamed AOL) in 1991, and, at the height of the dot-com bubble in 2000, orchestrated with Gerald M. Levin the merger that created AOL Time Warner, described as "the biggest train wreck in the history of corporate America."

Since resigning as chairman of the company in 2003, he has launched a venture-capital firm, Revolution LLC, based in Washington, D.C., and authored The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future, which in 2016 became a New York Times bestselling book. In 2022 he published his second book, The Rise of the Rest: How Entrepreneurs in Surprising Places Are Building the New American Dream.

Life and career
Steve Case was born and grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of Carol and Daniel Case. He graduated from the private Punahou School (Class of 1976) and attended Central Union Church.

Case graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts in 1980 with a degree in political science. For the next two years he worked as an assistant brand manager at Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1982 he joined Pizza Hut Inc. in Wichita, Kansas, serving as manager of new pizza marketing.

In January 1983, his older brother, Dan, an investment banker, introduced him to Bill von Meister, CEO of Control Video Corporation. The company was marketing a service called GameLine for the Atari 2600 video game console that allowed users to download games via a phone line and modem. After that meeting, von Meister hired Case as a marketing consultant. Later that year, the company nearly went bankrupt and one of its investors, Frank Caufield, brought in his friend Jim Kimsey as a manufacturing consultant. Case later joined the company as a full-time marketing employee.

In 1985 Quantum Computer Services, an online services company, was founded by Jim Kimsey from the remnants of Control Video. Kimsey became CEO of the newly renamed Quantum Computer Services and hired Case as vice president of marketing. In 1987 he promoted him again to executive vice president. Kimsey groomed Case to become chairman and CEO when Kimsey retired, and the transition formally took place in 1991 (CEO) and 1995 (chairman).

As part of the changes that gave birth to Quantum, Case changed the company's strategy, creating an online service called Quantum Link (Q-Link for short) for the Commodore 64 in 1985 with programmer (and AOL co-founder) Marc Seriff. In 1988, Quantum began offering the AppleLink online service for Apple and PC Link for IBM compatible computers. In 1991 he changed the company name to America Online and merged the Apple and PC services under the AOL name; the new service reached 1 million subscribers by 1994, and Q-Link was terminated October 21 of that year.

AOL pioneered the concept of social media, as its focus from day one was on communication features such as chatrooms, instant messaging and forums. Case believed that the "killer app" was community — people interacting with each other — and that was the driver of much of AOL's early success. By contrast, competitive services of the time such as Prodigy funded by IBM and Sears, focused on shopping, and CompuServe focused on being an information utility. AOL's strategy was to make online services available and accessible to the mass market by making them affordable, easy to use, useful and fun. At a time when competing services like CompuServe were charging for each minute of access (which varied based on modem speeds and added extra charges for premium services), AOL priced its service at $19.95 per month for unlimited use of basic tier services beginning in 1996. Within three years, AOL's userbase grew to 10 million, ultimately reaching 26.7 million users at its peak in 2002.

Among many initiatives in the early years of AOL, Case personally championed many innovative online interactive titles and games, including graphical chat environments Habitat (1986) and Club Caribe (1989), the first online interactive fiction series QuantumLink Serial by Tracy Reed (1988), Quantum Space, the first fully automated Play by email game (1989), and the original Dungeons & Dragons title Neverwinter Nights, the first Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) to depict the adventure with graphics instead of text (1991).

After a decade of quick growth, AOL merged with media giant Time Warner in 2001, creating one of the world's largest media, entertainment and communications companies. The $164 billion acquisition was completed in January 2001 but quickly ran into trouble as part of the dot-com recession, compounded by accounting scandals. Case announced his resignation as chairman in January 2003, although he remained on the company's board of directors for almost three more years.

The failure of the AOL-Time Warner merger is the subject of a book by Nina Munk entitled Fools Rush In: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner (2005). A photo of Case and Time Warner's Jerry Levin embracing at the announcement of the merger appears on the cover.

In 2005, Case wrote in The Washington Post that "It's now my view that it would be best to 'undo' the merger by splitting Time Warner into several independent companies and allowing AOL to set off on its own path."

Case resigned from the Time-Warner board of directors in October 2005, to spend more time working on Revolution LLC, a D.C.-based investment firm he founded in April 2005. Revolution and its related funds have invested in more than 200 companies. Revolution has committed to investing a majority of its capital outside Silicon Valley

He is also chairman of the Case Foundation, which he and his wife Jean Case created in 1997. In 2011, Steve and Jean Case were honored as Citizens of the Year by the National Conference on Citizenship and interviewed by Stephanie Strom of The New York Times about their record of service and philanthropic endeavors.

In 1999, Case received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement. His award was presented by Awards Council member Jim Kimsey. Case was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2011, he was appointed as a Citizen Regent of the Smithsonian Institution, a nd became Chair of the Regents in 2020. Case was a co-chair of the Democracy Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center. In May 2014, Case received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Georgetown University.

Investments
Following his departure from AOL, Case founded Revolution LLC in 2005. Early investments include Revolution Money, HelloWallet, AddThis, Zipcar, Living Social, and luxury travel club Exclusive Resorts. These last three were considered early bets on the new Web economy, and were early examples of what is now referred to as the 'sharing economy.' Zipcar went public in April 2011, earning a market valuation of more than $1 billion before being acquired by Avis Budget Group in January 2013.

