Sierra Nevada
Range
Little Lakes Valley: typical eastside terrain
Country	United States
States	California, Nevada
Highest point	Mount Whitney
- elevation	14,505 ft (4,421 m)
- coordinates	36°34′42.9″N 118°17′31.2″W / 36.578583, -118.292
Length	400 mi (644 km), North-South
Geology	batholith, igneous
Period	Triassic
Position of Sierra Nevada inside California

The Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "Snowy Range") is a mountain range located in the U.S. state of California. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the Contiguous United States with an elevation of. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A batholith (from Greek bathos, depth + lithos, rock is a large emplacement of Igneous intrusive (also called plutonic rock that forms Igneous rocks (etymology from Latin ignis, fire are rocks formed by solidification of cooled Magma (molten rock The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago A mountain range is a chain of Mountains bordered by highlands or separated from other mountains by passes or valleys A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. In a few places, it overlaps into neighboring Nevada. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The range is also known informally as the Sierra, the High Sierra, and the Sierras.

Geography

The Sierra Nevada stretches 400 miles (650 km), from Fredonyer Pass in the north to Tehachapi Pass in the south. Fredonyer Pass (el 5775 ft / 1760 m is a high Mountain pass in Lassen County California. Tehachapi Pass (elevation) is a Mountain pass in southern California in the United States. ^[1] It is bounded on the west by California's Central Valley, and on the east by the Great Basin. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U The Great Basin is a large arid region of the western United States.

Physiographically, it is a section of the Cascade-Sierra Mountains province, which in turn is part of the larger Pacific Mountain System physiographic division. Physiographic regions of the US Interior (See legend) For

In west-east cross section, the Sierra is shaped like a trapdoor: the elevation gradually increases on the west slope, while the east slope forms a steep escarpment. In Geomorphology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves a sharp steep Elevation differential characterized ^[1] Thus, the crest runs principally along the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada range. Rivers flowing west from the Sierra Crest eventually drain into the Pacific Ocean, while rivers draining east flow into the Great Basin and do not reach any ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions ^[2] However, water from several streams and the Owens River is redirected to the city of Los Angeles (see Los Angeles Aqueduct). The Owens River is a River in eastern California in the United States, approximately long Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West There are two Los Angeles Aqueducts, the First Los Angeles Aqueduct (or the Owens Valley aqueduct) (completed 1913 and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct Thus, by artificial means, some east-flowing river water does make it to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions

There are several notable geographical features in the Sierra Nevada:

• Lake Tahoe is a large, clear freshwater lake in the northern Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 6,225 feet (1,897 m) and an area of 191 square miles (489 km²). Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. ^[3] Lake Tahoe lies between the main Sierra and the Carson Range, a spur of the Sierra. The Carson Range is a range of mountains in eastern California and western Nevada that spurs off of the Sierra Nevada mountain range south of ^[3]
• Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite Valley, Kings Canyon, Tehipite Valley and Kern Canyon are the most well-known of many beautiful, glacially-scoured canyons on the west side of the Sierra. History The name "Hetch Hetchy" comes from a grass with edible seeds that grows in the valley in the Native American Sierra Miwok language. Yosemite Valley (joʊˈsɛməti yoh-SEM-it-ee) is a world-famous scenic location in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. This article is about Kings Canyon National Park USA For Kings Canyon Australia see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory.
• Yosemite National Park is filled with stunning features, such as waterfalls and granite domes. A granite dome is a dome of Granite, formed by exfoliation. Formation Granite forms Plutons of Igneous rock
• Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m),^[4] is the highest point in the contiguous United States. Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the Contiguous United States with an elevation of. The term continental United States refers to the 48 contiguous states located on the North American continent south of the border with Canada plus the District Mt. Whitney is on the eastern border of Sequoia National Park. Sequoia National Park is a National park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia California, in the United States of America.
• Groves of Giant Sequoias Sequoiadendron giganteum occur along a narrow band of altitude on the western side of the Sierra Nevada. Sequoiadendron giganteum ( Giant Sequoia, Sierra Redwood, or Wellingtonia) is the sole species in the genus Sequoiadendron Giant Sequoias are the most massive trees in the world. ^[5]

East Face of Mt. Whitney as seen from the way up on Whitney Portal.

