How did the Teton Range gain much of its height?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

map of western North America — Rocky Mountains Physical features of western North America.

The Teton Range gained much of its height through the formation of a gigantic fault block that began to be uplifted from the Earth’s crust approximately six million years ago.1

This geological process occurred along a fault line, where the mountains were pushed upward while the adjacent area, known as Jackson Hole, represents a corresponding block that subsided. As a result of this movement, the mountains rise abruptly along the eastern fault line, creating the dramatic elevation that defines the range today.1