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Sierra Madre (California)

The Sierra Madre (Spanish for "mother range") is a mountain range in southwestern California. It forms the southernmost part of the California Coast Ranges and lies mostly in Santa Barbara County, with a small portion extending into Ventura County. The Sierra Madre has a northwest-to-southeast orientation, bordered on the north and northeast by the Cuyama River and Cuyama Valley, and on the south and east by the drainage of the Sisquoc River.[3]

Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre as seen from across the Cuyama Valley
Highest point
PeakPeak Mountain[1]
Elevation1,781 m (5,843 ft)
Coordinates34°54′7.53″N 119°51′31.45″W / 34.9020917°N 119.8587361°W / 34.9020917; -119.8587361
Geography
location of Sierra Madre in California[2]
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
DistrictSanta Barbara County
Range coordinates34°54′7.927″N 119°51′31.495″W / 34.90220194°N 119.85874861°W / 34.90220194; -119.85874861
Topo mapUSGS Peak Mountain
Geology
Type of rockCalifornia Coast Ranges

Before the middle of the twentieth century, the term "Sierra Madre" referred to the portion of the Transverse Ranges north of the Los Angeles Basin, now known as the San Gabriel Mountains.[4] In 1965, the United States Board of Geographic Names assigned the name Sierra Madre to the range in Santa Barbara County.[3]

Geography edit

The Sierra Madre range trends from northwest to southeast, and is approximately 25 mi (40 km) long. High peaks in the range include MacPherson Peak at 5,747 feet (1,752 m) in elevation, and the highest point in the range, Peak Mountain at 5,843 feet (1,781 m) in elevation.[2] Snow falls on the higher elevations during the winter months.[5]

 
Las Coches Mountain in the Sierra Madre, from SR 166.

The range forms the southwestern side of the Cuyama Valley. The La Panza Range is a northern extension of the Sierra Madre, located in eastern San Luis Obispo County.

The Sierra Madre is almost entirely within the Los Padres National Forest, and marks the northern boundary of the San Rafael Wilderness area. The southeastern extent of the range is about 25 mi (40 km) north of the city of Santa Barbara, and the northwestern extent of the range is about 50 mi (80 km) north by northwest of the city.

To the southeast, the range merges with the San Rafael Mountains of the Transverse Ranges System, in a complex topography of unnamed ranges. The adjacent highest point of the San Rafael Mountains, and in all Santa Barbara County, is Big Pine Mountain (6,820 ft (2,079 m)).

Natural history edit

The Sierra Madre lies in the region historically inhabited by the Chumash people, who used sites in the mountains for sacred ceremonies and rites.[6] Numerous petroglyphs can still be found in the area, including the Painted Rock Site, identified as S'ap'aski or House of the Sun in Chumash tradition.[5]

The predominant vegetation type on the mountains is chaparral shrubland, with oak woodlands that occur in microclimates, both of the California interior chaparral and woodlands sub-ecoregion. The higher elevations support California mixed evergreen forest and small areas of coniferous forest habitats.[7]

The mountains are one of the most important undeveloped habitat areas of the endangered California condor.

Geologically, the mountains are mostly sedimentary rock of Tertiary age, with some marine and non-marine sedimentary rocks of Eocene and Upper Cretaceous age. There is a large proportion of sandstone, and one region in the eastern portion of the range is made up of Neogene sediments.[8]

The mountain range is almost entirely uninhabited, except for portions of the lower slopes to the north, which have been developed for oil and gas production at the South Cuyama Oil Field. One difficult, single-lane dirt road follows the mountain crest; it often is closed after storms, and is normally only passable by four-wheel-drive vehicles or motorcycles.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Peak Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  2. ^ a b "Sierra Madre". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  3. ^ a b Cliff, Edward P. (Chairman) (1965). Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States. United States Board of Geographic Names. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of the Interior. p. 15.
  4. ^ Fairbanks, Harold W. (1901). The Physiography of California. Winona, MN: Jones & Kroeger Printers. p. 25.
  5. ^ a b Lee G, Horne S (1978). "The Painted Rock Site (SBa-502 and SBa-526): Sapaski, the House of the Sun" (PDF). Journal of California Anthropology. 5: 216–224.
  6. ^ a b "Dan McCaslin: The Glories of Sierra Madre Ridge and the Cuyama". Noozhawk. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  7. ^ "California Vegetation - WHR13 Types". CNRA GIS Open Data. California National Resources Agency. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  8. ^ Frederiksen, Norman O. (1985). "Map showing thermal-alteration indices in roadless areas and the Santa Lucia Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest, southwestern California" (PDF) (Map). U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