The height of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada gradually increases from north to south. Between Fredonyer Pass and Lake Tahoe, the peaks range from 5,000 feet (1,524 m) to 8,000 feet (2,438 m). The crest near Lake Tahoe is roughly 9,000 feet (2,700 m) high, with several peaks approaching the height of Freel Peak (10,881 feet, 3,316 m), including Mount Rose (10,776 feet, 3,285 m), which overlooks Reno from the north end of the Carson Range. Freel Peak is a Mountain located in the Carson Range near Lake Tahoe in California. The Carson Range is a range of mountains in eastern California and western Nevada that spurs off of the Sierra Nevada mountain range south of The crest near Yosemite National Park is roughly 13,000 feet (4,000 m) high at Mount Dana and Mount Lyell, and the entire range attains its peak at Mount Whitney (14,505 feet, 4,421 m). Mount Dana is a Mountain on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park in the U Mount Lyell is the highest point in Yosemite National Park, at above sea level Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the Contiguous United States with an elevation of. South of Mount Whitney, the range diminishes in elevation, but there are still several high points like Florence Peak (12,405 feet, 3,781 m) and Olancha Peak (12,123 feet, 3,695 m). Florence Peak is a Mountain located in Sequoia National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada in California. Olancha Peak is a Mountain located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The range still climbs almost to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) near Lake Isabella, but south of the lake, the peaks reach only to a modest 8,000 feet (2,438 m). Lake Isabella is a man-made earthen Reservoir in Kern County California that consists of a main and auxiliary dam ^[6][7]

Geology

See Geology of the Yosemite area for a detailed article about the geology of the central Sierra Nevada. The exposed geology of the Yosemite area includes primarily granitic rocks with some older Metamorphic rock.

The well-known granite that makes up most of the southern Sierra started to form in the Triassic period. The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 251 to 199 Ma (million years ago At that time, an island arc collided with the West coast of North America and raised a set of mountains, in an event called the Nevadan orogeny. A mountain is a Landform that extends above the surrounding Terrain in a limited area with a peak The Nevadan Orogeny was a major Mountain building event that took place along the western edge of ancient North America between the Mid to Late Jurassic ^[8] This event produced metamorphic rock. Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of an existing rock type the protolith, in a process called Metamorphism, which means "change At roughly the same time, a subduction zone started to form at the edge of the continent. In Geology, a subduction zone is an area on Earth where two tectonic plates meet and move towards one another with one sliding underneath the other This means that an oceanic plate started to dive beneath the North American plate. Oceanic crust is the part of Earth's Lithosphere that surfaces in the Ocean basins The North American Plate is a Tectonic plate covering most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia. Magma from the melting oceanic plate rose in plumes (plutons) deep underground, their combined mass forming what is called the Sierra Nevada batholith. The Sierra Nevada Batholith is a large Batholith which forms the core of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, USA, exposed at These plutons formed at various times, from 115 million to 87 million years ago. ^[9] By 65 million years ago, the proto-Sierra Nevada was worn down to a range of rolling low mountains, a few thousand feet high.

Image of the Sierra Nevada and Owens Valley from the International Space Station

By 20 million years ago, crustal extension associated with the Basin and Range Province caused extensive volcanism in the Sierra. Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in southeastern California in the United States. The Basin and Range Province is a large geologic province which includes parts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, typified by Basin and ^[10] About 4 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada started to form and tilt to the west. Rivers started cutting deep canyons on both sides of the range. The Earth's climate cooled, and ice ages started about 2. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets 5 million years ago. Glaciers carved out characteristic U-shaped canyons throughout the Sierra. The combination of river and glacier erosion exposed the uppermost portions of the plutons emplaced millions of years before, leaving only a remnant of metamorphic rock on top of some Sierra peaks.

