The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily in Nevada. The Sierra Nevada is part of the American Cordillera, an almost continuous chain of mountain ranges that forms the western "backbone" of the Americas.
Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). It is in East–Central California, on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles (136.2 km) west-northwest of North America's lowest point, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282 ft (86 m) below sea level. The mountain's west slope is in Sequoia National Park and the summit is the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail, which runs 211.9 mi (341.0 km) from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The eastern slopes are in Inyo National Forest in Inyo County.
Sky islands are isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. The term originally referred to those found on the Mexican Plateau, and has extended to similarly isolated high-elevation forests. The isolation has significant implications for these natural habitats. The American Southwest region began warming up between c. 20,000 and 10,000 years BP and atmospheric temperatures increased substantially, resulting in the formation of vast deserts that isolated the sky islands. Endemism, altitudinal migration, and relict populations are some of the natural phenomena to be found on sky islands.
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges that stretch 1,500 km (930 mi) from Southern California to the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula; they are part of the North American Coast Ranges, which run along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to Mexico. Elevations range from 150 to 3,300 m.
The ecology of California can be understood by dividing the state into a number of ecoregions, which contain distinct ecological communities of plants and animals in a contiguous region. The ecoregions of California can be grouped into four major groups: desert ecoregions, Mediterranean ecoregions, forested mountains, and coastal forests.
Mount Morgan is the highest point on Nevahbe Ridge in the Sherwin Range of the Sierra Nevada. It lies in Mono County, California, between McGee Canyon and Hilton Lakes. The mountain is in the John Muir Wilderness Area in the Inyo National Forest.
The ecology of the Sierra Nevada, located in the U.S. states of California and Nevada, is diverse and complex. The combination of climate, topography, moisture, and soils influences the distribution of ecological communities across an elevation gradient from 500 to 14,500 feet. Biotic zones range from scrub and chaparral communities at lower elevations, to subalpine forests and alpine meadows at the higher elevations. Particular ecoregions that follow elevation contours are often described as a series of belts that follow the length of the Sierra Nevada. There are many hiking trails, paved and unpaved roads, and vast public lands in the Sierra Nevada for exploring the many different biomes and ecosystems.
Junipero Serra Peak is the highest mountain in the Santa Lucia range of central California with a height of 1,785 metres. It is also the highest peak in Monterey County, and is located within the boundaries of Los Padres National Forest. It is named after Saint Junípero Serra, the Spanish Franciscan priest who founded the California Missions in the 18th century. There is a fire lookout, with a tower and building, near the peak that was constructed around 1935. An unauthorized skiing operation on the summit was reported sometime before 1970. Good astronomical observing conditions were an early attraction to the peak. Astronomers scratched a trail to the summit in January 1880 to observe a total eclipse of the sun. Observations from the peak were also made on the transit of Venus in 1882.
Abies concolor, the white fir, is a coniferous tree in the pine family Pinaceae. This tree is native to the mountains of western North America, including the Cascade Range and southern Rocky Mountains, and into the isolated mountain ranges of southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern Mexico. It naturally occurs at elevations between 900–3,400 metres (3,000–11,200 ft).
Mount Sill is one of the fourteeners of the Sierra Nevada in California. It is located in the Palisades, a group of prominent rock peaks with a few small glaciers on their flanks. Mount Sill is located 0.6 miles (1 km) east of North Palisade, the high point of the group. The two peaks are connected by a high, rocky ridge, on the north side of which lies the Palisade Glacier. Mount Sill lies on the main Sierra Crest, but is at a point where the crest turns sharply, giving it particularly striking summit views. On one side is Kings Canyon National Park and Fresno County; on the other is the John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest and Inyo County.
Mount Russell is a peak in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the U.S. state of California, about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) north of Mount Whitney. With an elevation of 14,094 feet (4,296 m) it is the seventh-highest peak in the state.
