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Sierra Nevada (US)

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	Topics Sierra Nevada (US) Topic Home The Sierra Nevada is a mountain rangeMountain range A mountain range is a group of mountains bordered by lowlands or separated from other mountain ranges by passes or rivers.... located in the U.S. stateU.S. state A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state which, along with the Dist... of CaliforniaCalifornia California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States.... . In a few places, it overlaps into neighboring NevadaNevada Nevada is a state located in the western United States, best known for its widespread legalization of gambling and gaming in... . 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 PassFredonyer Pass Fredonyer Pass is a mountain pass in Lassen County, California, USA, at an elevation of 5775 feet located at .... in the north to Tehachapi PassTehachapi Pass Tehachapi Pass is a mountain pass in southern California in the United States.... in the south. It is bounded on the west by CaliforniaCalifornia Overview California is a state spanning the southern half of the west coast of the contiguous United States.... 's Central ValleyCalifornia Central Valley The California Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U.S.... , and on the east by the Great BasinGreat Basin 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 SystemGeography of the United States Pacific Mountain System rses the northern part of the range in antecedent fashion.... physiographic division. 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 escarpmentEscarpment In geology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves an elevation diffe... . 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 OceanPacific Ocean Summary The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ... , while rivers draining east flow into the Great Basin and do not reach any ocean. However, water from several streams and the Owens RiverOwens River The Owens River is a river in eastern California in the United States, approximately 120 mi long.... is redirected to the city of Los AngelesLos Angeles, California Overview Los Angeles, known as "L.A." or the "City of Angels", is the largest city in the state of California and the sec... (see Los Angeles AqueductLos Angeles Aqueduct There are two Los Angeles Aqueducts, the First Los Angeles Aqueduct and the Second Los Angeles Aqueduct.... ). Thus, by artificial means, some east-flowing river water does make it to the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the world's largest body of water. ... . There are several notable geographical features in the Sierra Nevada: Lake TahoeLake Tahoe Lake Tahoe is a freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada, located where the borders of the U.S.... 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 lies between the main Sierra and the Carson RangeCarson Range nties and Cities* El Dorado County, California... , a spur of the Sierra. Hetch Hetchy ValleyHetch Hetchy Valley \|-\| \|}Hetch Hetchy Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in California.... , Yosemite ValleyYosemite Valley Summary Yosemite Valley is a world-famous scenic location in the Sierra Nevada of California.... , Kings CanyonKings Canyon National Park Kings Canyon National Park is a U.S.... , Tehipite Valley and Kern Canyon are the most well-known of many beautiful, glacially-scoured canyons on the west side of the Sierra. Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park Yosemite National Park is a national park largely in Mariposa County, and Tuolumne County, California, United States.... is filled with stunning features, such as waterfalls and granite domeGranite dome A granite dome is a dome of granite, formed by exfoliation. ... s. Mount WhitneyMount Whitney Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States at elevation 14,505 feet.... , at 14,505 feet (4,421 m), is the highest point in the contiguous United States. Mt. Whitney is on the eastern border of Sequoia National ParkSequoia National Park Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California in the United States of A... . Groves of Giant Sequoias Sequoiadendron giganteum occur along a narrow band of altitude on the western side of the Sierra Nevada. Giant Sequoias are the most massive trees in the world. 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 PeakFreel Peak Overview Freel Peak is a mountain located in the Carson Range near Lake Tahoe in California.... (10,881 feet, 3,316 m), including Mount RoseMount Rose (Washoe County, Nevada) Mount Rose is a mountain located in the Sierra Nevada east of the California-Nevada border.... (10,776 feet, 3,285 m), which overlooks RenoReno Reno may refer to:Places:Reno, Nevada... from the north end of the Carson RangeCarson Range nties and Cities El Dorado County, California... . The crest near Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park Yosemite National Park is a national park largely in Mariposa County, and Tuolumne County, California, United States.... is roughly 13,000 feet (4,000 m) high at Mount DanaFacts About Mount Dana Mount Dana is a mountain on the eastern edge of Yosemite National Park in the U.S.... and Mount Lyell, and the entire range attains its peak at Mount WhitneyMount Whitney