State Wildlife Action Plan

The Southern Rocky Mountains ecoregion encompasses 26,450 km2 (10,212 mi2) and includes the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and San Juan Mountains in New Mexico. These ranges are at the southern end of a 144,350 km2 (55,734 mi2) contiguous segment that extends to southern Wyoming. In New Mexico, elevations range from 1,980-4,012 m (6,496-13,163 ft); terrain is characterized by steep rugged mountains, complex masses of peaks, and some intermontane valleys. The climate is mostly characterized as mid-latitude continental, but is subarctic at high elevations. Summers are cool to warm; winters are severely cold (occasionally <-20 oC (-4 oF)). Precipitation averages 60 cm (24 in) (range: 25-175 cm (10-69 in)) and occurs as snow in winter and thundershowers in summer.