Panoche Pass is a
mountain pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...
within the
Diablo Range
The Diablo Range is a mountain range in the California Coast Ranges subdivision of the Pacific Coast Ranges in northern California, United States. It stretches from the eastern San Francisco Bay area at its northern end to the Salinas Valley are ...
in
San Benito County, California
San Benito County (; ''San Benito'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Benedict of Nursia, St. Benedict"), officially the County of San Benito, is a county (United States), county located in the California Coast Ranges, Coast Range Mountains of the ...
connecting the southern extremity of the
Santa Clara Valley
The Santa Clara Valley is a geologic trough in Northern California that extends 90 miles (145 km) south–southeast from San Francisco to Hollister. The longitudinal valley is bordered on the west by the Santa Cruz Mountains and on the east ...
in the west to the
Panoche Valley
Panoche Valley is a grassland valley lying between the Diablo Range and the San Joaquin Valley, in San Benito County, California. The valley is bound on the north by Panoche Hills, on the east by Tumey Hills, on the south by the Griswold Hills a ...
and
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven c ...
in the east. The name ''Panoche Pass'' is used for the
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...
quadrangle map for the local area.
, also known as the ''Panoche Road'', traverses the pass.
Curiously, the elevation of posted on the official highway sign
is at least higher than that indicated on the official USGS topographic map of the area.
Natural history
The
headwaters
The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source.
Definition
The ...
of
Panoche Creek
Panoche Creek is a creek in San Benito County, California, San Benito and Fresno County, California, Fresno Counties, California, in the United States.
Historical names include Arroyo de Panoche Grande (Big Sugarloaf Creek)Mildred B. Hoover, et a ...
are located at Panoche Pass.
The locale has numerous flora and fauna species. There are also a number of
wildflower
A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...
species including the iconic yellow mariposa lily, ''
Calochortus luteus
''Calochortus luteus'', the yellow mariposa lily, is a mariposa lily endemic to California.
Description
The primarily bright deep yellow flower is 3–5 cm across and perianth bulb-shaped, lined red-brown inside, often also with central re ...
'', which has been specifically noted in the Panoche Pass.
[C. Michael Hogan. 2009]
See also
*
Panoche Hills
The Panoche Hills are a low mountain range in the Southern Inner California Coast Ranges System, in western Fresno County, California.
They are east of the Diablo Range, on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley. They define the eastern side of ...
*
Pacheco Pass
Pacheco Pass, elevation , is a low mountain pass located in the Diablo Range in southeastern Santa Clara County, California. It is the main route through the hills separating the Santa Clara Valley and the Central Valley.
As with most passes in ...
lies to the north of Panoche Pass and is more heavily travelled
*
New Idria, California
New Idria was an unincorporated town in San Benito County, California. It was named after the New Idria Mercury Mine, which closed in 1972, resulting in a ghost town.
Geography
The area is inside Area code 831. It is included in the Monterey Bay U ...
Notes
References
* David L. Durham. 2000. ''Durham's place names of California's Central Coast'', page 145 of 241 pages
* C. Michael Hogan. 2009
''Yellow Mariposa Lily: Calochortus luteus'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
External links
July 25, 1861: Panoche Pass, Up and Down California, Reliving the Whitney Survey…150 years later
Mountain passes of California
Landforms of San Benito County, California
Diablo Range
{{SanBenitoCountyCA-geo-stub