Temescal Mountains: Difference between revisions

| name = Temescal Mountains

| native_name = {{native name|es|Sierra Temescal}}

| other_name = Gavilan Mountains, Gavilan Hills

| etymology =

| photo_caption =

| photo_size =

| country = United States

| state subdivision1= California

| range parent= [[Peninsular Ranges]]

| highest = [[Estelle Mountain]]

| elevation_ft =2762

| elevation_noteelevation_ref=<ref>{{cite gnis|id= 271080|name=Estelle Mountain|entrydate= 1981-01-19|accessdateaccess-date= 2012-07-09}}</ref>

| length_mi = 25| length_orientation = SE

| width_mi = 10
| width_orientation = E

| area_mi2 =

| geology = [[Fault-block mountain|Fault-block]], [[igneous]], [[batholith]]

| orogeny =

| map = USA California

| map_caption =

The '''Temescal Mountains''', formerlyalso known as the '''Sierra Temescal''' ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for "[[sweat lodge]] range"), are one of the northernmost [[mountain range]]s of the [[Peninsular Ranges]] in western [[Riverside County, California|Riverside County]], in [[Southern California]] in the [[United States]]. They extend for approximately 25&nbsp;mi (40&nbsp;km) southeast of the [[Santa Ana River]] east of the [[Elsinore Fault Zone]] to the [[Temecula Basin]] and form the western edge of the [[Perris Block]].

The Temescal Mountains were originally named by the Spanish, '''as Sierra Temescal''', (perhaps from the nearby [[Rancho Temescal (Serrano)|Rancho Temescal]]), a name which appears on the Rail Road Route survey map made by the [[U. S. Army]] [[Pacific Railroad Surveys]] in 1854-551854–55.<ref>The name Sierra Temescal, (Temescal Mountains) appears on the mountains shown east of the Santa Ana Mountains and Temescal Creek and north of the Laguna (Lake Elsinore) and Rio San Jacinto (San Jacinto River) on the 1861 Rail Road Route survey map, "From San Francisco Bay to the Plains of Los Angeles", from Explorations and Surveys made under the direction of The Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War by Lieut. John G. Parke, Topl. Engrs. assisted by Albert H. Campbell, Civil Engineer and N.H. Hutton, H. Custer and G.G. Garner. 1854 & 55. Map No. 1. Constructed and drawn by H. Custer. Explorations and Surveys for a Rail Road Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. War Department. Coast Route, California.</ref> The Temescal Mountains are one of the northernmost of [[Peninsular Ranges]] of [[California]], running from the south side of the [[Santa Anna River]], southeast nearly parallel with the [[Santa Ana Mountains]], from which it is separated by the [[Temescal Valley (California)|Temescal Valley]] and [[Elsinore Valley]] sections of the [[Elsinore Trough]]. The Temescal Mountains were originally considered to be bounded on the south by the [[San Jacinto River (California)|San Jacinto River]], by [[Josiah Whitney|J. D. Whitney]] in his 1865 Geological Survey of California.<ref>"The expression "Temescal Range" was used in the Whitney report to define the hills lying on the northeast side of the Elsinore Valley. The range was described as follows: "The Temescal range of mountains commences on the south side of the Santa Ana River, and runs southeast in a direction nearly parallel with that chain of the same name [Santa Ana Mountains], from which it is separated by a narrow valley . . . The name Temescal seems to be limited in its application to the hills lying between the Santa Ana and the San Jacinto Creeks, and which cover an area of about 300 square miles." Rene Engel, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE LAKE ELSINORE QUADRANGLE CALIFORNIA, CAIIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, BULLETIN 146, DIVISION OF MINES, SAN FRANCISCO, 1959, p. 11-12, citing Whitney. J. D., 1865, Santa Ana and Temescal Ranges: Geol. Survey of California, 1860-64, vol. 1— Geology. p. 175-181</ref> A later study by Rene Engel, considers the [[Sedco Hills (California)|Sedco Hills]] and the other mountains that extend to the southeast of the San Jacinto River east of Lake Elsinore and north of the Temecula Basin, in [[Murrieta, California|Murrieta]] to be part of the same range forming the natural continuation of the mountains.<ref>"To the northeast [of the Santa Ana Mountains] the Temescal Mountains form the southwestern edge of a broad plateau area, modified by medium relief forms, which now is known as the "[[Perris Block]]." This name is derived from the town of Perris, near the center of the Elsinore quadrangle. The term "Temescal Range" was first applied by [[Josiah Whitney|J. D. Whitney]] (1865, p. 178) to the mountains that extend from the Santa Ana River to San Jacinto Creek. Under this definition are included [[Arlington Mountain]] (elevation 1851 feet), [[Estelle Mountain]] (elevation 2826 feet), and the hills immediately east of [[Lake Elsinore, California|Elsinore]] (maximum elevation 1945 feet). The writer here proposes to include in the Temescal Mountains the hills that extend to the southeast and form the natural continuation of the mountains as the western edge of the Perris Block. Engel, GEOLOGY AND MINERAL DEPOSITS OF THE LAKE ELSINORE QUADRANGLE, p. 14</ref> The [[Murrieta Hogbacks]] are the southeastern-mostsoutheasternmost heights of the range, overlooking the [[Warm Springs Creek (California)|Warm Springs Creek]] Canyon.

