Glacier National Park [Montana]United States. Department of the Interior
History
Glacier National Park [Montana]
United States. Department of the Interior
Glacier National Park (Mont.)
The probable results of the movement in the crust of the earth are
shown in the diagram (fig. 2). Section A represents a cross section
of the Glacier Park region, as it most likely appeared, immediately
following the long period of sedimentation. The rock strata are
horizontal. Section B shows the same region after the rock layers have
been slightly wrinkled due to the forces from the southwest, which,
although slightly relieved by the bending, still persisted and the
folds were greatly enlarged as shown in section C. At this stage the
folds reached their breaking limit, and the strata broke in a number of
places as indicated by dotted lines in the diagram. As a result of this
fracturing, the rocks on the west side of the folds were pushed upward
and over the rocks on the east, as shown in section D. The mountain
rocks (represented by patterns of cross lines) were shoved over the
rocks of the plains (represented in white), producing what is known as
an "overthrust fault." It has been estimated that the rocks have moved
a distance of at least 15 miles.
As the rocks were thrust northeastward and upward they made a greatly
elevated region, but did not, however, at any time project into the
air, as indicated in section D, because as the rocky mass was being
uplifted, streams were wearing it away and cutting deep canyons in its
upland portion. The rocks of the mountains, owing to their resistant
character, are not worn away as rapidly as the plains formations with
the result that great thicknesses of limestone and argillite tower
above the plains. Where the older, more massive strata overlie the
soft rocks the mountains are terminated by precipitous walls as
shown in section E. This explains the absence of foothills that is
so conspicuous a feature of this mountain front and one in which it
differs from most other ranges.
While the region now known as "Glacier National Park" was being
uplifted and faulted, the streams were continually at work. The sand
and other abrasive material being swept along on the beds of the
streams slowly wore away much of the rock. The uplifting gave the
streams life and they consequently cut deep valleys into the mountain
area. They cut farther and farther back into the mountain mass until
they dissected it, leaving instead of an upland plateau a region of
ridges and sharp peaks. This erosional process which has carved the
mountains of Glacier Park has produced most of the mountains of the
world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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