Uplift of the Sierra Nevada continues today, especially along its eastern side. This uplift causes large earthquakes, such as the Lone Pine earthquake of 1872. The Great Lone Pine earthquake was one of the largest Earthquakes to hit California in recorded history

Ecology

Upper montane forest

Main article: Ecology of the Sierra Nevada

The Sierra Nevada is divided into a number of biotic zones^[9]

• The Pinyon pine-Juniper woodland, 5,000-7,000 ft (1,500-2,100 m) east side only
  • Notable species: Pinyon Jay, Desert Bighorn Sheep
• The lower montane forest, 3,000-7,000 ft (1,000-2,100 m) west side, 7,000-8,500 ft (2,100-2,600 m) east side
  • Notable species: Ponderosa pine and Jeffrey pine, California black oak, Incense-cedar, Giant Sequoia, Dark-eyed Junco, Mountain Chickadee, Western gray squirrel, Mule deer, American black bear
• The upper montane forest, 7,000-9,000 ft (2,100-2,700 m) west side, 8,500-10,500 ft (2,600-3,100 m) east side
  • Notable species: Lodgepole pine, Red Fir, Mountain Hemlock, Sierra Juniper, Hermit Thrush, Sage Grouse, Great Grey Owl, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Marten
• The subalpine forest, 9,000-10,500 ft (2,700-3,100 m) west side, 10,500-11,500 ft (3,100-3,500 m) east side
  • Notable species: Whitebark pine and Foxtail pine, Clark's Nutcracker
• The alpine region >10,500 ft (>3,100 m) west side, >11,500 ft (>3,500 m) east side
  • Notable species: Polemonium viscosum (Sky Pilot), Pika, Belding's ground squirrel, Yellow-Bellied Marmot, Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

History

History of exploration

The earliest identified inhabitants of the Sierra Nevada were the Paiute tribe on the east side and the Mono and Sierra Miwok tribe on the western side. See Sierra Nevada for general information about the mountain range in the United States. The Life Zone concept was developed by C Hart Merriam in 1889 as a means of describing areas with similar Plant and Animal communities The pinyon (or piñon) Pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. Junipers are Coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. The Pinyon Jay ( Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a Jay between the North American Blue Jay and the Eurasian Jay in size The Desert Bighorn Sheep ( Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the United States Ponderosa Pine ( Pinus ponderosa) sometimes called Bull Pine or Western Yellow Pine is a widespread and variable Pine native to western North Jeffrey Pine ( Pinus jeffreyi) named in honor of its documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American Pine related to Ponderosa Pine California Black Oak ( Quercus kelloggii) also known as simply Black Oak, or Kellogg Oak, is an Oak in the red oak section Calocedrus is a genus of two to three species of Coniferous Trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae; the common name is Incense-cedar Sequoiadendron giganteum ( Giant Sequoia, Sierra Redwood, or Wellingtonia) is the sole species in the genus Sequoiadendron The Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, is the best-known Species of the Juncos a genus of small greyish American sparrows This The Mountain Chickadee ( Poecile gambeli) is a small Songbird, a Passerine Bird in the tit family Paridae The Western Gray Squirrel ( Sciurus griseus) is an Arboreal Rodent found along the western coast of the United States and Canada The mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus) is a Deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. The American Black Bear ( Ursus americanus) is the most common Bear Species native to North America. Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta) is a common Tree in western North America. The Red Fir ( Abies magnifica) is a western North American Fir, native to the Mountains of southwest Oregon and California Tsuga mertensiana ( Mountain Hemlock) is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, with its northwestern limit on the Juniperus occidentalis ( Western Juniper and Sierra Juniper) is a Shrub or Tree native to the western United States The sage-grouse are the Species in the Bird Genus Centrocercus. The Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl ( Strix nebulosa) is a very large owl, distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. The Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus lateralis) is a type of Ground squirrel that lives in all types of forests across North America. For the Wiltshire village see Marten Wiltshire. For the town in Bulgaria see Marten Bulgaria. The Sierra Nevada subalpine zone refers to a biotic zone below treeline in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, United States The Whitebark Pine ( Pinus albicaulis; family Pinaceae) occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifically the The Foxtail Pine ( Pinus balfouriana) is a rare Pine that is endemic to California,in the United States, where it is found in The Clark's Nutcracker ( Nucifraga columbiana) is a large Passerine bird in the family Corvidae. In physical Geography, tundra is an area where the Tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons Polemonium viscosum (common names Sky Pilot, Skunkweed, Sticky Jacobs-ladder) is a Flowering plant in the genus Polemonium Pikas are small hamster-like animals with short limbs rounded ears and short tails The genus Spermophilus is the largest genus of ground squirrels and the one that contains the species that are most common and familiar in North America. The Yellow-bellied Marmot ( Marmota flaviventris) also known as the Rock Chuck, is a ground Squirrel in the Marmot genus Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep ( Ovis canadensis sierrae) is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep. The Valley and Sierra Miwok (also called the Plains and Sierra Miwok) were the largest group of Miwok Native American people Today, passes such as Duck Pass are littered with discarded obsidian arrowheads that date back to trade between tribes. Obsidian is a naturally occurring Glass formed as an extrusive Igneous rock. An arrowhead is point of an Arrow, or a shape resembling such a point as Archaeological artifacts arrowheads are a subclass of Projectile points There were also prehistorical territorial disputes between the Paiute and Sierra Miwok tribes^[11] European-American exploration of the mountain range started in the 1840s. In the winter of 1844, Lieutenant John C. Frémont, accompanied by Kit Carson, was the first white man to see Lake Tahoe. John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson ( December 24, 1809 &ndash May 23, 1868) was an American Frontiersman Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater Lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States.