As part of the Perris Block, the Temescal Mountains are part of its eroded mass of [[Cretaceous]] and older [[granitic]] rocks of the [[Peninsular Ranges#Geology|Peninsular Ranges Batholith]] and [[metasedimentary]] [[basement rocks]]. Most of this basement rock that once overlay the granitic [[pluton]]s that rose up into it, has been eroded away, the remainder being found between the similarly eroded plutons of granitic rock.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BFWXBAAAQBAJ&dqq=%22Peninsular+Batholith%22&source=gbs_navlinks_s Douglas M. Morton, Fred K. Miller, Peninsular Ranges Batholith, Baja and Southern California, Geological Society of America, 2014]</ref>

As part of the [[California Floristic Province]], the Temescal Mountains host a diverse array of plant species within distinctive natural (plant) communities, including [[coastal sage scrub]], [[chaparral]], [[Riparian zone|riparian]] woodland, [[California oak woodland|southern oak woodland]], rocky outcrop and valley [[grassland]]. Rare flowers like the intermediate [[Mariposamariposa lily]], grow there. Fragrant [[Coastal sage scrub|sages]], [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s and trees, perennial [[bunchgrass]]es, ''[[Dudleya]]'' species of [[succulents]], [[Fire ecology|fire-following]] flowers and other wildflowers adorn the terrain.

Wildlife species found, include [[mountain lion]], [[mule deer]], [[bobcat]], [[coyote]], [[raccoon]], [[gray fox]], [[American badger]], [[spotted skunk]], [[kangaroo rat]], [[bat]]s, [[raven]]s, [[red tailed hawk]], [[mountain quail]], [[canyon wren]], [[speckled rattlesnake]], [[Pacific rattlesnake]], [[common kingsnake]], [[gopher snake]], [[Twotwo-striped garter snake]], [[Rosyrosy boa]], [[HypsiglenaNight torquata klauberisnake|San Diego night snake]], [[Granitegranite spiny lizard]], [[arroyo toad]], [[Spea hammondii|western spadefoot toad]], various ''[[Aphonopelma]]'' species of tarantula, [[Quino Checkerspotcheckerspot]] butterfly and many more. [[Gray wolf]], [[pronghorn]], and [[California condor]] were also once found in the range.

'''MineralsCommercial uses'''<br />

A number of mineralsmineral resources have been mined in the range. Commercial resources collected since the 1840s have included the metals [[tin,]] and [[gold]], and the mineralsnon-metals [[clay]], [[coal]], and [[granite]]. Parts of the range have been used to graze domestic livestock from the early 19th century. The little water found in the range has become a particularly valued resource.

** [[Pachappa Hill]] <ref>{{GNIS|247061|Pachappa Hill}}</ref>

** [[Alessandro Arroyo]] <ref>{{GNIS|1664110|Alessandro 1003-003 Dam}}</ref>

** [[Quarry Hill (Riverside, California)|Quarry Hill]] <ref>{{GNIS|247870|Quarry Hill}}</ref>

** [[Prenda Arroyo]] <ref>{{GNIS|1664111|Prenda 1003-004 Dam}}</ref>

** [[Woodcrest Arroyo]] <ref>{{GNIS|251783|Woodcrest Dam}}</ref>

** [[Mockingbird Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|272512|Mockingbird Canyon}}</ref>

* [[Eagle Valley (California)|Eagle Valley]] <ref>{{GNIS|270973|Eagle Valley}}</ref>

* [[Three Sisters (Riverside County)|Three Sisters]] <ref>{{GNIS|250475|Three Sisters}}</ref>

** [[Mead Valley]] <ref>{{GNIS|245727|Mead Valley}} mouth: {{coord|33|50|13|N|117|18|55|W|}} elevation: 1601, head: {{coord|33|52|19|N|117|17|52|W|}}, elevation: 1695 feet</ref>

