Fairbanks.] Geology of Point Sal. 3 



TOPOGRAPHY. 



The line of hills terminating in Point Sal is bordered on the 

 north by the broad valley of the Santa Maria River, and on the 

 south by the Jesus Maria River and the Los Alamos Valley. It ex- 

 tends southeasterly as a low swell of land, finally joining with the 

 San Rafael Mountains in the central part of Santa Barbara County. 



That portion of the ridge distinctly belonging to Point Sal is 

 cut off by a low pass, called Shuman Canon, about ten miles from 

 its northwestern extremity. On the southern side of the pass heads 

 the Casmalia, a small stream which flows west into the ocean. 



Viewed from the north, in the Santa Maria Valley, the ridge ter- 

 minating in Point Sal appears as a long, even elevation. Upon 

 closer examination a canon of considerable length is seen to head 

 on the northern slope. It forms the dividing line between two 

 strongly marked topographies. On the northwest, extending to the 

 ocean cliffs, and to the summit of the ridge, is a gently undulating 

 slope rising gradually from the valley of the Santa Maria. On the 

 southeast, the higher and more deeply eroded hills rise very abruptly 

 from the valley. Viewed from the southern side, a much more 

 complicated topography appears. The western extremity of the 

 ridge, terminating in Point Sal proper, in marked contrast to the 

 gradual rise of its northern slope, descends very precipitously to the 

 ocean from an altitude of 1 ,000 feet. The average slope from the 

 summit to the ocean is 25 degrees, reaching in some places nearly 

 35 degrees. From the Old Landing southeasterly the slope becomes 

 more gradual. The main portion of the ridge, southeast of the 

 point where the road crosses it, is remarkably even and regular. 

 The main elevation is seen to be divided into a number of parallel 

 ridges, separated more or less by longitudinal valleys. Toward the 

 southwest the main ridge presents a regular front, circling somewhat 

 amphitheater-like, in which head a number of streams flowing in a 

 uniformly southwest direction. The great regularity of the summit 

 of this portion of the ridge, which reaches an elevation of 1,500 

 feet, and the amphitheater-like basin on the southwest, are most 

 striking features in the topography. The regularity is due in part 

 at least to the fact that the strata on the summit are nearly flat, and 