Other exits include the purchase of Revolution Money by American Express in 2009 for $300 million, and on May 29, 2014 MorningStar announced plans to acquire HelloWallet for an undisclosed amount. Additionally, Case recognized another successful exit when Towers Watson acquired early exchange pioneer Extend Health for $435 million in May, 2012.

In 2011, Case, along with Ted Leonsis, launched the $450 million Revolution Growth fund. The fund's investments to date include Bigcommerce, CustomInk, Echo360, FedBid, Handy, Lolly Wolly Doodle, Optoro, Orchard, Resonate, Revolution Foods, Sweetgreen, Sparefoot, Bedrock Manufacturing, LDiscovery, Interactions, Cava, DraftKings, Sportradar, Tala, Tempus, TalkSpace and Uptake. In 2013, he launched the Revolution Ventures fund with Tige Savage and David Golden. Revolution Ventures has invested in BenchPrep, Booker, Busbud, Framebridge, Homesnap, Insikt, OrderUp, RunKeeper, MemberSuite, PolicyGenius, Paro, Bloomscape and Bright Cellars. [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/04/business/dealbook/midwest-start-ups.html In 2017, Case launched the Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, investing in companies outside of San Francisco, New York and Boston. The fund has invested in companies across 78 cities and 35 states]. Case has also invested directly in other companies, such as Kenyan solar provider M-kopa.

Case controls tens of thousands of acres of land in Hawaii, including a controlling interest in Maui Land & Pineapple Company, and Grove Farm, obtained in a highly controversial transaction which led to years of litigation by the farm's previous owners.

Third Wave
Case wrote The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future in 2016. In the book, he argues innovations in technology will transform the Internet of Things to the Internet of Everything, change the way society thinks about work and challenging the biggest industries in the world.

He calls the new era the "Third Wave" of the internet. The "first wave" saw AOL and other companies lay the foundation for consumers to connect to the internet. The "second wave" saw companies like Google and Facebook build on top of the internet to create search and social networking capabilities, while apps like Instagram leveraged the smartphone revolution. Case says we're entering the "Third Wave," a period when entrepreneurs will leverage technologies to finally disrupt "real world" sectors like health, education, transportation, and energy - and in the process change the way people live their daily lives. Entrepreneurs, large corporations and governments will need to have a new mindset and skills in order to be successful in this new era.

In the "Third Wave," Case also predicts the rise of startup ecosystems outside of California, New York and Boston. What he calls The Rise of the Rest. A confluence of the industry expertise in these regions, technological innovations and public policy changes makes it easier to start and scale a business anywhere.

Work with immigration reform
Case is an avid advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, arguing that easing restraints on immigration is necessary for America's future entrepreneurial economy. He particularly emphasizes the impact that reform would have on recent engineering graduates and the tech sector.

Case contends that making it easier for foreign students educated in America to stay post graduation is vital to winning the war for talent, given the sheer high demand for engineers and entrepreneurs and current visa rules preventing tech companies from hiring the best foreign talent. He argues not only for reforming the H-1B visa program, but also implementing a Startup Visa program that welcomes immigrant entrepreneurs with proven ideas to launch their startups in the United States. Case traditionally has avoided politics, quietly building nonpartisan relationships with both Democrats and Republicans.

Fueled by concern that Donald Trump's restrictive immigration policies would result in loss of jobs as many Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children he made an exception to remaining nonpartisan by endorsing Hillary Clinton for the 2016 presidency.

Family
His father, Daniel H. Case, is the founding partner of the Hawaiian law firm of Case Lombardi & Pettit. His mother Carol was an elementary school teacher. His parents had three other children. His brother Dan died from brain cancer at the age of 44 in June 2002.

Case is a cousin of Ed Case, who served as a Hawaii congressman from 2002 to 2007 and since 2019.

In 1985, Case married Joanne Barker whom he had met while attending Williams College. The couple had three children and divorced in 1996. Two years later, in 1998, he married former AOL executive Jean Villanueva in a ceremony officiated by Billy Graham.

Case donated $10 million to Punahou School to build a junior high school named after his parents. He is Christian.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Steve Case


text:
Talk:Metamorphic rock

Untitled
I moved back the setence about metamorphism to metamorphism, ie, undoing redirect, because i intend to write a proper article about that.

What is missing? Facies and textures. Muriel Gottrop 15:14, 1 Aug 2003 (UTC)

B Rating
Though well-written I rated this article only "B" for the "WikiProject Geology" assessment because of the severe lack of references. The only reference (apart from a few external links) is to the 1910-11 public domain version of Encyclopedia Britannica; I think the science of metamorphic geology might have moved on just a little since then. --Zamphuor 15:35, 22 April 2007 (UTC)

Yesterday I thought this was deleted. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jwebbxsjado (talk • contribs) 14:26, 25 September 2007 (UTC)

The reference to 150 degrees C should be checked. That's only 302 degrees F. That doesn't sound right.69.122.62.231 (talk) 23:20, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Checked and reference added. Vsmith (talk) 00:48, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Thank you for that.69.122.62.231 (talk) 16:59, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

Hey, what about this idea of the mica or phyllosilicates realigning themselves mechanically within metamorphic rock. I bet it is way more complicated than that. Reference Please! Has any experimental geologist done this in a lab? In addition, styolites caused from pressure solution are very common in marble can be argued as an erratic foliation since they can be composed of carbon, iron oxide, or phyllosilicates. This is based on field experience within several Nevada mines. Here is the only link I could find on the subject. http://erictwelker.com/pressuresolution.htm  I am too busy to research this for the next year. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.64.107.80 (talk) 21:45, 3 July 2014 (UTC) Thank you for reading about rocks and minerals. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 172.58.59.60 (talk) 00:15, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

