Sierra Pelona Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Sierra Pelona Mountains , or the Sierra Pelona Ridge, is a mountain range
in the Transverse Ranges
of Southern California
.. They are located within Los Angeles (northwest) and Kern (southern) Counties.
and are bounded to the south by the Santa Clarita Valley
, and to the north by the Antelope Valley
. The San Andreas Fault
lies north of the mountains, in Elizabeth Lake
. The Sierra Pelona Mountains feature the rural communities of Three Points, Lake Hughes, Elizabeth Lake, and Green Valley, as well as the mountains identified as Liebre Mountain, Burnt Peak, Sawmill Mountain, Grass Mountain, and Mount McDill.
Tejon Pass
is a mountain pass
that separates the Sierra Pelonas, San Emigdio Mountains
, and the Tehachapi Mountains
, near Gorman and Lebec
. The Vasquez Rocks
are in the southern section.
Snow
is frequent in the high areas of Sierra Pelonas during the winters, but these areas are also prone to wildfire
s in the summer and fall, during which the Santa Ana winds occur.
and Serrano
Native American Native American Californian
people. They traded with the Tongva and Chumash people to the south and west, until the Spanish invasion
and subsequent colonization
relocated them from their Sierra Pelona and Santa Susana Mountains
homelands.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the Transverse Ranges
Transverse Ranges
The Transverse Ranges are a group of mountain ranges of southern California, in the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region that runs along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico in North America. The Transverse Ranges begin at the southern end of the California Coast Ranges and lie between...
of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.. They are located within Los Angeles (northwest) and Kern (southern) Counties.
Geography
The Sierra Pelona Mountains are northwest of the San Gabriel MountainsSan Gabriel Mountains
The San Gabriel Mountains Range is located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, United States. The mountain range lies between the Los Angeles Basin and the Mojave Desert, with Interstate 5 to the west and Interstate 15 to the east...
and are bounded to the south by the Santa Clarita Valley
Santa Clarita Valley
The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the Rancho San Francisco Mexican land grant...
, and to the north by the Antelope Valley
Antelope Valley
The Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
. The San Andreas Fault
San Andreas Fault
The San Andreas Fault is a continental strike-slip fault that runs a length of roughly through California in the United States. The fault's motion is right-lateral strike-slip...
lies north of the mountains, in Elizabeth Lake
Elizabeth Lake, California
Elizabeth Lake lies directly on the San Andreas earthquake fault wihin the Angeles National Forest in northwest Los Angeles County, California. Situated in the western Antelope Valley and surrounded by rolling golden hills, it is one of a series of sag ponds in the area, including Hughes Lake and...
. The Sierra Pelona Mountains feature the rural communities of Three Points, Lake Hughes, Elizabeth Lake, and Green Valley, as well as the mountains identified as Liebre Mountain, Burnt Peak, Sawmill Mountain, Grass Mountain, and Mount McDill.
Tejon Pass
Tejon Pass
The Tejon Pass is a mountain pass at the southwest end of the Tehachapi Mountains linking Southern to Central California.-Geography:The apex of the pass is near the northwesternmost corner of Los Angeles County, north of Gorman...
is a mountain pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
that separates the Sierra Pelonas, San Emigdio Mountains
San Emigdio Mountains
The San Emigdio Mountains are a part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, extending from Interstate 5 at Lebec and Gorman on the east to Highway 33–166 on the west. They link the Tehachapis and Temblor Range and form the southern wall of the San Joaquin Valley.The range is within Los...
, and the Tehachapi Mountains
Tehachapi Mountains
The Tehachapi Mountains , regionally also called The Tehachapis, are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States...
, near Gorman and Lebec
Lebec, California
Lebec is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Kern County, California. It is one of the Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass, and the home of the Tejon Ranch Company. Lebec is south of Bakersfield. The population was 1,468 in the 2010 census, up from 1,224 in...
. The Vasquez Rocks
Vasquez Rocks
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a 905-acre northern Los Angeles County, California, USA park acquired by the Los Angeles County government in the 1970s...
are in the southern section.
Snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
is frequent in the high areas of Sierra Pelonas during the winters, but these areas are also prone to wildfire
Wildfire
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire in combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or a wilderness area. Other names such as brush fire, bushfire, forest fire, desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, squirrel fire, vegetation fire, veldfire, and wilkjjofire may be used to describe the same...
s in the summer and fall, during which the Santa Ana winds occur.
Cultural history
The Sierra Pelona Mountains were the homeland of the TataviamTataviam
The Tataviam , were called the Alliklik by their neighbors the Chumash , are a Native American group in southern California...
and Serrano
Serrano (people)
The Serrano are a Native American tribe of present day California, United States. They use the autonyms of Taaqtam, meaning "people"; Maarenga'yam, "people from Morongo"; and Yuhaviatam, "people of the pines." The Serrano historically populated the San Bernardino Mountains and extended east into...
Native American Native American Californian
Population of Native California
Estimates of the Native Californian population have varied substantially, both with respect to California's pre-contact count and for changes during subsequent periods. Pre-contact estimates range from 133,000 to 705,000 with some recent scholars concluding that these estimates are low...
people. They traded with the Tongva and Chumash people to the south and west, until the Spanish invasion
Population of Native California
Estimates of the Native Californian population have varied substantially, both with respect to California's pre-contact count and for changes during subsequent periods. Pre-contact estimates range from 133,000 to 705,000 with some recent scholars concluding that these estimates are low...
and subsequent colonization
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
relocated them from their Sierra Pelona and Santa Susana Mountains
Santa Susana Mountains
The Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
homelands.
Highest peaks
- Burnt Peak 5,788 ft (1,764 m)
- Liebre Mountain 5,760+ ft (1756+ m)
- Sawtooth Mountain 5,200+ ft (1,585+ m)
- Jupiter Mountain 4,498 ft (1,371 m)
- Redrock Mountain (benchmark) 3,991 ft (1,216 m)
See also
- San Emigdio MountainsSan Emigdio MountainsThe San Emigdio Mountains are a part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, extending from Interstate 5 at Lebec and Gorman on the east to Highway 33–166 on the west. They link the Tehachapis and Temblor Range and form the southern wall of the San Joaquin Valley.The range is within Los...
- to the west - Santa Susana MountainsSanta Susana MountainsThe Santa Susana Mountains are a transverse range of mountains in southern California, north of the city of Los Angeles, in the United States. The range runs east-west separating the San Fernando Valley and Simi Valley on its south, from Santa Clara River Valley to the north, and Santa Clarita...
- to the southwest - San Bernardino MountainsSan Bernardino MountainsThe San Bernardino Mountains are a short transverse mountain range north and east of San Bernardino in Southern California in the United States. The mountains run for approximately 60 miles east-west on the southern edge of the Mojave Desert in southwestern San Bernardino County, north of the...
- to the far east