Sierra Nevada Geography
One of the things that makes the Sierra Nevada so unique is its diverse and complex geography, ranging from pastoral rolling oak dotted foothills to rugged alpine peaks; from barren desert to forests of towering sequoias; from the warm, dry lowlands to winter passes clogged with up to 30 feet of snow.
This page contains links to lists, charts and maps of some of the many geographic features of the range, including elements of the physical landscape, climate and the human landscape. This list is not exhaustive in any way, and only reflects topics of interest to the author.
Natural Geography of the Sierra Nevada
- Elevation profile of the Sierra crest
- Elevation cross-sections
of the Sierra at Mt. Whitney, Yosemite
and Lake Tahoe - The highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada - over 13,000 ft. (3962 m)
- Natural vegetation of the Sierra Nevada
- Sierra Nevada rivers
- The Sierra Nevada from space
- Infrared satellite image of the Sierra Nevada
Climate of the Sierra Nevada
- Climate classifications
- Average annual precipitation
- Average winter snow depth
- Maximum extent of glaciation
Human Geography of the Sierra Nevada
- The Gold Country
- Highways through the Sierra Nevada
- Areas of remaining old growth forest
- Land ownership in the Sierra Nevada
- National Parks and National Forests
- Wilderness areas
- Population growth (housing density)