﻿GEOGRAPHY 
  AND 
  TOPOGRAPHY. 
  19 
  

  

  and 
  opposed 
  by 
  the 
  east- 
  west 
  structure 
  of 
  the 
  Santa 
  Ynez 
  Range, 
  

   and 
  the 
  result 
  is 
  this 
  convergence 
  of 
  ranges 
  with 
  the 
  consequent 
  

   formation 
  of 
  a 
  high, 
  structurally 
  complex 
  region. 
  The 
  Lompoc 
  

   quadrangle 
  is 
  on 
  the 
  western 
  outskirts 
  of 
  this 
  region, 
  and 
  the 
  lines 
  

   of 
  relief 
  corresponding 
  to 
  the 
  two 
  lines 
  of 
  structure 
  are 
  here 
  begin- 
  

   ning 
  to 
  diverge 
  and 
  show 
  their 
  individuality 
  in 
  the 
  two 
  bounding 
  

   ranges. 
  

  

  SANTA 
  MARIA 
  VALLEY. 
  

  

  Santa 
  Maria 
  River, 
  which 
  takes 
  its 
  rise 
  in 
  two 
  profound 
  valleys 
  

   within 
  the 
  San 
  Rafael 
  Range, 
  flows 
  along 
  the 
  foot 
  of 
  this 
  range 
  at 
  

   the 
  north 
  edge 
  of 
  the 
  Santa 
  Maria 
  Valley. 
  This 
  valley 
  is 
  a 
  wide 
  

   flood 
  plain 
  with 
  an 
  even 
  cultivated 
  floor, 
  surrounded 
  by 
  low 
  terraces 
  

   that 
  fringe 
  the 
  base 
  of 
  the 
  mountains 
  on 
  the 
  northeast 
  and 
  rise 
  into 
  

   the 
  Solomon 
  Hills 
  on 
  the 
  south. 
  It 
  opens 
  out 
  to 
  the 
  sea 
  and 
  forms 
  

   the 
  southern 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  low 
  region 
  lying 
  between 
  Pismo 
  Beach 
  in 
  

   San 
  Luis 
  Obispo 
  County 
  and 
  the 
  Casmalia 
  Hills. 
  

  

  . 
  CASMALIA 
  HILLS. 
  

  

  The 
  most 
  prominent 
  feature 
  of 
  the 
  landscape 
  south 
  of 
  the 
  Santa 
  

   Maria 
  Valley 
  is. 
  a 
  long 
  ridge 
  with 
  a 
  level 
  sky 
  line 
  running 
  northwest- 
  

   ward 
  out 
  to 
  the 
  ocean 
  at 
  Point 
  Sal. 
  This 
  is 
  the 
  high 
  ridge 
  of 
  the 
  Cas- 
  

   malia 
  Hills, 
  which 
  rises 
  abruptly 
  from 
  the 
  Santa 
  Maria 
  Valley. 
  Its 
  

   highest 
  point 
  is 
  Mount 
  Lospe, 
  1,624 
  feet 
  above 
  the 
  sea. 
  The 
  slope 
  

   up 
  to 
  this 
  ridge 
  from 
  the 
  valley 
  on 
  the 
  northeast 
  is 
  steep, 
  but 
  on 
  the 
  

   north 
  the 
  rise 
  is 
  more 
  gradual 
  over 
  wide 
  slopes 
  of 
  dune 
  sand. 
  On 
  

   the 
  southeast 
  the 
  ridge 
  declines 
  as 
  it 
  approaches 
  Schumann 
  Pass 
  

   the 
  low 
  divide 
  over 
  which 
  the 
  railroad 
  crosses 
  from 
  the 
  Santa 
  Maria 
  

   Valley 
  to 
  Schumann 
  Canyon; 
  on 
  the 
  south 
  it 
  forks 
  into 
  successive 
  

   ridges 
  which 
  slope 
  gradually 
  into 
  terraced 
  hilltops 
  bordering 
  Schu- 
  

   mann 
  Canyon; 
  on 
  the 
  west 
  it 
  drops 
  off 
  abruptly 
  into 
  steep, 
  rocky 
  

   declivities 
  that 
  fringe 
  the 
  sea 
  in 
  the 
  neighborhood 
  of 
  Point 
  Sal. 
  The 
  

   ridges 
  continue 
  southeastward 
  opposite 
  Schumann 
  Pass 
  as 
  far 
  as 
  

   Graciosa 
  Canyon, 
  where 
  they 
  sink 
  under 
  more 
  recent 
  sand 
  formations 
  

   and 
  lose 
  their 
  character. 
  South 
  of 
  Schumann 
  Canyon 
  the 
  terraced 
  

   slope 
  continues 
  in 
  the 
  San 
  Antonio 
  terrace 
  as 
  a 
  wide 
  plateau 
  locally 
  

   intersected 
  by 
  sharply 
  defined 
  U-shaped 
  canyons. 
  The 
  Casmalia 
  

   Hills, 
  particularly 
  that 
  portion 
  north 
  of 
  Schumann 
  Canyon, 
  have 
  a 
  

   distinct 
  individuality 
  among 
  the 
  topographic 
  features 
  of 
  the 
  basin 
  

   region, 
  and 
  may 
  be 
  regarded 
  as 
  a 
  separate 
  although 
  small 
  range 
  

   allied 
  in 
  age 
  and 
  character 
  with 
  the 
  bounding 
  ranges. 
  It 
  is 
  conform- 
  

   able 
  in 
  trend 
  with 
  the 
  San 
  Rafael 
  Mountains 
  and 
  forms 
  a 
  prominent 
  

   headland 
  jutting 
  out 
  to 
  sea. 
  

  

  Most 
  of 
  the 
  ridges 
  in 
  these 
  hills 
  follow 
  the 
  strike 
  of 
  the 
  beds. 
  

   Their 
  summits 
  are 
  characteristically 
  of 
  gentle 
  incline; 
  the 
  side 
  slopes 
  

  

  