Red Slate Mountain - Peter Pande trail (photo taken in 1963)

By 1860, even though the California Gold Rush populated the flanks of the Sierra Nevada, most of the Sierra remained unexplored. Red Slate Mountain is the highest peak in the Sherwin Range, which is part of the Sierra Nevada. The California Gold Rush (1848&ndash1855 began on January 24 1848 when Gold was discovered by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California ^[12][13] Therefore, the state legislature authorized the California Geological Survey to officially explore the Sierra (and survey the rest of the state). Although it was not until 1880 that the California State Mining Bureau predecessor to the California Geological Survey, was Josiah Whitney was appointed to head the survey. Josiah Dwight Whitney ( November 23, 1819 &ndash August 15, 1896) was an American geologist professor of Geology at Harvard

Men of the survey, including William H. Brewer, Charles F. Hoffmann, and Clarence King, explored the backcountry of what would become Yosemite National Park in 1863. William Henry Brewer ( September 14, 1828 -- November 2, 1910) was an American Botanist. For the Charles F Hoffman, United States Marine who received the Army and Navy Medal of Honor, see Ernest A Clarence King ( January 6, 1842 &ndash December 24, 1901) was an American geologist and Mountaineer. ^[12] In 1864, they explored the area around Kings Canyon. This article is about Kings Canyon National Park USA For Kings Canyon Australia see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory. King later recounted his adventures over the Kings-Kern divide in his book Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada. In 1871, King mistakenly thought that Mount Langley was the highest peak in the Sierra and climbed it. Mount Langley is located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on the border of Inyo and Tulare counties in eastern California in However, before he could climb the true highest peak (Mount Whitney), fishermen from Lone Pine climbed it and left a note. Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the Contiguous United States with an elevation of. Lone Pine is a Census-designated place (CDP in Inyo County, California, United States. ^[12]

Between 1892 and 1897, Theodore Solomons was the first explorer to attempt to map a route along the crest of the Sierra (what would eventually become the John Muir Trail, along a different route). Theodore Seixas Solomons (1870-1947 was an explorer and early member of the Sierra Club. The John Muir Trail ( JMT) is a Long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running from the Happy Isles trailhead ^[12] On his 1894 expedition, he took along Leigh Bierce, son of writer Ambrose Bierce. Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24 1842 &ndash 1914? was an American Editorialist Journalist, short-story writer and Satirist.

The Minarets, first climbed by Norman Clyde

Other noted early mountaineers included:^[12]

• John Muir
• Bolton Coit Brown
• Joseph N. LeConte
• James S. Hutchinson
• Norman Clyde
• Walter Starr, Sr. The Minarets are a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range, a sub-range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California. Norman Clyde ( April 8, 1885 – December 23, 1972) was a famous mountaineer, nature photographer, and self trained John Muir ( April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914) was a Scottish -born American Naturalist, author and early Joseph Nisbet LeConte (1870-1950 was a noted Explorer of the Sierra Nevada. James Sather Hutchinson (1867-1959 was a lawyer in San Francisco, California, United States. Norman Clyde ( April 8, 1885 – December 23, 1972) was a famous mountaineer, nature photographer, and self trained
• Walter A. Starr, Jr.

