Guidebook of the Western United States 



PART D. THE SHASTA ROUTE AND COAST LINE. 



By J. S. DiLLER and others. 



INTRODUCTION. 



From lUaska to Lower California the Avestem coast of North Amer- 

 ica is bordered by a belt of momitaius wliieh is from 100 to 200 miles 

 wide. This belt as a whole has been named the Pacific System, It 

 separates the Pacific Ocean on the west from an hiteriur plateau 

 region, which also stretches from iVlaska to Mexico. This plateau is 

 of varied character but, as is wi^ll illustrated by the State of Nevada, 

 much of it is arid and is seamed with mountain ranges- 

 Attention need be directed here only to that part of the Pacific 

 System which lies cliiefly in the States of Washington, Oregon, and 

 California, a section 1,300 miles in length. (See PL I.) "Withhi 

 these three States the Pacific System embraces a number of distinct 

 mountain ranges from wliich project some of the loftiest peaks on the 

 continent. It includes also broad valleys that are in part close to 

 sea level. Consequently it is a region of strong contrasts in altitude 

 and of wide diversity of scenery and climate. Before the snow dis- 

 appears each summer from the crest of the Sierra Nevada the burning 

 sun in the interior valley of California has yellowed the grain and has 

 tinted the fruit in orchard and vineyard. Throughout the year the 

 snow cap of Mount Rainier is in full sight from the fertile vaUeys of 

 Washington, where winter severit}' is unknown. 



For its entire extent, from Alaska to Lower California, the Pacific 

 System may in general be divided lengthwise into tloree parts — two 

 long lines of mountain ranges and an intervening belt of valloA's that 

 may be called the Pacific vaUey belt. The northernmost member of 

 this belt that need be considered here is the valley of Puget Sound. 

 A low divide separates the sound from Cowlitz Valley, the next mem- 

 ber of the belt to the south. Cowlitz Valley drains southward to the 

 Columbia and is succeeded on the south by Willamette (wil-lam'et) 

 Valley, whose waters flow northward into the Columbia, Willamette 

 VaUey extends southward for about 120 miles, or about halfway 

 across the State of Oregon. Between its head and the north end 

 of the Great Vallej^ of California, the next member of the Pacific 



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