Trinity Alps
| Trinity Alps | |
|---|---|
Trinity Alps near Granite Lake
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,744 m (9,003 ft) |
| Geography | |
 |
|
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | Shasta Cascade |
| District | Trinity County |
| Range coordinates | 41°00′01″N 123°02′54″W / 41.0004°N 123.0484°WCoordinates: 41°00′01″N 123°02′54″W / 41.0004°N 123.0484°W |
| Topo map | USGS Thompson Peak |
The Trinity Alps are a mountain range in Siskiyou County and Trinity County, in Northern California. They are in the Klamath Mountains System, and located to the northwest of Redding.
The Trinity Alps are within the Pacific Coast Ranges physiographic region, in the Klamath Mountains System, which lies between the California Coast Ranges to the west and the Cascade Range to the east. Elevations range from 1,350 feet (411 m) to 9,001 feet (2,744 m) on Thompson Peak. Other notable peaks include Granite Peak (8,094 feet (2,467 m)) and Ycatapom Peak (7,593 feet (2,314 m)). The Trinity Alps are noted for their scenic views and alpine environment. The range's alpine flora differs from that found in the Sierra Nevada or the Cascades. Within the Klamath Mountains, adjacent subranges of the Trinity Alps include the Salmon Mountains and Scott Mountains.
The Trinity Alps Wilderness covers 517,000 acres (2,090 km2), making it the second largest wilderness area in California. The area was formerly known as the Salmon-Trinity Alps Primitive Area since 1932 until a series of expansions.
The lowest snowfield in California that does not disappear except in the extreme runs of dry years is located above Mirror Lake at an elevation of 6,600 ft (2,000 m).
The only unambiguous glacier is the 15-acre (61,000 m2) icefield on the north side of Thompson Peak, which shows crevasses indicating true motion even on so small an icefield. Research has shown that some glaciers in the Trinity Alps are more resistant to the effects of global warming than are other California glaciers. According to recent, but incorrect, USGS maps, 35 permanent bodies of snow and several tiny glaciers dot the highest peaks of the Alps. Independent study has shown that only about six of these snow/ice bodies persist through the driest years. The recent 7.5-minute topographic maps from the USGS severely overstate the area of these ice bodies; for example, none of those shown on the east side of the ridge west of Canyon Creek or of Sawtooth Peak remain at the end even of half the years.
...
Wikipedia