Monteregian mountain chain

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The Monteregian mountain chain (French: Collines Montérégiennes, "Monteregians Hills") is a chain of mountains in Montreal and the Montérégie, between the Laurentians and the Appalachians.

They are named for Mount Royal (Latin, Mons Regius), their best-known (but not tallest) member. Other mountains in the chain include Mont Saint-Bruno, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Mont Saint-Grégoire, Mont Rougemont, Mont Yamaska, Mont Shefford, Mont Orford, and Mont Brome. Some geologists believe that Mont Mégantic is also a member of this group.

Each mountain in the chain consists of Cretaceous intrusive igneous rock and associated hornfels, which are more resistant to weathering than the surrounding sedimentary rock. All of the mountains have dark-colored mafic rock such as gabbro and essexite; some also have large areas of pulaskite, syenite, and other light-colored rock. The chain is believed to have been created by a hotspot.

The shallow, rocky soils of the summits are mostly covered in forest. Lower slopes are covered with aprons of gravel or sand (which often has a subsoil hardpan). The free-draining gravels are preferred for apple orchards, which grow in thermal belts where cold air can drain to the valley floor.

[edit] External links

(French) Les collines montérégiennes Geologic information about the chain