131:
263:
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830:
36:
451:. This ecosystem is naturally adapted to large, high-severity fires every 30 to 100 years or more. Nearly every area within the San Rafael Mountains has burned within the last century, largely due to an increase in human-caused ignitions. In the more shaded and moist canyons and northern slopes
341:(6,820 ft; 2,080 m), San Rafael Mountain (6,593 ft; 2,010 m) and McKinley Mountain (6,220 ft; 1,900 m), none of which are easily accessible except by foot or horse. The highest peak at the southern edge of the range is
373:
Climate is moderate, with hot dry summers (rare thunderstorms) and cool to cold wet winters. Snow sometimes falls on the higher slopes between
December and March during frontal passages. Annual precipitation totals are between 15 and 25 inches.
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mining was conducted on portions of the southern slopes. Tailings from these old mines sometimes contain high levels of mercury, and environmental investigations have been conducted to determine if cleanup is necessary and feasible.
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The central part of the mountains is included into Santa Ynez
Recreation area, a part of Los Padres National Forest, and is a popular hiking destination, with a dozen campgrounds.
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509:. Snow is common in the winter above about 6,000 feet (1,800 m), though overall the climate of the mountain range is
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The six highest peaks of the San Rafael
Mountains with more than 500 feet (150 m) of prominence, listed by height:
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370:, 250 feet (76 m) high, is located on a tributary of the Sisquoc River to the west of Big Pine Mountain.
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intrusions. Several prominent faults exist, including the Big Pine Fault, which trends eastward towards the
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is a spectacular block of sandstone that can be found deep in the San Rafael
Wilderness.
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777:"Calflora - A non-profit database providing information on wild California plants"
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headwaters are on the north slopes of Big Pine
Mountain. It is a designated
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The mountains are steep and rugged, and the lower slopes are dominated by
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with McKinley
Mountain and San Rafael Mountain visible in the distance
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San Rafael
Mountains between Alexander Peak and Little Pine Mountain
16:
Mountain range of the
Transverse Ranges in California, United States
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The earliest known residents of the San Rafael
Mountains were the
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is also interspersed across the chaparral-dominated slopes.
241:
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Santa
Barbara Ranger District, Los Padres National Forest
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Indians, and evidence of their habitation consists of
330:, and the northern slopes are included in the remote
1080:
Mountain ranges of Santa Barbara County, California
431:age or younger, though there are a few regions of
753:"Fire and Resource Assessment Program | CAL FIRE"
513:, with mild rainy winters and warm, dry summers.
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870:
392:San Rafael Mountain, 6,593 feet (2,010 m)
856:
19:For the hills near downtown Los Angeles, see
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863:
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360:Wild and Scenic River of the United States
326:Most of the mountain range is within the
709:United States Department of the Interior
675:United States Department of the Interior
641:United States Department of the Interior
607:United States Department of the Interior
542:
485:ecosystem. These stands are composed of
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984:La Purísima Mission State Historic Park
805:United States Department of Agriculture
573:Mountain ranges of Santa Barbara County
1095:Mountain ranges of Southern California
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404:Ortega Peak, 5,857 feet (1,785 m)
401:Monte Arido, 6,013 feet (1,833 m)
844:
801:"Accessible Recreation Opportunities"
143:location of San Rafael Mountains in
700:Geographic Names Information System
666:Geographic Names Information System
632:Geographic Names Information System
598:Geographic Names Information System
585:
13:
1044:United States Penitentiary, Lompoc
1019:Rancho Mission Vieja de la Purisma
294:, separating the drainages of the
255:California chaparral and woodlands
14:
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529:rock paintings in remote areas.
