CHAPTER XL 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE OROGRAPHY AND GENERAL EEATURES OE 
RELIEF OF THE MIDDLE AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CALIFORNIA. 
Grandeur of the mountains and plains.—Sierra Nevada and its prolongations southward.—Bernardino sierra.—Penin¬ 
sula sierra.—High valleys and table-lands of the northern portion of the sierra Nevada.—Trend of the sierra.— 
Southwest and notheast trend at the southern end.—Elevation of the chain.—Passes.—Southern limit of perpetual 
snow.—Bernardino sierra.—-Extent and position.—Trend.—The boundary of the great basin on the south.—Geologi¬ 
cal RELATIONS TO THE SIERRA NEVADA.—SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE TREND OF THE COAST AT POINT CONCEPTION.—SLOPE TO THE 
sea.—Difference of altitude between the coast slope and the great basin —Elevation of the chain and passes.— 
Formerly called sierra madre.—Peninsula sierra.—Extent.—Trend.—Gei iral elevation.—Sharp and rugged out¬ 
line.—Composite character.—Coast mountains.—Parallel ranges and valleys.—Overlapping of the ranges.—Sub¬ 
merged RANGES INDICATED BY THE LINES OF ISLANDS.-AVERAGE ELEVATION.-BaNGES BETWEEN SAN FRANCISCO AND THE SAN 
joaquin.—Mount diablo.—Cleft or break in the whole chain.—Golden gate —Valley of the salinas.—Valley of the 
BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO.—MOUNT DIABLO AND LIVERMORE’S VALLEY.-—MOUNTAINS OF THE GREAT BASIN AND DESERT.—ISOLATED 
CHARACTER.—SLOPES.—PAI UTE RANGE.—DESERT RANGE.—PLAINS AND VALLEYS.—GREAT VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA.—HlVERS.— 
Tulare lakes.—Colorado desert.—Extent of the plain.—Elevation.—Absence of rivers.—Trend.—-Elevation com¬ 
pared WITH THE COAST SLOPES AND THE GREAT BASIN. 
That portion of the continent within the limits of the State of California presents a greater 
variety in the relief of its surface, and in its climate and vegetable productions, than any other 
portion of equal area. The lofty chains of mountains, towering into the regions of perpetual 
snow, are perhaps not more striking and peculiar than the broad, plain-like valleys which lie at 
their base, and separate the principal ranges. 
The prominent orographic features are developed on a grand scale, and with such simple 
relations that a conception of them is readily formed. The chief range— the Sierra Nevada— 
rises like a great wall of separation between the State and the elevated semi-desert region of the 
Great Basin, and extends from the northern boundary as far south as the parallel of 35°. Par¬ 
allel with this, and extending over a similar distance, we find the Coast Mountains ; the two 
systems of ranges being separated by the broad plains of the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and the 
Tulares, but uniting in latitude 35 degrees ; thus terminating the extended, interior valleys on 
the south. 
South of this point of junction of the Sierra Nevada with the Coast Mountains, there is but 
one prominent range of mountains separating the coast-slope from the Great Basin and desert 
plains of the interior. Its direction is also different from either the Sierra Nevada or Coast 
Mountains, being nearly transverse to them, extending a few degrees south of east for more than 
100 miles to the peak of San Bernardino. This is described in the notes as the transverse chain , 
the Bernardino Mountains, or Bernardino Sierra. 1 
The peak of San Bernardino is separated from a high mountain south of it—San Gorgono— 
by a considerable break or gap, known as the pass of San Gorgono or San Bernardino. From 
this pass, southwards, the mountains form a continuous line throughout the peninsula of Lower 
See Chapter VI, p. 55. 