Why?
What is metamorphic rock used for? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.156.176.218 (talk)

 * The last sentence of the introduction of the article gives some specific examples of metamorphic rocks. You have probably even heard of some of them. But you can also click on their and read details (including uses) of them. DMacks (talk) 17:26, 21 September 2009 (UTC)

Classification Chart
Do you think this chart would be proper for the page?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Metamorphic_Rock_Chart.PNG

There is also one for sedimentary and igneous. Andrew Colvin (talk) 00:46, 4 January 2010 (UTC)

External links modified
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 * I found an earlier version of the link that works. — Gorthian (talk) 03:19, 28 February 2016 (UTC)

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Semi-protected edit request on 10 December 2018
Cwsprag (talk) 21:51, 10 December 2018 (UTC) Hi, im requesting to make temporary changes to this petrology page for a college exam. I need to increase the information regarding the "mixing and minlging" of rocks. basically I need to add 3-4 pages of information regarding that subject. There is literally no information regarding this topic on wikipedia at all. thanks!
 * Red question icon with gradient background.svg Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. DannyS712 (talk) 22:28, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 26 November 2019
basalt is metamorophic and is a rock 51.37.43.200 (talk) 07:25, 26 November 2019 (UTC)
 * ❌ as Basalt is an Igneous rock - Arjayay (talk) 10:15, 26 November 2019 (UTC)

Shock Metamorphism
I know in the more traditional sense of types of metamorphism, it is mainly regional versus contact (or "local"). However, I do think at least a mention of shock metamorphism is relevant. There's even a Wikipedia page that could be linked/mentioned: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_metamorphism It includes many things like impactites, high-pressure polymorphs of quartz like coesite. I think Sudbury or Ries are a prime examples. Joedf (talk) 18:25, 19 February 2020 (UTC)

Metamorphism versus metamorphic rock
Discussion here. --Kent G. Budge (talk) 21:58, 23 February 2021 (UTC)

Agricultural science
Meaning of mode of metal morphic rocks 105.112.183.113 (talk) 16:22, 25 January 2022 (UTC)

Add Existing Metamorphic Rock Protolith reference
website: https://opengeology.org/textbook/6-metamorphic-rocks/

Common error in many major, online professional geological references... claims that metamorphic rock "protoliths" are only sedimentary and igneous rocks.

Wikipedia "Metamorphic Rock" article correctly states that metamorphic rock "protoliths" include "... and existing metamorphic rocks." This sentence lacks a major professional geological reference, so I provided one above. More available.

Wikipedia "Protolith" article and its references incorrectly claim metamorphic rock protoliths include only sedimentary and igneous rocks. That article needs correction. Regardless of the many other online references that repeat this major error.

Proven cases over billions of years of plate tectonics show many major mountain belts have undergone multiple orogenies (mountain [re]building events) that clearly include re-metamorphism. Sometimes more intense "prograde" [re]metamorphism; sometime less intense "retrograde" [re]metamorphism. Cassiodorus8 (talk) 13:52, 15 March 2023 (UTC)

 * please disregard and delete this proposal Cassiodorus8 (talk) 18:14, 15 March 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Metamorphic rock


text:
Talk:Articles of Faith

Copyright
Is including the full text a copyright violation, or is The Pearl of Great Price in the public domain? Wesley
 * I believe it is safe to assume that the Articles of Faith, which is merely an excerpt from a letter that Joseph Smith wrote in his later life, is in the public domain. B 20:13, 1 Aug 2003 (UTC)

Are the words "(the New Jerusalem)" original to the Wentworth letter, or are they a recent addition? They weren't in the version I learned in 1976. Tom Haws 16:34, Jun 1, 2005 (UTC)

Move source material
Shouldn't the LDS Articles of Faith be copied to Wikisource and referred to from an article on that specific subject? — Mark (Mkmcconn) ** 00:34, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

 * I've made the new article you suggested, but I think the articles are short enough that they can be quoted. CO GDEN  23:21, 21 September 2005 (UTC)

The term "Protestant" is not derived from Martin Luther protesting against the Roman Catholic Church. The "Pro" means positive as pro and con. Protestari – to confess profess – confess your faith.

Under "zoroastrianism" there is a link to "articles of faith" but then there is no back-reference. From that page comes the following: Basic beliefs There is one universal and transcendental God, Ahura Mazda, the one uncreated creator and to whom all worship is ultimately directed. Ahura Mazda's creation — evident as asha, truth and order — is the antithesis of chaos, evident as druj, falsehood and disorder. The resulting conflict involves the entire universe, including humanity, which has an active role to play in the conflict. Active participation in life through good thoughts, good words and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep the chaos at bay. This active participation is a central element in Zoroaster's concept of free will, and Zoroastrianism rejects all forms of monasticism. Ahura Mazda will ultimately prevail, at which point the universe will undergo a cosmic renovation and time will end (cf: Zoroastrian eschatology). In the final renovation, all of creation — even the souls of the dead that were initially banished to "darkness" — will be reunited in Ahura Mazda. In Zoroastrian tradition, the malevolent is represented by Angra Mainyu, the "Destructive Principle", while the benevolent is represented through Ahura Mazda's Spenta Mainyu, the instrument or "Bounteous Principle" of the act of creation. It is through Spenta Mainyu that Ahura Mazda is immanent in humankind, and through which the Creator interacts with the world. According to Zoroastrian cosmology, in articulating the Ahuna Vairya formula, Ahura Mazda made His ultimate triumph evident to Angra Mainyu. As expressions and aspects of Creation, Ahura Mazda emanated seven "sparks", the Amesha Spentas, "Bounteous Immortals" that are each the hypostasis and representative of one aspect of that Creation. These Amesha Spenta are in turn assisted by a league of lesser principles, the Yazatas, each "Worthy of Worship" and each again a hypostasis of a moral or physical aspect of creation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.162.137.242 (talk) 08:49, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Caps?
Why is this "Articles of Faith" not "articles of faith"? William M. Connolley (talk) 20:05, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

