Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada, mountain range, United States

Sierra Nevada (sēĕr`ə nəvä`də), mountain range, c.400 mi (640 km) long and from c.40 to 80 mi (60–130 km) wide, mostly in E Calif. It rises to 14,495 ft (4,418 m) in Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the United States outside Alaska. The mountains extend NW from Tehachapi Pass near Bakersfield, Calif., to the gap S of Lassen Peak. A tilted fault-block in structure (the largest in the United States), the Sierra Nevada's eastern front rises sharply from the Great Basin, while its western slope descends gradually to the hills bordering the Central Valley of California. Heavy winter precipitation is economically important to the surrounding areas; snow-fed streams supply irrigation water to the Central Valley and to W Nevada and also generate hydroelectric power. High, rugged, and frequently snowbound in winter, the mountains are a formidable barrier to overland travel. Donner Pass (alt. 7,089 ft/2,161 m), the principal pass across the mountains, was used by thousands of California-bound gold-seekers and immigrants in the middle and late 1800s. The Sierra Nevada are known for their magnificent scenery (especially in the High Sierra S of Lake Tahoe and in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks) and for their year-round resorts.

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Sierra Nevada, mountain range, Spain

Sierra Nevada (syā`rä nāvä`thä), chief mountain range of S Spain, in Granada prov., running from east to west for c.60 mi (100 km), parallel to the Mediterranean Sea. The range's highest peak is Mulhacén (11,411 ft/3,478 m). The range, which contains Spain's largest national park, is popular with skiers.

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Sierra Nevada

Mountain range, eastern California, U.S. The Sierra Nevada range extends more than 250 mi (400 km) from the Mojave Desert to the Cascade Range, and it averages about 50 mi (80 km) in width. The peaks of the range are 11,000–14,000 ft (3,350–4,270 m) high; Mount Whitney is the highest mountain. It is a year-round recreation centre and is easily accessed from the state's large urban areas.

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Sierra Nevada

1. a mountain range in E California, parallel to the Coast Ranges. Highest peak: Mount Whitney, 4418 m (14 495 ft.)

2. a mountain range in SE Spain, mostly in Granada and Almería provinces. Highest peak: Cerro de Mulhacén, 3478 m (11 411 ft.)

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Sierra Nevada 

a mountain range in the southwestern United States, in the western belt of the Cordilleras. The Sierra Nevada divides the Great Basin from the Central Valley. The range is 750 km long; its highest point is Mount Whitney, at 4,418 m. The Sierra Nevada is a seismic region composed of granodiorite. There are thermal springs and mud volcanoes in the foothills. The gently inclined western slope has deep valleys and receives abundant precipitation; its vegetation consists of evergreen scrub oak (to 1,000 m), coniferous forests (to 3,000 m), and alpine meadows (above 3,000 m). The steep eastern slope is cut by gorges and is relatively arid; its vegetation consists of mountain pine forests and brush. The peaks are snow-capped. Pipelines from the Sierra Nevada supply water to San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks are located in the Sierra Nevada.

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Sierra Nevada 

an Andalusian mountain range in southern Spain. The Sierra Nevada includes the highest peak on the Iberian Peninsula, Mount Mulhacén (3,478 m). The range is composed of dolomite, limestone, and schist. The peaks are covered with snow for several months of the year; Europe’s southernmost glacier is on Mount Mulhacén. There are deposits of iron ore at Alquife.