164 Adventures in Scenery 



province of sagebrush plains intersected by high mountain 

 ranges. Upon this plain waters that descend the steep eastern 

 slope of the Sierra range disappear by evaporation in the desert. 

 Most of the streams terminate in saline lakes, there being no 

 outlet to the sea. The elevation of the Great Basin is from 3,000 

 to 6,000 feet above sea level. The lowest parts of the Great 

 Valley of California to the west are practically at sea level. 

 The great Sierra Nevada range is thus seen to be a vast mountain 

 barrier separating lower lands on either side. The eastern slope 

 is short, very abrupt, steep and rugged. The western slope is 

 comparatively broad, nearly 10 times the width of the eastern 

 slope. 



Sierra Range a Weather Maker 



The Sierra Nevada Range is the weather-maker for the 

 western portion of the United States. Moisture-laden winds 

 from the Pacific Ocean rise over the Coast Ranges and passing 

 over the Great Valley give up their moisture as they pass up- 

 ward through the colder zones of the Sierra Range. The basin 

 of the Great Valley is semi-arid. On the foothills of the Sierra 

 grow thin grass, brushy chaparral, scattered live oaks, and 

 digger pines. Less than half way up the western slope, at alti- 

 tudes around 4,000 feet, is the great forest belt. Here are 

 stately forests of yellow pine, sugar pine, incense cedar, Douglas 

 fir, and white fir. In this zone are scattered groves of giant 

 sequoias or big trees. Farther up the slope, above 6,000 to 7,000 

 feet, occur lodgepole pine, Jeffrey pine, and red fir. At about 

 9,000 feet silver pine and mountain hemlock make their appear- 

 ance. This is the "timber-line," where only the hardiest spe- 

 cies of trees can survive. At 10,000 to 11,000 feet the white 

 bark pine occurs in curious twisted and recumbent forms. 

 Above the timber-line, from altitudes of 11,000 feet and up- 

 ward, the mountain sides and peaks are essentially bare of vege- 

 tation. Such precipitation as there is is mostly in the form of 

 snow. Snow drifts remain until midsummer, and small gla- 

 ciers linger in steep-walled recesses among the higher peaks. 



