Topatopa Mountains

The Topatopa Mountains are a mountain range in Ventura County, California, north of Ojai, Santa Paula, and Fillmore. They are part of the Transverse Ranges of Southern California.

Topatopa Mountains[1]
Topa Topa Mountains
"The Pink Moment" on the Topa Topa bluffs, as viewed from Upper Ojai.
Highest point
PeakCobblestone Mountain
Elevation6,738 ft (2,054 m)
Coordinates34.530°N 119.043°W / 34.530; -119.043
Geography
Topatopa Mountains is located in California
Topatopa Mountains
Topatopa Mountains[1]
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
CountyVentura
Parent rangeTransverse Ranges
Borders onSierra Pelona Mountains and Sierra Madre Mountains

Etymology

A name for the mountains was first inscribed within the archives of Mission Basilica San Buenaventura in 1943, citing a nearby Chumash ranchería named "Si-toptopo". In 1945, American linguist and ethnologist John Peabody Harrington noted that "topa" is a Chumash word meaning "reed" or "rush".[2]

Geography

The Topatopa Mountains lie in an east–west direction east of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and west of the Sierra Pelona Mountains. To the south lies the Santa Clara River Valley into which various creeks drain starting in the mountains into the Santa Clara River. The range reaches an elevation of 6,738 feet (2,054 m) at Cobblestone Mountain,[3] about 14 mi (23 km) north-northeast of Fillmore and about 16 mi (26 km) northwest of Castaic. Snow frequently falls on the high peaks during winter.

Hydrology

Several major tributaries of the Santa Clara River flow down from the Topatopa Mountains, the largest being Piru Creek and Sespe Creek.

Lake Piru is the only major reservoir located within the mountains.

Natural history

The Topatopa Mountains are within the southern Los Padres National Forest. The Sespe Wilderness Area, and the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, are primarily within the Topatopa Mountains and foothills. They are part of the home range of the endangered California condor.

The habitat is of the California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. Sespe Creek flows through the range, creating Sespe Gorge, with Riparian habitats of willows and woodlands.

Highest peaks

  • Cobblestone Mountain 6,738 ft (2,054 m)
  • Hines Peak - 6,703 ft (2,043 m)
  • Topatopa Bluff - 6,367 ft (1,941 m)
  • Chief Peak - 5,560+ ft (1,695+ m)
  • Santa Paula Peak - 4,957 ft (1,511 m)
  • Nordhoff Peak - 4,485 ft (1,367 m)

Adjacent Transverse Ranges

See also

Media related to Topatopa Mountains at Wikimedia Commons

References


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