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419:The mountains mainly consist of
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34:
705:United States Geological Survey
671:United States Geological Survey
637:United States Geological Survey
603:United States Geological Survey
472:montane chaparral and woodlands
40:San Rafael Mountains from near
954:Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge
793:
769:
745:
721:
687:
653:
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310:which in turn are part of the
1:
578:
321:
205:34.71081972°N 119.81430417°W
68:6,820 ft (2,080 m)
7:
1049:Vandenberg Space Force Base
1024:Rancho San Carlos de Jonata
551:
442:
398:, 6,539 feet (1,993 m)
389:, 6,820 feet (2,080 m)
10:
1111:
1085:Los Padres National Forest
994:Los Padres National Forest
558:Los Padres National Forest
414:
337:The highest peaks include
328:Los Padres National Forest
210:34.71081972; -119.81430417
18:
941:
895:
879:
739:10.1007/978-3-319-68303-4
410:4,534 feet (1,382 m)
362:, and a tributary of the
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439:about forty miles away.
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302:. They are part of the
593:"San Rafael Mountains"
568:Sierra Madre Mountains
548:
499:singleleaf pinyon pine
483:mixed evergreen forest
271:
96:34.69722°N 119.65444°W
661:"San Rafael Mountain"
546:
332:San Rafael Wilderness
265:
1070:San Rafael Mountains
1034:Santa Ynez Mountains
1029:San Rafael Mountains
837:at Wikimedia Commons
835:San Rafael Mountains
563:Santa Ynez Mountains
343:Little Pine Mountain
312:Pacific Coast Ranges
284:Santa Barbara County
276:San Rafael Mountains
176:Santa Barbara County
137:San Rafael Mountains
101:34.69722; -119.65444
29:San Rafael Mountains
695:"McKinley Mountain"
627:"Big Pine Mountain"
532:In historic times,
477:zone are stands of
457:bigcone Douglas-fir
308:Southern California
201: /
92: /
999:Mission Santa Inés
549:
314:system of western
272:
50:Highest point
1075:Transverse Ranges
1057:
1056:
1039:Santa Ynez Valley
964:Figueroa Mountain
887:Salsipuedes Creek
833:Media related to
730:Valuing Chaparral
437:San Andreas Fault
408:Figueroa Mountain
387:Big Pine Mountain
364:Santa Maria River
339:Big Pine Mountain
304:Transverse Ranges
300:Santa Maria River
268:Figueroa Mountain
260:
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229:Transverse Ranges
183:Range coordinates
58:Big Pine Mountain
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979:Juncal Formation
974:Jalama Formation
959:Espada Formation
872:Santa Ynez River
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517:Human history
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511:Mediterranean
508:
507:incense cedar
504:
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368:Sisquoc Falls
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356:Sisquoc River
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989:Lake Cachuma
949:Bradbury Dam
808:. Retrieved
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610:. Retrieved
596:
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487:Jeffrey pine
469:
461:Coulter pine
446:
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396:Madulce Peak
381:
372:
353:
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275:
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223:Parent range
896:Communities
880:Tributaries
810:27 December
463:are found.
425:metamorphic
421:sedimentary
282:in central
208: /
99: /
87:119°39′16″W
74:Coordinates
1064:Categories
928:Santa Ynez
918:Los Olivos
786:2023-10-12
762:2023-10-12
714:2009-05-03
680:2009-05-03
646:2009-05-03
612:2009-05-03
579:References
527:pictograph
495:sugar pine
470:Above the
427:rocks, of
306:system of
288:California
167:California
145:California
84:34°41′50″N
942:Landmarks
874:Watershed
503:white fir
475:ecosystem
465:Gray pine
449:chaparral
322:Geography
112:Geography
64:Elevation
908:Buellton
552:See also
479:conifers
443:Habitats
429:Jurassic
298:and the
237:Topo map
172:District
933:Solvang
903:Ballard
534:mercury
523:Chumash
481:of the
433:igneous
415:Geology
156:Country
913:Lompoc
505:, and
459:, and
334:area.
278:are a
270:, 2005
231:system
378:Peaks
250:Biome
164:State
812:2013
423:and
354:The
292:U.S.
274:The
242:USGS
55:Peak
735:doi
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23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
