TOPOGRAPHY. 11 



The most extensive degradation of the uplift, with consequent roughness and 

 irregularities of the contours, is found on the area situated west of Stillwater Kiver, 

 This portion of the reserve is scored by deep gorges with intervening narrow ridges, 

 the crests often onlj a few feet wide. There are many canyons, narrow and rocky, 

 strewn with masses of bowlders and gravel left behind by the glaciers which plowed 

 their way to the lowlands through these valleys. In some places .the glaciers left 

 large blocks of country with broad, rolling, bowlder-strewn, plateau-like surfaces 

 standing up massively and majestically between the larger canyons. Of this character 

 are the so-called East and West Boulder plateaus, which represent areas of the uplift 

 not greatly reduced from the height to which they had been elevated when the ice 

 age began. The altitude of the region varies from 4,000 feet in the lowest canyon 

 bottoms to 11,000 feet on the summit of the highest peaks, the average' elevation 

 being probably not far from 8,000 feet. 



East of the canyon of Stillwater Eiver the region has a- considerably higher 

 mean elevation, probably not less than 9,800 feet,' excluding the foothill region. 

 The glacier, in its northward movement to lower levels, cut its way down through 

 the uplift for thousands of feet, leaving a series of stupendous cliflf-bound gorges, 

 producing some of the wildest and grandest scenery imaginable. At the head of 

 these gorges are numerous peaks and pinnacles, some of them rising to altitudes of 

 13,000 feet, while beyond the line of canyon erosion a high, plateau-like area 

 remains, pitted with numerous depressions, intersected by ridges and cones, fur- 

 rowed by shallow ravines, and studded with low buttes and occasionally dome-like 

 elevations. This elevated tract is named Beartooth Plateau, and is a prominent 

 feature in the orography of the southeast quarter of the reserve. 



The plateau varies from 10,000 to 12,000 feet in altitude; much of it is rolling, 

 and in a few localities is almost a level tract with a moor-like aspect, but the 

 greater portion presents a decidedly rugged surface. Most of the depressions hold 

 lakelets or tarns. The plateau has a gradual slope southward to Clark Fork Valley. 

 On the west it is bounded by the canyon of the Stillwater, while along the east line 

 of the reserve the tract breaks off to the level of the plain with steep, almost 

 perpendicular, fronts, in some places over 3,000 feet in height. 



The general character of the canyons has been mentioned above. The canyons 

 of the two Rosebuds in their upper areas are mere narrow rifts between nearly 

 perpendicular rock walls, 1,500 to 2,000 feet in -height, while along Stillwater 

 Canyon the cliffs in some places tower over 3,000 feet above the floor of the canyon. 

 Here and there the canyon floors are littered with glacial debris, which occasionally 

 has dammed the streams and formed lakes. 



The highest point in the reserve is Granite Peak, which reaches nearly 13,000 

 feet (12,900 feet, as obtained by aneroid). There are scores of other elevations 

 throughout the reserve varying from 10,000 to 12,000 feet. Notwithstanding these 