* [[Olsen Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|272794|Olsen Canyon}}</ref>

* [[Black Rocks (Riverside County)|Black Rocks]] <ref>{{GNIS|269899|Black Rocks}}</ref>

* [[Monument Peak (Riverside County)|Monument Peak]] <ref>{{GNIS|272544|Monument Peak}}</ref>

** [[Summit 2557 (Temescal Mountains)|Summit 2557]] <ref>USGS Map: Steele Peak, CA, Temescal Mountain Summit 2557, Elevation: 2,557 feet, {{coord|33|47|53|N|117|19|23|W|}}</ref>

** [[Santa Rosa Mine Ridge]] <ref>{{GNIS|249113|Santa Rosa Mine}}</ref>

* [[Steele Valley]] <ref>{{GNIS|249900|Steele Valley}}</ref>

* [[Dawson Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|270768|Dawson Canyon}}</ref>

* [[Estelle Mountain]] 2,767 feet

* [[Alberhill Canyon]] <ref>USGS Map: Alberhill, CA, Alberhill Canyon, Elevation: 1214 feet, mouth, {{coord|33|43|45|N|117|23|39|W|}}</ref>

* [[Gavilan Wash]]<ref>USGS Map: Alberhill, CA, Gavilan Wash (mouth), Elevation: approx.approximately 1230 feet, {{coord|33|43|31|N|117|22|27|W|}}</ref><ref>[http://uglybridges.com/1060936 INTERSTATE 15 SB over GAVILAN WASH] from uglybridges.com accessed June 2, 2015</ref>

* [[Walker Canyon (Riverside County, California)|Walker Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|274368|Walker Canyon}}</ref>

* [[Alberhill Summit]] <ref>USGS Map: Lake Elsinore, CA, Alberhill Summit, Elevation: 1741 feet, {{coord|33|42|51|N|117|22|16|W|}}</ref>

* [[Stovepipe Canyon]] <ref>USGS Map: Lake Elsinore, CA, Stovepipe Canyon, head {{coord|33|44|30|N|117|20|38|W|}}, mouth {{coord|33|42|29|N|117|20|35|W|}}</ref>

* [[Arroyo del Toro]] <ref>{{GNIS|269584|Arroyo Del Toro}}</ref>

* [[Rosetta Canyon]] <ref>USGS Map: Lake Elsinore, CA, Rosetta Canyon {{coord|33|41|55|N|117|19|28|W|}}</ref>

* [[Wasson Canyon]] <ref>USGS Map: Lake Elsinore, CA, Wasson Canyon {{coord|33|40|51|N|117|19|54|W|}}</ref>

* [[Cottonwood Canyon (San Jacinto River)|Cottonwood Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|270621|Cottonwood Canyon}}</ref>

** [[Guadalupe Hill (CaliforniaTemescal Mountains)|Guadalupe Hill]]<ref>[http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=51870 Guadalupe Hill, California]; from peakbagger.com accessed February 25, 2015, 2267 feet {{coord|33|39|09|N|117|15|56|W|}}</ref>

* [[Bundy Canyon]] <ref>{{GNIS|270081|Bundy Canyon}}</ref>

** [[Iodine Spring]] <ref>{{GNIS|243876|Iodine Spring}}</ref>

* [[Adelaide Peak]] <ref>[http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=37603 Adelaide Peak, California]; from peakbagger.com accessed November 18, 2013, 2279 feet, {{coord|33|37|23|N|117|12|7|W|}}</ref>

*[http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~32854~RUMSEYc. 8c. 1c. 32854c. 1170240:From-San-Francisco-Bay-to-the-Plain?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No&qvq=q:Pacific%2BRailroad%2BSurvey;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_List_No%2CSeries_No;lc:RUMSEY~8~RUMSEYc. 8c. 1&mi=61&trs=71 Book Map "From San Francisco Bay to the Plains of Los Angeles", from Explorations and Surveys made under the direction of The Hon. Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War by Lieut. John G. Parke, Topl. Engrs. assisted by Albert H. Campbell, Civil Engineer and N.H. Hutton, H. Custer and G.G. Garner. 1854 & 55. Map No. 1. Constructed and drawn by H. Custer. Explorations and Surveys for a Rail Road Route from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. War Department. Coast Route, California, Reports of Explorations and Surveys, to Ascertain the Most Practicable and Economical Route for a Railroad From the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean, A.O.P. Nicholson I-XI, Washington, 1861, from David Rumsey Historical Map Collection]