Features in the Sierra are named after these men. Walter A "Pete" Starr Jr (1903–1933 was an American lawyer and mountain climber

History of the name

In 1542 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, sighting the Santa Cruz Mountains while off the peninsula of San Francisco, gave them the name Sierra Nevada meaning "snowy range" in Spanish. Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo (ca 1499 &ndash January 3 1543 was a Portuguese explorer known as João Rodrigues Cabrilho in Portuguese noted for his exploration The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a Mountain range in central California, United States. As more specific names were given to California's coastal ranges, the name was used in a general way to designate less familiar ranges towards the interior. ^[14] In April of 1776 Padre Pedro Font on the second de Anza expedition, looking northeast across the Tulare Lake, described the mountains seen beyond:

Looking northeast we saw an immense plain without any trees, through which the water extends for a long distance, having in it several little islands of lowland. Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto (July 1736 - December 19, 1788) was a Novo-Spanish explorer for the Spanish Empire. Tulare Lake is an extinct fresh-water Lake that was formerly the largest in the Western United States. And finally, on the other side of the immense plain, and at a distance of about forty leagues, we saw a great Sierra Nevada whose trend appeared to me to be from south-southeast to north-northwest. ^[15]

Its most common nickname is the Range of Light. This nickname comes from John Muir. John Muir ( April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914) was a Scottish -born American Naturalist, author and early ^[16] This description is due in part to the unusually light colored granite exposed by glacial action.

Owens Valley and the Sierra Escarpment

Climate and meteorology

During the fall, winter, and spring, precipitation in the Sierra ranges from 20 to 80 in (500 to 2,030 mm) where it occurs mostly as snow above 6,000 ft (1,829 m). Rain on snow is common. Summers are dry with low humidity, however afternoon thunderstorms are not uncommon. Summer temperature averages 42 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (5. 5 to 15. 5 degrees Celsius). The growing season lasts 20 to 230 days, strongly dependent on elevation. ^[17]

A unique peculiarity of the Sierra Nevada is that, under certain wind conditions, a large round tube of air begins to roll on the southeast side. This is known as the "Sierra Nevada Rotor" or a "Sierra Wave"^[18]. The Sierra Wave is a type of Lenticular cloud created by winds that lift off the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range This "mountain wave" forms when dry continental winds from the east cause the formation of a stacked set of counter-revolving cylinders of air reaching into the stratosphere. In Meteorology, lee waves, are atmospheric Standing waves. The most common form is mountain waves, which are atmospheric internal Gravity As of 2004, no sailplane has found its top. Similar features occur on many mountain ranges, but it is often observed and utilized in the Sierra. The phenomenon was the subject of an Air Force-funded study in the early 1950s called the Sierra Wave Project. ^[19] All recent world altitude records set in unpowered aircraft were set in the Sierra Nevada Wave, most flown from Mojave Airport.

The Sierra Nevada casts the valleys east of the Sierra in a rain shadow, which makes Death Valley and Owens Valley "the land of little rain". For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series. Death Valley is the lowest driest and hottest Valley in the United States. Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in southeastern California in the United States. ^[20]

Protected Status

In much of the Sierra Nevada, development is restricted or highly regulated. A complex system of National Forests, National Parks, Wilderness Areas and Zoological Areas designates permitted land uses within the 400-mile (640 km) stretch of the Sierra. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation The US National Wilderness Preservation System protects federally managed land areas that are of a pristine condition These areas are jointly administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's Public lands totaling approximately The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation See List of Sierra Nevada topics for a list of protected areas. This is a list of Sierra Nevada topics, about the Sierra Nevada of California, USA.

See also

• List of Sierra Nevada topics, including lists of mountains, rivers, parks, wilderness areas, and other natural features. This is a list of Sierra Nevada topics, about the Sierra Nevada of California, USA.
• List of books about the Sierra Nevada for further reading
• Ecology of the Sierra Nevada
• List of Sierra Nevada wildfires

References

External links

• List of Sierra Peaks at climber.org
• The Mountains of California
• Geological Time Line for the Sierra Nevada, National Park Service
• Sierra Nevada info at SummitPost