a. What is the tallest mountain in Colorado? b. What is the tallest mountain in Oregon?

Rising to an impressive 14,440 feet in central Colorado, Mount Elbert stands as the highest peak in the entire Rocky Mountains of North America. Located in the Sawatch Range, it is the second-highest summit in the contiguous United States. The mountain was named for Samuel Hitt Elbert, a territorial governor who opened up Ute tribal land to mining. Despite its great height, Mount Elbert is often called the "gentle giant" because its popular hiking trails are not technically difficult, making the summit relatively accessible to experienced hikers. For a time, supporters of the nearby and slightly shorter Mount Massive attempted to build rock piles on its summit to steal the title of Colorado's highest point, but Elbert has retained its position.

Further west in Oregon, Mount Hood reigns as the state's tallest peak, reaching an elevation of over 11,200 feet. Situated in the Cascade Range about 50 miles east of Portland, this mountain is not a gentle giant but an active stratovolcano. In fact, it is considered the volcano in Oregon most likely to erupt. The mountain, known as Wy'east by Native American tribes, was named in 1792 for a British admiral, Lord Hood. Its slopes are home to twelve named glaciers and snowfields, and it features the only year-round lift-served skiing in all of North America.