title: Talk:Articles of Faith


text:
Talk:Rocky Mountain National Park

Photo op: Jon Jarvis, Saturday, August 18, 2012
Anyone around the park this weekend? NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis will be in the park Friday and Saturday. Wikipedia could use decent pictures of him and the activities, as we have only official pictures of him so far. Jarvis will participate in a "BioBlitz" in the Estes Park area. Contact to the NPS press team for the event is via Kathy_Kupper@nps.gov or 202-230-2085 (cell). Anyone in the Denver area who might want to go there? --h-stt !?  09:56, 17 August 2012 (UTC)

Template
Hello,

It doesn't look like there have been any posts in quite awhile, but here I go - hopefully someone watches the page.

I was looking to see if I could find a template for the Rocky Mountain National Park - and I didn't find one - to add to an article I just created, Bierstadt Lake. The only one I found from this query is NRHP in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I have thought about creating a template that would have sections for peaks, bodies of water, trails, buildings and structures... and whatever else might emerge from this query and Category:Rocky Mountain National Park. I con would be that categories help do that and pro is that it's an easy way to glance at related articles by topic without having to dive into categories and subcategories (I see there is just one here), and searching for articles that might not be categorized (but probably would be after this exercise).

Are there any opinions about that?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 01:16, 29 October 2016 (UTC)

 * ✅, based upon the Template:Yosemite National Park.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 05:37, 31 October 2016 (UTC)

Article changes
I am also thinking about
 * Adding more content about the park itself - like getting into the four zones and what's found there
 * Moving the history of the park into its own article

Any thoughts about that are appreciated as well.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 21:45, 29 October 2016 (UTC)

 * I'm gathering notes here:
 * For history, it seems that notable events from these images could be included
 * I don't understand the amount of information about the Earl of Dunraven that is included here. Perhaps this could be trimmed down a bit?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 01:48, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

The amount of Dunraven material here is not inappropriate. His brazen sense of entitlement was critically important in getting people to think of this as public land (as opposed to his private domain). It would be good, though, to see more about Enos Mills, who deserves his own header (parallel with Dunraven). The MacGregors probably deserve mention too. -- Elphion (talk) 02:40, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

 * Ok,, I get your point about his viewpoints - and sometimes less is more in terms of bringing the salient points home, was all I was thinking. Since you're very aware of him, do you know of sources for the content in his section? I agree about Enos Mills and the MacGregors.

 * I think that there would probably be enough history to make it its own page... and then expand some of the info in this article about the park as well. Any thoughts about History having its own page?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 03:14, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

 * Yes, there is precedent for writing articles about the history of national parks. See, e.g., History of the Yosemite area. —hike395 (talk) 14:31, 30 October 2016 (UTC)
 * Ok, good, thanks! That is a lovely example - and more what I was thinking about. That is a lovely reference for sections/subsections, etc.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 15:25, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

Carole, you may wish to review the guidelines at WP:NOTGUIDE -- some of the material you've added at the Access section reads like a travel guide. —hike395 (talk) 14:31, 30 October 2016 (UTC)
 * , yep, I see your point. I personally don't have a problem having that kind of info in an article - but there are much bigger fish to fry, in terms of meaningful content—so, I removed a lot of the content here. See what you think now.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 15:25, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

 * I also moved the "Access" section - I'm not sure if that's the right place, but geography, geology, history, etc. are usually top sections. I have never seen "Access" as a top section, but if I am missing a guideline, please let me know.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 15:35, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

 * Indeed, things like "Access" should be towards the end of the article, see, e.g., Yellowstone National Park or Yosemite National Park, featured articles about national parks, for example structures.

 * Thanks for putting all of this work into the article! —hike395 (talk) 19:18, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

 * Yes, they are both great articles and I like that they go into greater detail about biology, ecology, and a section I have a hard time writing - geology. But somewhere I have already written about ancient Rocky Mountains and the current Rocky Mountains, to avoid recreating the wheel - to make that a little more robust.

