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Astronauts aboard the International Space Station looked obliquely down at the steep eastern flank of California’s Sierra Nevada. Even from space the topography is impressive. The range drops nearly 11,000 feet from Mt. Whitney (under cloud, arrow), the highest mountain in the lower 48 states (14,494 ft), to the floor of Owens Valley (the elevation of the town of Lone Pine is 3,760 ft). The Sierra Nevada landscape is well known for deep, glacially scoured valleys, like Kern Canyon west of Mt. Whitney.
Published Mar 9, 2003
In western Nevada, one of only two remnants of ancient, glacial Lake Lahontan is sandwiched between mountain ridges.
Published Aug 20, 2012
This panoramic view of the southwestern USA and Pacific Ocean was taken by an astronaut looking out at an angle from the International Space Station
Published Oct 4, 2010
As November 2018 came to a close, mountain areas saw their first significant snowfall of the season.
Published Dec 3, 2018
Snow cover in late March 2015 was significantly lower than the previous worst year on record. The landscape change is stark since 2010, the last time the region saw average snowfall.
Published Apr 3, 2015
Seasonal snowpack in the Sierra Nevada depends on whether a winter is wet or dry, and 2015 shaped up to be exceptionally dry.
Published Oct 21, 2015