Mount Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States at elevation 14,505 feet.... (14,505 feet, 4,421 m). South of Mount Whitney, the range diminishes in elevation, but there are still several high points like Florence PeakFlorence Peak (California) Florence Peak is a mountain located in Sequoia National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada in California.... (12,405 feet, 3,781 m) and Olancha PeakOlancha Peak Olancha Peak is a mountain located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.... (12,123 feet, 3,695 m). The range still climbs almost to 10,000 feet (3,048 m) near Lake IsabellaLake Isabella Lake Isabella is a man-made reservoir in Kern County, California.... , but south of the lake, the peaks reach only to a modest 8,000 feet (2,438 m). Geology See Geology of the Yosemite areaGeology of the Yosemite area The exposed geology of the Yosemite area includes primarily granitic rocks with some older metamorphic rock.... for a detailed article about the geology of the central Sierra Nevada. The well-known granite that makes up most of the southern Sierra started to form in the TriassicTriassic The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 251 to 200 Ma .... period. At that time, an island arc collided with the West coast of North AmericaNorth America North America is a continent in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost fully in the western hemisphere.... and raised a set of mountainMountain A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area.... s, in an event called the Nevadan orogenyNevadan orogeny The Nevadan Orogeny was a major mountain building event that took place along the western edge of ancient North America betw... . This event produced metamorphic rockFacts About Metamorphic rock Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called met... . At roughly the same time, a subduction zone started to form at the edge of the continent. This means that an oceanic plate started to dive beneath the North American plateNorth American Plate The North American Plate is a tectonic plate covering most of North America, extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge an... . Magma from the melting oceanic plate rose in plumes (plutons) deep underground, their combined mass forming what is called the Sierra Nevada batholithSierra Nevada Batholith Summary The Sierra Nevada Batholith is a large batholith in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, USA, and is a continuous granitic form... . These plutons formed at various times, from 115 million to 87 million years ago. By 65 million years ago, the proto-Sierra Nevada was worn down to a range of rolling low mountains, a few thousand feet high. By 20 million years ago, crustal extension associated with the Basin and Range Province caused extensive volcanism in the Sierra. 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 ageIce age Overview An ice age is a period of long-term downturn in the temperature of Earth's climate, resulting in an expansion of the contine... s started about 2.5 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 earthquake1872 Lone Pine earthquake The Great Lone Pine earthquake was one of the largest earthquakes to hit California in recorded history.... of 1872. Ecology The Sierra Nevada is divided into a number of biotic zonesLife zone The Life Zone concept was developed by C.... The Pinyon pinePinyon pine The pinyon pines, are a group of pines, which grow in the southwestern United States and Mexico; they yield edible pinyon... -JuniperJuniper Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus *Juniperus* of the cypress family Cupressaceae.... woodland, 5,000-7,000 ft (1,500-2,100 m) east side only Notable species: Pinyon JayPinyon Jay The Pinyon Jay is a jay between the North American Blue Jay and the Eurasian Jay in size.... , Desert Bighorn SheepDesert Bighorn Sheep The Desert Bighorn Sheep is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the United States.... 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 pineFacts About Ponderosa Pine Ponderosa Pine is a widespread and very variable pine native to western North America.... and Jeffrey pineJeffrey Pine Jeffrey Pine, named in honor of its discoverer John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.... , California black oakCalifornia Black Oak California Black Oak , also known as simply Black Oak, or Kellogg Oak, is an oak in the red oak section , native... , Incense-cedar, Giant Sequoia, Dark-eyed JuncoDark-eyed Junco The Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis, is the best-known species of junco, a genus of small American sparrows.... , Mountain ChickadeeFacts About Mountain Chickadee The Mountain Chickadee is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae.... , Western gray squirrelWestern Gray Squirrel The Western Gray Squirrel is a tree squirrel found along the western coast of the United States.... , Mule deerMule Deer Summary The Mule Deer is a deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America.... , American black bearFacts About American black bear The American black bear , also known as the cinnamon bear, is the most common bear species native to North America.... 