The Continental Divide
(Right photo: A view of the various divides in North America. The photo is
the property of National Atlas and its article about the Continental Divide can be viewed
here.)
I have always been amused by the Continental Divide, sometimes referred to as the "Great Divide" of North America. The idea of a high point that seperates major watersheds and river systems is intriguing. At Monarch Pass in Colorado, for example, I could spit on the eastern side of the divide knowing that glob would theoretically flow down to the Arkansas River, then the Mississippi River and eventually to the Atlantic Ocean. A spit on the west side would lead to the Gunnison River and then the Colorado River before flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The Continetal Divide is the "inverse" of the ocean; it is the backbone of a continent. Now let me clarify definitions. As noted in the right photo, various continental divides exist in North America. The "Eastern Divide" seperates watersheds that flow to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico respectively. The Northern Divide seperates the continent from north to south and the St. Lawrence Seaway Divide in the northeast USA and eastern Canada is sometimes noted on more sophisticated maps. For this web site, I define the "Great Divide" as the Continental Divide. ;)
During the settlement days, mountains were frequently viewed as pesky obstacles to get around en route to destinations. Hence, "passes" are often the lowest point and/or the most passable point to get on the other side of a mountain range. Today our scenic Rocky Mountains are viewed much differently, but the need to get over mountain ranges to various points will always exist! I created this web site to give me an excuse to intentionally visit as many spots as possible along the Continental Divide. Definitely enjoy my photo collections below! Since I live in Colorado, many photos were taken right here in the Centennial State, but I look forward to visiting New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Canada and elsewhere! Thank you for visiting! -Steve
Personal web site: www.coloradoguy.com
(Right photo: Myself standing at Tincup Pass in central Colorado.)
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Ah and let's not forget closed basins - areas in which water drains into the ground instead of
flowing down a river. The Great Divide Basin in southwest Wyoming is a notable example.
Photo Galleries - Along The Continental Divide
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Butte, Montana Jackson, Wyoming Aspen, Colorado Pagosa Springs, Colorado Silver City, New Mexico |