 * Perhaps we can get this one into Good article territory. If you don't mind chiming in every know and again on this article, that would be great! It sounds like you have good experience with national park articles.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 21:01, 30 October 2016 (UTC)

Working list
I started a working list at one of my user pages. I didn't post them here, because they're not fully formed in my head right now. There are somethings there that I don't know enough about to suggest here - especially about the people. But if anyone wants to comment about them - here or on my page - that would be great (i.e., there might be some clarity that I have not gotten to / investigated yet)!-- CaroleHenson (talk) 15:50, 31 October 2016 (UTC)

Initial Hike395 and CaroleHenson discussion
,

I grouped the images in the Rocky Mountain National Park of this version that way, to show the diversity in the ecosystems. Pictures can really bring articles to life. There are other articles, like Ukiyo-e, that use a number of images... and it is a featured article. I'm not thinking of that saturation level, but it would be nice to give a good sense of what the park is like. I've read that is one thing that attracts readers to articles.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 07:41, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Hi, Carole. The relevant guideline is WP:IG, which states:
 * Images are typically interspersed individually throughout an article near the relevant text (see WP:MOSIMAGES). However, the use of a gallery section may be appropriate in some Wikipedia articles if a collection of images can illustrate aspects of a subject that cannot be easily or adequately described by text or individual images. The images in the gallery collectively must have encyclopedic value and add to the reader's understanding of the subject.
 * Ukiyo-e is an article about an art form, so showing many examples helps readers understand the form. In contrast, individual images are enough to illustrate a national park. The galleries shouldn't be there to attract readers to articles or bring it to life. I left one image per section to illustrate the ecosystem, and pushed the rest to the Commons gallery. Hope this explains my edits. —hike395 (talk) 08:16, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Yes, this is the part of the guideline that I had in mind when I worked on it: The images in the gallery collectively must have encyclopedic value and add to the reader's understanding of the subject. I think that a small grouping does help give an understanding of an ecosystem.... emphasis on the "system", including the land, geological underpinnings, climate differences, flora, and fauna. It may be that there are other, better choices.

 * I hope my explanation helps explain the approach. Do you think that you could take a look at this version again with the guideline and portrayal of a multi-faceted system in mind?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 08:38, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * There's also this featured article, that uses images in a similar way: Marojejy National Park.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 08:43, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * I'm sorry. I don't agree that an ecosystem "cannot be easily or adequately described by text". I believe that ecosystems are complex systems and can really only be understood through textual descriptions. I also don't agree with the use of image galleries in Marojejy National Park -- I think that article does not obey the guideline I quoted, above.

 * Perhaps other editors can chime in? We can ask for more opinions at WT:WikiProject Protected Areas, although that may not be very active. —hike395 (talk) 09:09, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Yep, it would be good to see if anyone else has opinions on this. In awhile, if there's no input, it could also be posted at Wikipedia talk:Manual of Style/Images. There is a similar type of question in this using images discussion.

 * Another option is to rewrite the sections and break out the Fauna and Flora info - and then add related pictures back to those sections. That's a possibility, too. The downside is that the flora and fauna are related to the ecosystem. Another possibility is to add more content to the sections and have flora and fauna images within the applicable paragraphs - all still within the applicable ecosystem. That seems to make a little more sense. Are you interested in writing content for the article?

 * I like the ecosystem sections: I don't think we should re-organize the article just to fit more pictures in. Although, strictly, glaciers aren't an ecosystem, they're more of a geological feature.

 * Adding more content is often the right answer. I'll see if I can find more to add, although you've done a pretty good job already! —hike395 (talk) 13:31, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * I've thrown out a couple of thoughts... do you have any ideas?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 10:03, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

Comments on gallery / no gallery
I think there are two issues here: the number of images, and whether to present them as a gallery. In the case of this national park, the terrain is so varied that we can expect a significant number. But scattering those in the text makes the format really annoying -- and it is harder to visually scan and compare the images that way. I think a gallery is the obvious answer. -- Elphion (talk) 12:21, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * @everyone - We should use galleries.  I disagree with Hike's rejection of images for purpose of "bringing article to life" because that phrase is a just a colorful way of saying the same thing as our policy WP:IUP. "Content - The purpose of an image is to increase readers' understanding of the article's subject matter, usually by directly depicting people, things, activities, and concepts described in the article."  It is just as hard to describe an ecosystem in text only as it is to describe an artform, so multiple pictures help and gallery organization could easily lend itself to standardization across a project.   I'd like to suggest, however, we might be confusing the tech terms.   As I understand it, there are few main "ecosystem" types which are comprised of many different sub parts.   A better term of what we're discussing might be "habitat diversity" (see also Habitat) NewsAndEventsGuy (talk)

 * I've copied 's comments from the below "ecosystem" / "habitat" discussion However it shakes out, I do have one observation... a generic pic of a Clarks Nutcracker isn't really relevant to an article about this park, but a pic of the same bird sitting on a Beark Lake trail sign, or even better on a tent in Moraine Park CG with Long's Peak in the background would be super cool. And while adding lots of pics to elaborate on the ecosystems/zones/whatever is a nice idea, I can see the point that we have sub articles to go into depth about them. But there are many things that could be added with images... history, anthropology, culture, recreation... I mean SHEESH!!!! and skipped the following funny comments.