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 pineLodgepole Pine Lodgepole Pine is a common tree in western North America.... , Red FirRed Fir The Red Fir is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States... , Mountain HemlockMountain Hemlock The Mountain Hemlock is a large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 20-40 m tall, exceptionally 59 m, and with a trunk diam... , Sierra JuniperJuniperus occidentalis *Juniperus occidentalis* is a shrub or tree native to the western United States, growing in mountains at altitudes of 800-... , Hermit ThrushHermit Thrush The Hermit Thrush is a medium-sized North American thrush.... , Sage GrouseSage Grouse The Greater Sage Grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus, is a large grouse.... , Great Grey OwlGreat Grey Owl The Great Grey Owl or Lapland Owl is a very large owl.... , Golden-mantled Ground SquirrelGolden-mantled Ground Squirrel Overview The Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel lives in all types of forests across North America.... , MartenMarten The Martens constitute the genus *Martes* within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.... The subalpine forestFacts About Sierra Nevada subalpine zone The Sierra Nevada subalpine zone refers to a biotic zone below treeline in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, U... , 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 pineWhitebark Pine The Whitebark Pine is a species of pine tree that occurs in the mountains of the Western United States and Canada, specifica... and Foxtail pineFoxtail Pine The Foxtail Pine is a rare pine that is endemic to California, USA, where it is found in two areas with a separate subspecie... , Clark's NutcrackerClark's Nutcracker Summary The Clark's Nutcracker, is a large passerine bird, in the family Corvidae.... The alpineTundra In physical geography, tundra is an area where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons.... region >10,500 ft (>3,100 m) west side, >11,500 ft (>3,500 m) east side Notable species: Polemonium viscosumPolemonium viscosum *Polemonium viscosum* is a flowering plant in the genus Polemonium native to western North America from southern Briti... (Sky Pilot), PikaPika The name pika is used for any member of the Ochotonidae, a family within the order of lagomorphs, which also includes... , Belding's ground squirrelSpermophilus The genus *Spermophilus* is the largest genus of ground squirrels and the one that contains the species that are most comm... , Yellow-Bellied MarmotYellow-bellied Marmot The Yellow-bellied Marmot, also known as the "Rock Chuck", is a ground squirrel in the marmot genus.... , Sierra Nevada Bighorn SheepSierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Summary Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep.... History History of the name In 1542 Juan Rodriguez CabrilloJuan Rodríguez Cabrillo Joo Rodrigues Cabrilho was a Portuguese explorer noted for his exploration of the west coast of North America while sailing ... , sighting the Santa Cruz MountainsFacts About Santa Cruz Mountains The Santa Cruz Mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are a mountain range in central California.... while off the peninsula of San Francisco, gave them the name Sierra Nevada meaning "snowy range" in SpanishSpanish language Spanish or Castilian is an Iberian Romance language.... . 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. In April of 1776 Padre Pedro Font on the second de AnzaJuan Bautista de Anza Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was a Novo-Spanish explorer for the Spanish Empire.... expedition, looking northeast across the Tulare LakeFacts About Tulare Lake Tulare Lake was a large shallow lake in the southern portion of the California Central Valley, about forty miles south of Fr... , 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. 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. Its most common nickname is the Range of Light. This nickname comes from John MuirJohn Muir Overview John Muir was one of the earliest modern preservationists.... . This description is due in part to the unusually light colored granite exposed by glacial action. Protected Status In much of the Sierra Nevada, development is restricted or highly regulated. A complex system of National ForestsUnited States Forest Service The USDA Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's national f... , National Parks, Wilderness Areas and Zoological Areas designates permitted land uses within the stretch of the Sierra. These areas are jointly administered by the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's ... , and the National Park ServiceNational Park Service The National Park Service is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and ... . See List of Sierra Nevada topicsList of Sierra Nevada topics This is a list of Sierra Nevada topics, about the Sierra Nevada of California, USA.... for a list of protected areas. See also List of Sierra Nevada topicsList of Sierra Nevada topics This is a list of Sierra Nevada topics, about the Sierra Nevada of California, USA.... , including lists of mountains, rivers, parks, wilderness areas, and other natural features. List of books about the Sierra Nevada for further reading Ecology of the Sierra Nevada List of Sierra Nevada wildfiresList of Sierra Nevada wildfires A list of Sierra Nevada wildfires includes notable wildfires in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, United State... External links