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04/07/2006: "Capturing Mount Diablo --- The Island Mountain."

When I lived in Antioch, California our picture window overlooked big bad Mount Diablo. I have a picture of it somewhere but don't want to dig it out right now. But I found a lovely new photo
documentary of Mount Diablo online. The photos are beautiful and the voice doing the descriptions is great.

Mount Diablo occupies a unique geographical position on the boundary of the Bay Area and the Central Valley. On a clear day, views from its 3849 foot summit stretch more than 200 miles. Mount Diablo has one of the largest viewsheds in the Western United States.

THE ISLAND MOUNTAIN. Mount Diablo is the southern limit of the range for some plants and the northernmost for others. It provides habitat for over 100 species of animals and 650 species of flowering plants. 12 species of endangered plants and animals have been identified. The Mountain has one of the most varied climates and habitats in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mt Diablo began as volcanic rock beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean was scraped into a mass between the Pacific tectonic plate and the overlying sedimentary layers of the North American plate. As ice ages affected sea levels, sedimentation continued in shallow coastal seas. About four million years ago, the older, harder volcanic material from the sea floor forced its way up from between the two plates heaving the weaker sedimentary layers up an angle. Over time, younger rock above eroded and by 2 million B.C. the older rock we recognize as Diablo’s peaks was exposed as low-lying hills.

There is a movement to take some of the special appeal away from this beautiful area. If you're interested in helping to save Mount Diable Visit the Save Mount Diablo site. There are many similar sites online.