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| Sierra Club photo, The Davis Enterprise |
In winter, whenever we traveled back from the Sierras after skiing, we'd look for the sun setting in the Berryessa Gap, and then we'd look to the north, where Snow Mountain stood out like a sentinel, dusted with snow in an otherwise indistinct long, dark ridge of coastal mountains.
I always longed to visit Snow Mountain, but we never did. Whenever we were headed east to the Sierras from the Bay Area, it was too far out of the way. Returning home, we were too tired from skiing. When we traveled north on Highway 99 (what later became I-5,) in summer, I'd look longingly at the peaks, but farther, more exotic, mountain ranges beckoned. Again, Snow Mountain was too far off the beaten path to be a convenient side trip.
That is not to say we didn't visit many of the dirt roads of the North Coast, driving from Ukiah to WIlber Hot Springs, or Orr's Springs, on isolated forest roads to the coast. (I was sure we were going to die up there one time when we got lost on one long east-west ridge).
Or a hair-raising detour to Humboldt County's Lost Coast, when it truly was lost. And a memorable drive to the southern lip of the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County. But we never made it to Snow Mountain. On my bucket list.
Or a hair-raising detour to Humboldt County's Lost Coast, when it truly was lost. And a memorable drive to the southern lip of the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County. But we never made it to Snow Mountain. On my bucket list.
At 7,056 feet, the east peak of Snow Mountain, one of the highest mountains in the Northern California coastal range, supports an astounding array of biodiversity.
Surrounded by deep canyons and a steep elevation gain, several ecological biomes are compressed, resulting in biological sky-islands. Added to that, the geology, with serpentine, greenstone and basalt, as well as an array of sedimentary rocks, creates unique and diverse biomes.
More than 500 species of plants including mountain mahogany, rare Sonoma manzanita, pygmy stands of Sargent's cypress and serpentine willow, as well as 122 species of wildlife, including Tule elk, threatened species, Western pond turtle, and endangered sooty grouse, not to mention nearly half of California’s 108 species of damsel- and "kamakazi" dragon-flies, call Snow Mountain Wilderness area home.
In spring, a dazzling display of wildflowers that rivals that of Lancaster's Antelope Valley's poppy preserve, paint the slopes in impressionist splashes of golden, and lupine hues.
Surrounded by deep canyons and a steep elevation gain, several ecological biomes are compressed, resulting in biological sky-islands. Added to that, the geology, with serpentine, greenstone and basalt, as well as an array of sedimentary rocks, creates unique and diverse biomes.
More than 500 species of plants including mountain mahogany, rare Sonoma manzanita, pygmy stands of Sargent's cypress and serpentine willow, as well as 122 species of wildlife, including Tule elk, threatened species, Western pond turtle, and endangered sooty grouse, not to mention nearly half of California’s 108 species of damsel- and "kamakazi" dragon-flies, call Snow Mountain Wilderness area home.
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| BLM photo (dead link, thanks #45.) |
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| Tuleyome Conservation Group photo, The Davis Enterprise |
Part of the North Coastal Mountain range, the twin summits of Snow Mountain are the result of an ancient upthrust seamount. Sort of like my favorite volcanic plug, Morro Rock, and her 12 (not 7, or 9) Oligocene epoch sisters (23-28 million years old). Both were volcanos born from tectonic faults, but it seems that Snow Mountain was a slightly younger undersea volcano from the Miocene epoch.
Snow Mountain is an interesting melange, both genetically, and geologically speaking, with serpentine; greenstone, basalt and pillow lava—submarine volcanic rocks that commuted from far west of California, courtesy of tectonic uplift, as well as a full compliment of sedimentary rocks from the North American plate. Some, laid down during the Miocene epoch, when the Central Valley was an inland sea.
Snow Mountain is an interesting melange, both genetically, and geologically speaking, with serpentine; greenstone, basalt and pillow lava—submarine volcanic rocks that commuted from far west of California, courtesy of tectonic uplift, as well as a full compliment of sedimentary rocks from the North American plate. Some, laid down during the Miocene epoch, when the Central Valley was an inland sea.
The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument —of which the Snow Mountain Wilderness is a part of, includes portions of seven counties; Glenn, Lake, Colusa, Mendocino, Yolo, Napa, and Solano counties.
The Snow Mountain Wilderness, itself, is comprised of parts of Glenn, Colusa and Lake counties. Both Lake and Colusa counties share the remote summits of Snow Mountain. The highest point, the east peak (7,056 ft.) is ithe highest point in Lake County, and the west peak (7,040 ft.) is the highest point in Colusa County. One of the largest swaths of undeveloped public lands in the middle of all this urban density, Berryessa Snow Mountain is truly California’s undiscovered country.
The Snow Mountain Wilderness, itself, is comprised of parts of Glenn, Colusa and Lake counties. Both Lake and Colusa counties share the remote summits of Snow Mountain. The highest point, the east peak (7,056 ft.) is ithe highest point in Lake County, and the west peak (7,040 ft.) is the highest point in Colusa County. One of the largest swaths of undeveloped public lands in the middle of all this urban density, Berryessa Snow Mountain is truly California’s undiscovered country.
Now that it's our newest (and largest) national monument, there's no excuse not to visit Snow Mountain. Along with Pinnacles National Monument (the closest I've been to The Pinnacles is Cholame, where James Dean died, and yes, that was on my bucket list). Both are located in our proverbial greater back yard. Time to dust off that bucket list.
