Tinajas Altas Mountains
| Tinajas Altas Mountains | |
|---|---|
Sign along El Camino Del Diablo in Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, near Wellton, Arizona, at spur road to Tinajas Altas.
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Unnamed (32°16'26"N, 114°02'48"W) |
| Elevation | 843 m (2,766 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 35 km (22 mi) |
| Width | 6.4 km (4.0 mi) |
| Geography | |
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| Countries | United States and Mexico |
| State | Arizona |
| Region | (Sonoran Desert)–Yuma Desert (Gran Desierto de Altar) |
| District | Yuma County, Arizona |
| Settlement | Fortuna Foothills, Arizona |
| Range coordinates | 32°17′N 114°03′W / 32.28°N 114.05°WCoordinates: 32°17′N 114°03′W / 32.28°N 114.05°W |
| Borders on |
Gila Mountains (Yuma County)-NW Yuma Desert-W Lechuguilla Desert-E (Gran Desierto de Altar-S) |
| Geology | |
| Type of rock | granite–(light-colored) |
The Tinajas Altas Mountains (O'odham: Uʼuva:k or Uʼuv Oopad) are an extremely arid northwest-southeast trending mountain range in southern Yuma County, Arizona, approximately 35 mi southeast of Yuma, Arizona. The southern end of the range extends approximately one mile into the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora on the northern perimeter of the Gran Desierto de Altar. The range is about 22 mi in length and about 4 mi wide at its widest point. The highpoint of the range is unnamed and is 2,766 feet (843 meters) above sea level and is located at 32°16'26"N, 114°02'48"W (NAD 1983 datum). Aside from the portion of the range in Mexico, the entirety of the range lies within the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range. They lie at the heart of the traditional homeland of the Hia C-eḍ O'odham people.
Geologically, the Tinajas Altas Mountains are a southeastward extension of the block faulted Gila Mountains, and what are now the Tinajas Altas Mountains were actually considered part of the Gila Mountains until about the middle of the 20th century. The two ranges are separated by Cipriano Pass, also referred to as "Smugglers Pass," about two miles northwest of Raven Butte, 2,694 feet (821 m) which is a notable dark-colored volcanic feature on the eastern flank of the otherwise light-colored granitic range.
The range is named for the Tinajas Altas ("High Tanks"), which are a series of perched waterholes on the range's eastern side approximately four miles north of the international boundary. The waterholes figured prominently in the history of the area as they were for many years the only reliable source of water for many miles. Native Americans, principally the Hia C-eḍ O'odham, also utilized the waterholes as an important camp prior to European settlement.
The range lies in the Lower Colorado subdivision of the Sonoran Desert. This subdivision is sometimes referred to as the Colorado Desert and encompasses much of southeastern California, southwestern Arizona, northwestern Sonora, and northeastern Baja California. The subdivision is characterized by minimal precipitation, and the area around the Tinajas Altas Mountains averages only about three inches of rainfall per year.
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