Mountains of California
Mountains cover most of the surface of California. The various ranges tended to isolate the diverse Native American cultures that flourished within the present boundaries of the state. The mountains also were formidable barriers during the early decades of European American exploration and settlement.
Mount Whitney, the highest point in the United States outside Alaska, rises to a majestic 14,495 feet above sea level in Sequoia National Park, at the headwaters of the Kings and Kern rivers. In southeastern Siskiyou County is Mount Shasta, a solitary peak of volcanic origin whose summit is 14,162 feet. Just to the south stands Mount Lassen at 10,457 feet. Mt. Lassen was an active volcano between 1914 and 1921.
The Sierra Nevada and the Coast Ranges are California's two major mountain ranges. The Klamath Mountains and the Cascades are located along the northern border of the state. The Transverse Ranges bisect southern California. The mountainous spine of the Baja California peninsula extends north into the Peninsular Ranges.