Sierra Crest

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sierra-crest

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How long is Sierra Crest?Approximately 500 miles (800 kilometers)
2. How high is Sierra Crest?Varies significantly, reaching over 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) at Mount Whitney
3. What is the location?The primary ridgeline of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, California
4. What is the hydrological divide?Forms the Great Basin Divide in its northern and central sections
5. Why does the Sierra Crest matter for water?It acts as a big divider that decides whether water flows to the ocean or stays inside the dry interior. The crest is part of the Great Basin Divide.
6. Where does the Sierra Crest go?It runs through the Sierra Nevada, separating the gentle western slopes from the steep eastern cliffs. It also marks county lines between Tulare, Inyo, and Kern counties.

Topographic Divide: A line separating drainage basins that flow in opposite directions.
Glacial Geomorphology: The study of landforms created by the action of glaciers.
Endorheic Basin: A closed drainage basin that retains water and allows no outflow.
Batholith: A large body of igneous rock formed deep within the Earth's crust.