External links edit

  • Ventura County Biogeography

sierra, madre, california, this, article, about, mountain, range, california, city, angeles, county, sierra, madre, california, sierra, madre, spanish, mother, range, mountain, range, southwestern, california, forms, southernmost, part, california, coast, rang. This article is about mountain range in California For city in Los Angeles County see Sierra Madre California The Sierra Madre Spanish for mother range is a mountain range in southwestern California It forms the southernmost part of the California Coast Ranges and lies mostly in Santa Barbara County with a small portion extending into Ventura County The Sierra Madre has a northwest to southeast orientation bordered on the north and northeast by the Cuyama River and Cuyama Valley and on the south and east by the drainage of the Sisquoc River 3 Sierra MadreSierra Madre as seen from across the Cuyama ValleyHighest pointPeakPeak Mountain 1 Elevation1 781 m 5 843 ft Coordinates34 54 7 53 N 119 51 31 45 W 34 9020917 N 119 8587361 W 34 9020917 119 8587361Geographylocation of Sierra Madre in California 2 CountryUnited StatesStateCaliforniaDistrictSanta Barbara CountyRange coordinates34 54 7 927 N 119 51 31 495 W 34 90220194 N 119 85874861 W 34 90220194 119 85874861Topo mapUSGS Peak MountainGeologyType of rockCalifornia Coast RangesBefore the middle of the twentieth century the term Sierra Madre referred to the portion of the Transverse Ranges north of the Los Angeles Basin now known as the San Gabriel Mountains 4 In 1965 the United States Board of Geographic Names assigned the name Sierra Madre to the range in Santa Barbara County 3 Contents 1 Geography 2 Natural history 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksGeography editThe Sierra Madre range trends from northwest to southeast and is approximately 25 mi 40 km long High peaks in the range include MacPherson Peak at 5 747 feet 1 752 m in elevation and the highest point in the range Peak Mountain at 5 843 feet 1 781 m in elevation 2 Snow falls on the higher elevations during the winter months 5 nbsp Las Coches Mountain in the Sierra Madre from SR 166 The range forms the southwestern side of the Cuyama Valley The La Panza Range is a northern extension of the Sierra Madre located in eastern San Luis Obispo County The Sierra Madre is almost entirely within the Los Padres National Forest and marks the northern boundary of the San Rafael Wilderness area The southeastern extent of the range is about 25 mi 40 km north of the city of Santa Barbara and the northwestern extent of the range is about 50 mi 80 km north by northwest of the city To the southeast the range merges with the San Rafael Mountains of the Transverse Ranges System in a complex topography of unnamed ranges The adjacent highest point of the San Rafael Mountains and in all Santa Barbara County is Big Pine Mountain 6 820 ft 2 079 m Natural history editThe Sierra Madre lies in the region historically inhabited by the Chumash people who used sites in the mountains for sacred ceremonies and rites 6 Numerous petroglyphs can still be found in the area including the Painted Rock Site identified as S ap aski or House of the Sun in Chumash tradition 5 The predominant vegetation type on the mountains is chaparral shrubland with oak woodlands that occur in microclimates both of the California interior chaparral and woodlands sub ecoregion The higher elevations support California mixed evergreen forest and small areas of coniferous forest habitats 7 The mountains are one of the most important undeveloped habitat areas of the endangered California condor Geologically the mountains are mostly sedimentary rock of Tertiary age with some marine and non marine sedimentary rocks of Eocene and Upper Cretaceous age There is a large proportion of sandstone and one region in the eastern portion of the range is made up of Neogene sediments 8 The mountain range is almost entirely uninhabited except for portions of the lower slopes to the north which have been developed for oil and gas production at the South Cuyama Oil Field One difficult single lane dirt road follows the mountain crest it often is closed after storms and is normally only passable by four wheel drive vehicles or motorcycles 6 See also editCalifornia chaparral and woodlands ecoregion Flora of the California chaparral and woodlandsReferences edit Peak Mountain Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved 2023 10 31 a b Sierra Madre Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior Retrieved 2023 10 31 a b Cliff Edward P Chairman 1965 Decisions on Geographic Names in the United States United States Board of Geographic Names Washington D C United States Department of the Interior p 15 Fairbanks Harold W 1901 The Physiography of California Winona MN Jones amp Kroeger Printers p 25 a b Lee G Horne S 1978 The Painted Rock Site SBa 502 and SBa 526 Sapaski the House of the Sun PDF Journal of California Anthropology 5 216 224 a b Dan McCaslin The Glories of Sierra Madre Ridge and the Cuyama Noozhawk Retrieved 20 July 2023 California Vegetation WHR13 Types CNRA GIS Open Data California National Resources Agency Retrieved 15 July 2023 Frederiksen Norman O 1985 Map showing thermal alteration indices in roadless areas and the Santa Lucia Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest southwestern California PDF Map U S Geological Survey Retrieved 2 July 2023 External links editVentura County Biogeography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sierra Madre California amp oldid 1182863021, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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