28 THE AURIFEROUS GRAVELS OF THE SIERRA NEVADA. 
The advantage of elevation is slightly in favor of the Sierra, at least so far 
as the height of the highest point is concerned. Yet it is quite remarkable 
that so large a number of the most prominent peaks of both systems should 
range in elevation between 14,000 and 14,500 feet,* only one, throughout 
the whole system of the Cordilleras, exceeding the last-mentioned number. 
In the Wind River group of the Rocky Mountains are some fine precipitous 
peaks; but usually the higher points are more or less rounded, and far in- 
ferior to the astonishingly pinnacled region of the Southern High Sierra. 
Neither are the cafons of the ranges making up the eastern side of the Cor- 
dilleras as grand as those of the Sierra; and, especially, is there nothing to 
compare with the Yosemite and the Hetch-Hetchy, with their magnificent 
waterfalls and almost, or even quite, perpendicular cliffs. Indeed, the type 
of the scenery represented by the Yosemite is unique in character; and it is 
no wonder that it has already become far better known and ranked higher 
than any other scenic feature of our country, unless it be Niagara Falls. — 
The forests of the Sierra greatly exceed in majesty and variety those of the 
Rocky Mountains, where the trees are monotonous in character, and defective 
in size and beauty; these deficiencies are, however, in part made up by the 
great charm of the floral vegetation, which blooms almost up to the very 
sumiits of the highest peaks. 
But it is especially with the geology of the Sierra Nevada that we have 
to do in this section, the object of which is to present such a general view 
of the structure of that range, as it will be necessary for the reader to 
have in order to understand the following chapters, which will be devoted 
to a more detailed account of a certain portion of the formations, namely, 
* The only point in the Cordilleras which has an elevation greater than 14,500 feet — so far as yet 
known — is the culminating peak of the Sierra Nevada, Mount Whitney. The elevation of this, however, 
has not been determined otherwise than by the aid of the barometer ; and, of course, the various measure- 
ments are liable to an error of a more or less uncertain amount. Three ascents have been made of Mount 
Whitney by members of the State Geological Corps, and the observations in each case give for the moun- 
tain a height exceeding 14,650 feet, even after applying to them the corrections taken from the tables 
published by the Survey (see “Contributions to Barometric Hypsometry, with Tables for use in Cali- 
fornia”). The data on which the tables in question are based do not, it is true, strictly apply to elevations 
of over 7,000 feet, that being the height of the highest station at which observations were made with a 
view to the fixing of the correction in question, which towards the middle of the day in summer is 
always subtractive. It is more likely that this correction is proportionally less for higher elevations, 
than that it is more. Hence we conclude, that it is highly improbable that Mount Whitney should be 
less than 14,650 feet high. Of twenty-two of the highest peaks measured in the Cordillerzs,—so far as 
yet ascertained, — two range between 14,000 and 14,100; four between 14,100 and 14,200; four between 
14,200 and 14,300; eight between 14,300 and 14,400; and three between 14,400 and 14,500 feet. 
