Clarence Dutton famously compared the many narrow parallel mountain ranges that distinguish the unique topography of the Basin and Range to an `` army of caterpillars marching toward Mexico '' , which is a helpful way to visualize the overall appearance of the region .
Clarence Dutton compared the many narrow mountain ranges of the Basin and Range to an `` army of caterpillars marching toward Mexico '' , which is a helpful way to visualize the overall appearance of the region .