The Sierra Nevada mountain range dominates California. When early Spanish explorers saw the series of snowy mountains, they named it Sierra, meaning “jagged mountain range,” and Nevada, meaning “snowy.” The impressive collection of granite peaks, alpine valleys, and crystal clear lakes stretches more than 400 miles long and spans 50 to 80 miles wide. Many consider it to be the longest unbroken mountain range in North America. It truly is a land of superlatives. It hosts Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America; Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States; and General Sherman, which is, by volume, the largest tree in the world. John Muir was so moved by it he said, “Of all the mountain ranges I have climbed, I like the Sierra Nevada the best,” and christened it the “Range of Light.”
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