 * Regarding your comments:
 * For what it's worth, I believe the picture of the Clark's nutcracker was taken in the park. I do get your point, though, about not having pictures of flora or fauna without background imagery of the park. That makes tons of sense. The image of the Alpine forget-me-not, I think is good to use even though it doesn't have good background, because it's kind of unexpected. In general, it would be good to get flora and fauna images in the article, IMO.
 * Yes, I wondered about subarticles, too - and "ecosystems" or "life zones", whatever term is used could absolutely be expanded upon.
 * For right now, there are subarticles for History of Rocky Mountain National Park to work on - and List of peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, but if you had some spare wikitime, perhaps you could start a subarticle of a notable topic. Anthropology and culture - might be taken more from a prehistoric (prior to about 1820 (Long) / hunters and trappers began to visit or live in the state to 1850s (when people began arriving in great number) perspective - or from the mid-1800s to the early 1930s. I am trying to figure out how it might go outside of that. I absolutely agree that it would be good to have more about recreation. I'd like to add a section - either here or in history about "Art of Rocky Mountain National Park", since that led to it having become a tourist attraction in its early days.
 * Thanks for your comments!-- CaroleHenson (talk) 20:34, 3 November 2016 (UTC)
 * NewsAndEventsGuy, I thought about it a bit more, and I can see how anthropology and culture could include more than Native American life in what is now the park and the period in the late 19th-century and early 20th-century when there were hunters, trappers, and visitors who lodged/stayed in the park for periods of time. In the early 1930s, there was a concerted effort to remove lodges and inns by the CCC and return the part to its natural habitat due to damage from that period (taste of that in Horseshoe Park. Since then, the park has embodied many facets of a recreational culture. That could be pretty interesting, if you wanted to start it in a sandbox, or as a stub, and pick at bit-by-bit when you have wikitime. Others might be interested and jump in, too.
 * I'd have fun putting together a "Further reading" section of sources that you may want to use, if you or anyone else wants to go there. Well, and I'd be happy to start a stub to get it rolling.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 22:32, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

There is a really good explanatory image found in the source provided by Hike395. Based upon use of that image, at the top of Rocky Mountain National Park, I am so cool with having that explain the points I was trying to make. The image was added in this edit and readers can click on it to view and read the info. In other words, if everyone else is cool, I am good with closing out this issue if we use that image (or another better one like it).-- CaroleHenson (talk) 21:29, 3 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Agree with & the basic image guidelines - use an image only if it (strongly) illustrates a relevant point in adjacent text; use Galleries as little as possible (tend to get overloaded with too many similar images, unless an editor keeps close watch, and they usually don't add anything to a reader's understanding); provide Wikimedia link for photo-hungry readers.
 * If you check page views, you'll find that only 1-in-100 to 1-in-500 readers ever clicks on any given image (vs. views for the article), sometimes less than 1-in-1000 when near bottom of articles. The large majority of readers may not be as interested in images as editors/photographers think, at least not in larger sizes than thumbnails, or they just don't realize they can click on them.
 * Tips - (1) check various screen shapes/sizes when adjusting layout of photos to avoid bunching & text sandwiching. Right now, page looks pretty good in narrow screen (smartphone/pad computer), medium screen (4:3 ratio) but not so good in widescreen (16:9) as they sandwich near the top (temporarily resize the window to approximate different screen shapes/sizes); (2) usually it's best to alternate images left/right throughout article - most featured articles do that and it lessens layout problems; (3) use the 'upright' param on portrait (vertical) and square images to shrink them a bit to approx the area of landscape (horizontal) images. Brian W. Schaller (talk) 02:08, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Hike395 made tweaks for "upright" and alternating image placement, so we might be in good shape now. I'm not seeing the lack of perceived value that images make to an article based upon whether or not someone clicks on the photos. I only click on a photo if I have a specific reason (e.g., I cannot see it well, I am researching specific info for the image, etc. That generally has very little to do with whether I enjoy the image.)

 * (Forewarning: this paragraph is kind of mini-essay, which may not be of interest) It's probably very clear that I'm in the Adding images improves the encyclopedia category. There was something that I read quite awhile ago about how likely a person is to read an article - and enjoy it - based upon whether there are appropriate, applicable images. We're a visual world, and images can bring words to life. (Somewhat similar in paradigm to Albert Mehrabian's 7/38/55 rule - that only 7% of perceived interpersonal communication is based upon spoken words, the rest is tone and body language. In this analogy, people may skim an article, but miss points - even when they are looking for information. I definitely think tone comes across in written word - and images may bring the points to life)  My feeling is, why not make articles enjoyable and help bring the words home? Perhaps improving the likelihood that the words will be understood? Just my 2 cents.

 * To that point, a new image added to the article ably illustrates the four ecosystems - and the associated plant and animal life. For those that said a gallery is a good way to go, does this address their thoughts? For those who thought that additional images are not needed, is there a concern with this image, bearing in mind that it may be a lovely compromise over the use of 3-picture galleries per subsection?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 03:27, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Of course, no one's implying that images in articles are bad per se, or that they lose value when not clicked by most readers - that was just a curious stat. Main point is that squeezing lots of images into an article is bad form because they often make it more difficult to read around them on various screen sizes/shapes, overwhelming the reader when all those extra images can be seen right over on Wikimedia, in 1 click. Keeping images to a reasonable, balanced amount against the amount of text is good form for any encyclopedia - unless it's a pictureopedia. That composite image would be very good if it was in sharp focus, but the upper image part is not, only the text part is. Brian W. Schaller (talk) 05:27, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Yep, it is a bit impressionistic - and this is a case where I did need to click on the image. There are two tacks to take: 1) See if there is another image like that out there - I doubt though that there would be one specific to RMNP, like this one. 2) Check in with the group that works on improving images. I forget who they are, but as I know think of you as "Image Guru", perhaps you know. I'll do a little searching both fronts, but if you know who I'm talking about that might be able to sharpen the image that would be good.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 05:52, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

