Which mountain range stretches from Alaska to New Mexico?

The Rocky Mountains stretch from Alaska and western Canada southward to New Mexico. Commonly called the Rockies, they form a major part of the North American Cordillera, the connected mountain system running along the continent’s western side.

The range crosses Canada and the United States, including British Columbia, Alberta, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Its highest summit is Mount Elbert in Colorado, at 4,401 meters. The Rockies strongly influence climate: they help separate the wetter Pacific side from the drier interior plains and deserts.

The northern end can be described differently depending on how geographers define the broader mountain system. Some definitions place the Rockies’ northern terminus in British Columbia, while others extend the system toward the Alaska–Yukon border. That variation does not change the standard quiz answer: the range running south to New Mexico is the Rocky Mountains.