HANDBOOK TOR CAMPERS. O 



imposing in all the world. Here the trees reach a height of 

 more than 300 feet and a diameter of 20 feet, and stand so 

 close that only ferns and other shade-enduring plants can grow 

 beneth them. Between these two extremes are all the grada- 

 tions that make the forests of California so interesting and 

 valuable. Since the character of the forest in a particular 

 region is an index of the camping conditions to be found there, 

 the prospective camper should know where the different kinds 

 of forests are located in order to make intelligent selection of 

 a camping place. 



In California the forests as a general thing are confined to the 

 mountains and usually to the middle or higher elevations. 

 Along the north coast the redwood forests occur at low altitudes, 

 but throughout the rest of the State the climatic conditions 

 necessary for the native species are found only in the uplands, 

 and the character of the forest changes according to the 

 elevation. 



The principal mountain chains are the Coast Range, which 

 roughly parallels the shore line throughout the length of the 

 State, and the Sierra Nevada Range, which extends two-thirds 

 of the length of the State from the Oregon line southward to the 

 Tehachapi. Between these ranges lies the great central valley, 

 the northern end of which is drained by the Sacramento River 

 and the southern by the San .Joaquin. East and south of the 

 Sierras are the depressions known as the Mojave and Colorado 

 Deserts, portions of which are below sea level. 



The highest and lowest points in the United States are in 

 California. The bed of Salton Sea lies 287 feet below sea level, 

 while the summit of Mount AVhitney, in the Sequoia Forest, 

 rises from the crest of the Sierras to a height of 14,502 feet. 



The rain and snow fall occur for the .most part during the 

 winter months. From June to September occasional thunder- 

 storms occur in the mountains, but they are of short duration ; 

 and it is possible to camp in comfort with only the crudest 

 shelter. 