The illustration is a nice idea, but it's just so blurry: I don't think readers will get much out of it. I used TinEye to search for another copy of the image, but it found nothing. I'll try for a higher-resolution upload. This would be an ideal candidate for an WP:Imagemap, if you're up for it. —hike395 (talk) 06:26, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Imagemap - love it, too many small bits? The Imagemap idea is a very interesting one. I love how that works! I don't know if some of the images are too tiny, but that could be really cool. I like that hovering over a section produces a caption. I think it would be good to check in with the user/developer Time Starling about whether he thinks this could be a viable option, because the images are so small.
 * Image does not appear to be a clean-up issue I tried selecting just the graphic area and I was able to get a very slightly better image, but then all the words would need to be typed out in a caption. The thing is, this does not appear as if it was ever meant to be a super clear image. It appears to have an impressionistic quality. I don't think this is an image clean-up issue.
 * Other images that tell a story - I found two images that might be able to be used as ideas cool graphic of weather / elevation / slope issues and kind of a cool image, perhaps replicable, repurposed - but they aren't great
 * Infobox template Another option, instead of a gallery, would be to create Infobox templates for a montage/collage of images like Template:Bierstadt Lake

It would be great to get your feedback. Do you think we need to vote on the options, perhaps: 1) remove the ecosystem image, 2) return the images (gallery or template / montage), or 3) use the ecosystem image as-is or with an Imagemap (preferred). Or, do you think we could make the imagemap work? something else?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 07:17, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * I don't know that we need to vote, just discuss. I would prefer something better than the existing ecosystem image. I started to work with the photomontage template, but got stuck because I could not find photographs of animals and plants in RMNP that match the species in the ecosystem image. I think using non-RMNP photos wouldn't be right? Or maybe we can use a less definitive photomontage. —hike395 (talk) 09:15, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * I think you're wise not to pull species from other areas, because they might not be RMNP-flavored species. I went looking for some good images that showed off combinations of the ecosystem, flora, fauna, and/or streams. But there's not too much in commons and I didn't immediately find good ones on the nps.gov site. It seems to me that the ones that are like that, though, involve elk, moose, or longhorn sheep - you've probably already seen the elks ones and I think there are two longhorn sheep ones in the fauna folder.

 * But, we might be able to make this easy. On this page, there are links to each of the ecosystems and there are lovely, good quality examples of landscape, flora and fauna. So you could just pick which ones you like. I would be happy to create files for you, if you let me know which ones you'd like. There are also good quality examples in the ecosystems document that you found here.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 14:03, 4 November 2016 (UTC)

 * , I thought you meant that you wanted to create the photomontage. Ok. I'll take a stab at it and see how it turns out. I have never used that template.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 03:45, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Before you do -- I think there may not be enough good ecosystem images to warrant a photomontage. The photos of Moraine Park, Horseshoe Park, and Kawuneeche Valley are not good examples of montane forest. The photos of Sprague Lake and Odessa Lake from far away don't show subalpine forest. The close-up photo of Odessa Lake would be OK, but it's poorly lit. The Yellow-bellied marmot photo isn't well-framed (the marmot is too small). So there isn't a lot here to work with. —hike395 (talk) 03:57, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Later: I just found the NPS gallery for RMNP here. I wonder if we can use some of these photos? And here are a bunch from Flickr that have license suitable for upload to Commons, using flickr2commons —hike395 (talk) 04:07, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

, Ok, cool! Did you see my comment at 14:03, 4 November 2016 (UTC), too?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 04:23, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

 * By the way, I am sandboxing at User:CaroleHenson/NRHP - like my making sandbox a verb?-- CaroleHenson (talk) 04:29, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

 * The NPS photogallery is excellent! Want to talk at User talk:CaroleHenson/NRHP? -- CaroleHenson (talk) 04:33, 5 November 2016 (UTC)

Classification of ecological and climate zones or systems
Hello,, regarding the use of the term ecosystems - that came from the source - but I did some poking around.

 * I looked up the terms, though: montane ecosystem is an ecosystem, subalpine is defined within montane ecosystem and as a subalpine climate, subalpine tundra). Alpine tundra is also natural region, a basic geographic unit. Usually it is a region which is distinguished by its common natural features of geography, geology, and climate - and natural regions are part of an ecosystem, from the geography sections. Glaciers do not fit as it's own category of an ecosystem.

 * Life zones - or "climate zones" lists montane, subalpine, alpine areas.

 * Subsets of climate and ecological zones or systems: Habitat speaks to "an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant, or other type of organism." but does not speak to the climate and geological differences of a mountain ecosystem. I see no mention of montane, subalpine, etc. Instead it speaks to components of ecosystems, like grassland, etc. Habitat (like grassland) is a type of area within a zone or system. For instance, a montane ecosystem has grassland and forest habitats.

IMO, it seems the category is "ecosystem", "ecological and climate zone", or "life zone". Use of the word "system", I think also gets into the coming together of multi-faceted climate, geological, and habitat aspects. The definitions of ecological zone, climate zone, and life zone are sound narrower than ecosystem.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:03, 3 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Made tweaks in strike-out and underline for clarity, particularly since this is an opinion and not fact.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 20:54, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * It looks like came to that as well, and that glacier is not an ecosystem. See this edit, which now has a different source.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 17:16, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Glad there is interest in verifying we're using the right vocabularly for whatever our goal is, and I'm not expert so go for it.  See also this resource.   Do we have agreement as to the goal?   If no, verifying the word choice for the (undefined) goal would seem premature.  Or not, if we need the vocab to discuss the question.  I won't be much help given the time available, alas.   NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) 18:19, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Regarding this resource your provided, "Any group of living and nonliving things interacting with one and other can be considered as an ecosystem. It's the way nature works together and depend on one and other: such as ants, anteater, soil, trees, forest and sun. Within each ecosystem, there are habitats." seems to match / summarize what I have said.

