Latest Pleistocene Glaciers of the Gore Range, central Colorado

Uploaded: Jan. 15, 2014, 2:32 p.m. | Modified: June 20, 2019, 11:27 a.m. | Albums: Colorado Geology Vignettes
This video demonstrates the distribution of the glaciers in the Gore Range in central Colorado at 20,000 years ago. The video starts with two block diagrams: (left) shows the area about 20,000 years ago when substantial glacial ice was present, and (right) how the area appears today. The animation then does a fly-around of the Gore Range showing the distribution of the ice, its presence in the high valleys, and the adjacent high peaks. The final scene shows the melting of the glaciers between 20,000 and 13,000 years.

The video demonstrates three concepts: (1) the high mountains of Colorado had extensive glaciers, (2) glaciers are a major source of erosion in the high mountains, and (3) how quickly the glaciers melted during the latest Pleistocene.

The distribution of the glaciers is from Jack Reed, USGS, Lakewood, Colorado. Video is created by James Adson, Ludvig Rhodin, Joseph Rogers, and Paul Weimer.

Interactive Geology Project, University of Colorado-Boulder. igp.colorado.edu

Geologic age: 20ka