Koip Peak is a 12,968-foot-elevation summit in Mono County, California, in the United States. It is located in the Ansel Adams Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is approximately 0.25 miles (0.40 km) outside of Yosemite National Park's eastern boundary, and 1.0 mile (1.6 km) west of Parker Peak.
Mount Dade is a 13,606 feet (4,147 m) mountain located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on the boundary between Sierra National Forest and Inyo National Forest, and along the common border of Fresno County with Inyo County. It is one mile west of Dade Lake, and approximately 22 miles (35 km) west of the community of Bishop. Nearby neighbors include Mount Abbot, 0.4 mile to the northwest, and Bear Creek Spire 1.2 mile to the southeast. The USGS probably named this peak during a 1907–09 survey, and the first ascent was made August 19, 1911, by Liston and McKeen, of Fresno.
Red and White Mountain is a remote 12,816-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on the shared boundary of Sierra National Forest with Inyo National Forest, and along the common border of Fresno County with Mono County. It is eight miles northeast of Lake Thomas A Edison, and approximately 13 miles (21 km) southeast of the community of Mammoth Lakes. The nearest higher neighbor is Red Slate Mountain, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north-northwest.
Kearsarge Peak is a 12,620-foot (3,847 m) mountain located less than two miles east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County in northern California. It is situated immediately northwest of Onion Valley in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is also 8.5 miles (13.7 km) west of the community of Independence, and 2.1 miles (3.4 km) north-northwest of Independence Peak. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 5,250 feet above Onion Valley in two miles.
Goodale Mountain is a 12,772-foot-elevation (3,893-meter) mountain summit located one mile east of the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, in Inyo County of northern California. It is situated less than two miles southeast of Taboose Pass in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. It is also 16.5 miles (26.6 km) northwest of the community of Independence, and one mile northeast of Striped Mountain, the nearest higher neighbor. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 7,200 feet above Owens Valley in 3.5 miles. It ranks as the 218th highest peak in California.
Four Gables, elevation 12,776 feet (3,894 m), is a mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on the common boundary shared by Sierra National Forest with Inyo National Forest, and along the common border of Fresno County with Inyo County. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,800 feet above Horton Lake in approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km). Neighbors include Basin Mountain, two miles to the east-southeast, Mount Tom, three miles to the northeast, and Merriam Peak, four miles to the west. The nearest community is Bishop, California, 17 miles to the east.
Mount Izaak Walton is a 12,077-foot-elevation (3,681 meter) mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Fresno County of northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Sierra National Forest. Mount Izaak Walton ranks as the 404th-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the northwest aspect rises 1,800 feet above Izaak Walton Lake in approximately one mile. It is six miles northeast of Lake Thomas A Edison, and approximately 14 miles (23 km) south-southeast of the community of Mammoth Lakes. The peak is set on Silver Divide, so precipitation runoff from the north side of this mountain drains into Fish Creek which is a tributary of the San Joaquin River, and from the south slope to Mono Creek, also a tributary of the San Joaquin.
Mount Julius Caesar is a 13,213-foot-elevation mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. It is situated in the John Muir Wilderness on the boundary that Sierra National Forest shares with Inyo National Forest, and along the common border shared by Fresno County with Inyo County. It is one mile southwest of line parent Bear Creek Spire, and 22 miles (35 km) west of the community of Bishop. Italy Pass is one-half mile immediately south of the summit, and Granite Park lies to the southeast. Mount Julius Caesar ranks as the 106th-highest summit in California. Topographic relief is significant as the summit rises 2,000 feet above Lake Italy in 0.7 miles (1.1 km).
Herlihy Peak is an 11,758-foot-elevation (3,584 meter) mountain summit located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County of northern California, United States. It is situated approximately four miles south of the community of Mammoth Lakes, in the John Muir Wilderness, on land managed by Inyo National Forest. Herlihy Peak is positioned midway between landmarks Crystal Crag and Bloody Mountain. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 2,060 feet above Valentine Lake in approximately one mile, and the west aspect rises 1,844 feet above Skelton Lake in 0.8 mile. Precipitation runoff from the peak drains to Mammoth Creek.