 * Yes, I 100% agree with the goal of ensuring that we're using the right vocabulary, as it is provided by secondary sources. Our changing how the terms are used would be original research, wouldn't it? I don't understand what you mean by If no, verifying the word choice for the (undefined) goal would seem premature. Or not, if we need the vocab to discuss the question.

 * Since we should be driven by the content from secondary sources - and how they describe the zones, systems or areas (whatever you'd like to call it), I'll take a bit of time and see how sources other than the National Park Service conceptualize the morane, subalpine, and alpine tundra areas for the Rocky Mountain National Park, and post that info here.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 19:18, 3 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Carry on, I need to resist the urge to let my wikipedia time explode.  Glad you're doing a good job thinking about things here.   However it shakes out, I do have one observation... a generic pic of a Clarks Nutcracker isn't really relevant to an article about  this  park, but a pic of the same bird sitting on a Beark Lake trail sign, or even better on a tent in Moraine Park CG with Long's Peak in the background would be super cool.   And while adding lots of pics to elaborate on the ecosystems/zones/whatever is a nice idea, I can see the point that we have sub articles to go into depth about them.   But there are many things that could be added with images... history, anthropology, culture, recreation... I mean SHEESH!!!!  Where is the picture of the awesome open air solar/dessication toilet trap at the last backcountry campssite leading to Long's Peak?   No stunning of rappels off The Diamond?   Somewhere I have a photo of Mule Deer licking up popcorn and cigarette butts by moonlight at the visitor center along Trail Ridge Road.  Of course that's all a long time ago.  It's probably all changed.   Anyway, carry on!  NewsAndEventsGuy (talk) 20:08, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

 * Here's a summary by looking at the books that came up at the top of this query: "Rocky Mountain National Park" Morane OR subalpine OR alpine OR tundra
 * As you know, NPS / Rocky Mountain National Park calls them "ecosystems:
 * Best of Rocky Mountains calls them "life zones"
 * Hamilton's Rocky Mountain National Park calls them "ecosystems".
 * Butterflies of Rocky Mountain National Park calls them "life zones".
 * Birding Rocky Mountain National Park calls them "life zones".
 * Outdoor family guide calls them "zones" - on page 55, the heading is "Wildlife Habitats of the Park", but uses "zones", as well as "ecosystems" in the rest of the book. It uses "habitat" to distinquish specific areas within the "zones", like grassland and forest (p. 52)
 * Outdoor family guide calls them "zones" - on page 55, the heading is "Wildlife Habitats of the Park", but uses "zones", as well as "ecosystems" in the rest of the book. It uses "habitat" to distinquish specific areas within the "zones", like grassland and forest (p. 52)

 * From what I can see so far, there seems to be a case for using either "ecosystem" or "life zone" -- and whichever approach is taken should use applicable source(s).-- CaroleHenson (talk) 20:11, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

Images for Park regions
Would someone be interested in adding images for the Park region section?

My thought is that there are quite a number of "peak" images, that it might be good to have images about a specific area within the region, but that's all I am thinking.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 00:56, 7 November 2016 (UTC)

NPS
Just as an FYI, once I finish the regions section, I'll circle back around and get alternate sources to many of the NPS sources. Although I am super strict about primary sources for other articles, I am not about getting content from NPS for national parks... but it is too heavy handed right now.

Having the framework (ecosystems and regions) from NPS really helped get rolling.-- CaroleHenson (talk) 20:05, 7 November 2016 (UTC)

Biodiversity
The sentence "The park's biodiversity includes afforestation and reforestation, ecology, inland bodies of water, and mammals" looks weird to say the least. Biodiversity is defined as "the variety and variability of life on Earth". The above list includes actions by humans (afforestation and reforestation) a science (ecology), geography feature (inland bodies of water) and one class of animals (mammals). אביהו (talk) 09:12, 23 November 2018 (UTC)

title: Talk:Rocky Mountain National Park


text:
Dickinson

Dickinson may refer to:

People

 * Dickinson (name)

United States

 * Dickinson, Minnesota
 * Dickinson, Broome County, New York
 * Dickinson, Franklin County, New York
 * Dickinson, North Dakota
 * Dickinson, Texas
 * Dickinson township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
 * Dickinson County, Iowa
 * Dickinson County, Kansas
 * Dickinson County, Michigan
 * Jonathan Dickinson State Park, southeast Florida
 * Port Dickinson, New York

Canada

 * Dickinson's Landing, Ontario, ghost town

United States

 * Dickinson College, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania
 * Dickinson High School (Dickinson, North Dakota)
 * John Dickinson High School, Wilmington, Delaware
 * Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
 * Dickinson State University, public university in Dickinson, North Dakota
 * Fairleigh Dickinson University, university in New Jersey

Other uses

 * Becton Dickinson, American medical equipment manufacturer
 * Dickinson (TV series), an American comedy TV series, broadcast 2019–2021
 * Dickinson (crater), a crater in the northeastern Atalanta Region of Venus

title: Dickinson