The original Postcard, from 1910 shows the autumn colors of The Rocky Mountains ( or “The Rockies” ) along a highland road through the mountains.
The golden trees in front are most probably Aspen trees that abound in the mountains. Behind are Pines and Evergreens with snow-capped mountains.
The Rocky Mountains have been described by forestry folk as having “belts” or “zones” of vegetation. These belts tend to run horizontally across the mountains with each bearing different trees and plants. This is due to the changes in climate from dry/hot to dry/cool to cold as the zones climb in elevation. The following trees are found in zones listed lowest elevation to highest elevation:
The major regions between desert and tree line of The Rocky Mountains are:
- The Pinyon-Juniper Belt
- The Pine-Oak Belt
- The Fir-Aspen Belt
- The Fir-Spruce Belt
The rose hues on the The Rocky Mountains and golden fall foliage are examples of the unique coloring that comes from the hand painting done on these antique lithographs.